To read more about the activities of the Ideas Network 2030 click here >.

Upcoming event

6 May 2025, 18:00-19:00 (UK time)

Speakers: Greg Hands, former UK Trade Minister and Penny Naas, Lead, GMF Allied Strategic Competitiveness, German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF)
Moderator: Alex Boyd

Trump’s sweeping new tariffs may mark a historic turning point for global trade. Are we witnessing a temporary shift, or has the world crossed a rubicon, entering a new era of protectionism, economic nationalism, and geopolitical fragmentation? With rising inequality, fiscal pressures, and deepening questions about who truly benefits from globalisation, the trading system that defined the late 20th and early 21st centuries is under unprecedented strain.

This online seminar, featuring former UK Trade Minister Greg Hands and Penny Naas from the German Marshall Fund of the United States, will explore whether we are seeing the start of a long-term retreat from global economic integration and what that could mean for the UK, Europe, and the world.

Are we heading for a disorderly unwinding of established trade models? Will new supply chains, alliances, and regional systems emerge in response? And how can policymakers and businesses adapt to a more divided, less predictable global economy?



Recent events

8 April 2025, 18:00-19:00 (UK time)

Speakers: Ajit Jaokar, Oxford University and Simon Staffell, Microsoft
Moderator: Frank Nigriello

One year after the publication of Digital World Towards 2040 in April 2024 and its UK launch at our IN2030 event, this session will focus on the short-term consequences of the AI revolution, given the extremely rapid and accelerating pace of change. While 2040 remains a critical milestone, the sheer pace of technological change makes long-term forecasting increasingly difficult. The discussion will explore what we can expect with greater certainty in the near term, particularly the impact of AI and AGI on economies, governance, and society.



5 February 2025

Speaker: David McAllister MEP
Comments: James Rogers, Council on Geostrategy
Moderator: Felix Dane

As we look ahead, the global order is undergoing a significant transformation. The unipolar world of the past is giving way to a more fragmented geopolitical landscape, where no single power holds dominance. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia underscores the reality that not all major players adhere to a multilateral, rules-based order, with the conflict’s outcome and long-term impact still uncertain. Instability appears to be a persistent feature of the coming decades. This will be compounded by the unpredictability of the US Administration. How will the US develop its foreign policy given the aims already set out by incoming President Trump? How will the EU address putting its own house in order? And will China’s continued rise in economic and diplomatic influence see it align with other authoritarian states, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, to challenge democratic governance and existing international frameworks?

Useful documents

Between now and 2040, Europe and the world will undergo profound geopolitical, economic, technological and social change. We have pulled together a useful repository of documents. Below are a few examples of the documents available.

September 2024
Main elements of Draghi competitiveness report | Reuters
Reuters summarises the main recommendations by the former European Central Bank president, who had been commissioned to look at ways that the European Union could boost the competitiveness of its economy.

This article and other useful documents are available here.

April 2024
The World in 2040: Renewing the UK’s Approach to International Affairs
This report calls for ambitious reform of the Foreign Office and wider government machinery to safeguard future UK prosperity and security. Following a series of in-depth roundtable discussions, the report sets out a series of measures to renew and reform the UK foreign affairs function.

The report and other useful documents are available here.

April 2024
The Digital World towards 2040
 This report seeks not to predict but to provoke thought. It offers a panoramic view of AI’s potential impact on our world through the lenses of technology, economy and society. We aim for it to provide a basis for strategic thinking about Europe’s global position. The report’s author, Ajit Jaokar has engaged with keen thinkers about what AI would mean for Europe. Their insights have given fresh perspectives, all showing that AI will be a red thread through many new European policies over the next five years.

The report and other useful documents are available here.