The World In 2021
Future-gazing analysis, predictions and speculation
The World in 2021, our guide to the coming year, was published in November 2020 and looked ahead to America’s presidential inauguration, Germany’s new leader and the world’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. “The World in” is part of our collection of future-gazing coverage, which also includes “The World Ahead”, a monthly podcast, and “The World if”, our annual scenarios supplement. If you are not already a subscriber you can unlock some of our content by registering here.
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Needle and spread
The path to a covid-19 vaccine may be quick, but it will be bumpy
Certifying, manufacturing and distributing it will not be easy
Plotting the economic course
Governments must judge if the economic recovery needs more help
No one knows how much lasting damage has been done
The president’s priorities
Joe Biden’s in-tray is already overflowing
He will start with tackling the pandemic and reviving the economy
Still a contender
The Biden administration will try to box clever on China
But it will not rush to overturn all of Donald Trump’s policies
The new geography of business
Covid-19 forced businesses to experiment
Now comes the reckoning
After the tech-celeration
New technological behaviours will outlast the pandemic
Italian grannies have discovered online shopping
On the road again
Holidays in 2021 will be fewer, longer and closer to home
But at least they will happen
Tackling global warming
The world could turn a corner on climate change
But countries need to commit to more cuts on emissions
The year of déjà vu
2020: The year that wasn’t
Is everything better second time around?
We must heed the pandemic’s warning
The pandemic showed up humanity’s vulnerability
It also showed the need to prepare for future risks
A covid-19 vaccine
The World in 2021
The covid-19 vaccination programme will be the biggest in history
But distributing vaccines will be just as challenging as developing them
The World in 2021
With covid-19, nobody is safe until everyone is safe
So ensuring fair distribution of vaccines is vital, argues Seth Berkley of Gavi
The World in 2021
New treatments for covid-19 are on the way
They will improve the chances of those infected by, or exposed to, the virus
The World in 2021
What to expect in year two of the pandemic
Vaccines and cheap, rapid tests should make a difference
The World in 2021
Vaccine diplomacy could give China’s image a boost
Look out for the new “health Silk Road”
The post-coronavirus economy
The World in 2021
Covid-19 leaves a legacy of increased inequality
The phasing-out of income support and cuts to public services will hurt
The World in 2021
America’s economy is mending but recovery will come at a cost
The economic effects of covid-19 will be felt for years
The World in 2021
China’s economy will hold up well in the coming year
GDP for 2021 could meet pre-pandemic predictions
The World in 2021
India’s economy was sick before the coronavirus crisis
It will still be unwell when the pandemic has passed
The World in 2021
Labour markets in the rich world will diverge
Protectors v preservers
The geopolitical shift
The World in 2021
Joe Biden’s in-tray is already overflowing
He will start with tackling the pandemic and reviving the economy
The World in 2021
African countries will remain best friends with China
They will reject calls to loosen their ties
The World in 2021
South-East Asian countries are trapped between two superpowers
Balancing China and America will be tough
Aftershocks
The World in 2021
Was the pandemic a grey rhino or a black swan?
It was more predictable than people realise
The World in 2021
The crisis reminds of the need for scientific evidence
We need to be curiosity-driven as well as problem-oriented
The World in 2021
New thinking is needed on workers’ rights
It was not automation or software that brought job losses
The World in 2021
Paris illuminates the way ahead for the world’s cities
Trust your citizens and build more bike lanes
The World in 2021
Covid-19 showed up humanity’s vulnerability
It also showed the need to prepare for future risks
Culture and entertainment
The World in 2021
The pandemic has shaken up the movie business
Studios and streaming platforms will reckon with the impact of lockdowns
The World in 2021
Covid-19 fiction is coming—inoculate yourself
Many stories cooked up during the pandemic will be published in 2021
The World in 2021
Video games are becoming spectator sports
Can they get as big as football and cricket?
The World in 2021
African-made content is crossing over into the global cultural mainstream
It’s not just Afrobeats
The World in 2021
The Humboldt Forum in Berlin is a new kind of museum
It embodies many museum-related controversies. Can it offer answers?
The World in 2021
Will 2021 be another strong year for books?
The printed word bounced back during 2020