Conference Presentation, Panel
How the Next Generation Is Redefining Social Impact
Milken InstituteMaura Donlan, Simone Friedman, John Kluge, Jr., Suzanne Sinegal McGill, John R. Seydel
- Global population is projected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, with 70% living in urban areas and the United States becoming a majority-minority country.
- Climate change is expected to cause a sea-level rise of at least one foot and necessitate a 70% increase in food production, while one in five developing countries faces water shortages.
- The sixth extinction could result in the loss of half of global species by 2050, and climate-driven displacement may create 250 million additional refugees moving into urban centers.
- Humanitarian crises are forecasted to intensify without systemic change, potentially displacing 300 million more people globally if current approaches to forced migration are not corrected.
- The current humanitarian system is described as bankrupt and structurally flawed, prompting a call for private sector leadership, evidenced by the World Refugee Fund's successful $5 million lending to 6,000 entrepreneurs with 99.3%–99.6% repayment rates.
- Microfinance institutions accepting additional capital are projected to offer investors returns between 4% and 6% while addressing refugee economic empowerment.
- Women's education is identified as a primary climate solution, linked to lower fertility rates through family planning, with specific models in Rwanda showing a potential $2,000 annual income increase for women completing secondary school and a $1 billion economic boost from educating all girls.
- The global meat market is predicted to undergo a massive shift toward plant-based and clean meat technologies, expected to bifurcate by 2050 into high-quality regenerative agriculture and alternative proteins.
- In Atlanta, city-owned buildings target 100% green energy operation by 2025, with a city-wide goal of 100% green energy by 2035, alongside a reduction in food desert residency from a 53% baseline in 2010 to 25% by 2020 and a long-term aim of 0%.
- A documentary titled Eating Animals is scheduled for release in mid-June to address these shifting market dynamics.
- Optimism exists that educated women will lead Rwanda and the continent toward transparency and rule of law by 2050, while the next generation is expected to collaborate on shared best practices for the global vision.