Thursday
9th Sep 2021
By Elena Sánchez Nicolás
The green and digital transition, together with the pressure on democracy and the shift in the shares of the global population and GDP, will shape the geopolitical world order in the coming decades, according to a new report released by the European Commission.
“While we cannot know what the future holds, a better understanding of key megatrends will enhance the EU’s long-term capacity and freedom to act,” EU commissioner for interinstitutional relations Maroš Šefčovič said on Wednesday (8 September).
Short-term commitment
Best value, save 34%
Student or retired? Then this plan is for you.
Our exclusive news stories and investigations. Influential. Investigative. Independent.
Watch our editor-in-chief Koert Debeuf explain the reasons in this 30-second video.
Login here.
According to Šefčovič, the Covid-19 pandemic has driven efforts to increase the EU’s resilience, self-sufficiency and global leadership, especially after external dependencies and existing vulnerabilities became obvious.
In the EU’s second annual foresight report, climate change is identified as a major strategic issue that will define the global order due to its significant impact on the environment, economy, health, food and water security, and human safety.
Extreme weather events and rising temperatures are expected to put water and food security under pressure, potentially aggravating conflicts in the southern EU neighbourhood and migration flows. But environmental degradation is also deemed to increase the risks of pandemics and affect financial stability.
The energy transition will also determine the redistribution of world power since fossil-fuel exporters and dependent countries will be shadowed by those countries with a large capacity to generate and export renewable energy.
As a result, the EU will have to secure sufficient supplies of decarbonised energy and reduce sharply its energy intensity, the report says.
It adds that achieving climate neutrality by 2050 would drastically decrease the EU’s energy dependency on third countries. Yet, the 27-nation bloc will stay face tensions and competition pressure from China and Russia.
Moreover, the increasing use of green technologies, such as those underpinning wind and solar power and electric vehicles, is also estimated to increase the EU’s demand for raw materials – a field where the EU aims to diversify supply chains.
Under the digital focus, the EU’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, big data and robotics are seen as similar to Japan’s – revealing the need to step up investment and innovation to compete with China and the US.
Space technology and semiconductors, for example, are identified as sectors in which Europe needs to catch up with global leaders – especially given their strategic importance in many sectors.
“Space technologies, together with artificial intelligence, are strategic means of countering threats and anticipating future risks, such as hybrid threats including cyber espionage,” illustrates the report.
Meanwhile, large-scale disinformation is expected to drive a new type of information warfare, putting pressure on democratic countries and increasing polarisation.
And repression of freedoms and democratic reforms, as well as continued conflicts in the EU neighbourhood, will continue to drive migration flows, the report says.
Additionally, world demographic changes are also deemed to play their role in shaping the geopolitical arena – especially with China set to become the biggest global economy before 2030, and India likely surpassing the EU in the next 20 years.
The EU’s position is that the increasing presence of China in the world must go hand-in-hand with greater reciprocity, non-discrimination and openness of its domestic system.
Nevertheless, the report concludes that the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis show that multilateralism must adapt to help the world be better prepared for crisis management and response.
, your membership gives you access to all of our stories. We highly appreciate your support and value your feedback. If you have any thoughts on this story, we would love to hear it.
EU strategic autonomy matters to Beijing because in the latter's reading, the US is trying to use the EU to contain China.
MEPs have shown consistent support for action against authoritarian regimes other than Russia or China, but unanimity requirements in the votes of the European Council are considered a clear impediment for a more effective EU foreign policy.
A year ago China ended democracy in Hong Kong by introducing its National Security Law. China has since ended most opposition to its authoritarian regime – putting pro-democracy politicians behind bars, ending media freedom and installing a blanket surveillance-state.
EU leaders are planning to repeat old promises to Western Balkan states at an upcoming summit, but enlargement is going nowhere for now.
The EU's Brexit negotiator spoke ahead of his first-ever visit to Northern Ireland where he wants to focus on "concrete problems" after the UK has once again postponed the implementation of checks between Northern Ireland and the UK.
Fewer Iraqi and Afghan migrants are entering the EU from Belarus, but new sanctions on Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko are coming anyway.
Better migration management is important and long overdue. But as the drawbridge goes up again, years of Europe's hard work in Afghanistan and elsewhere will perish in the shadow of Fortress Europe.
EU countries are preparing to stop Afghan refugees from potentially entering Europe en masse, amid fears of a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis.
tadalafil cost in canada cialis tadalafil
cost of cialis https://cialismat.com/
https://cialisedot.com/ lowest price cialis
cialis tadalafil tadalafil cost walmart
lowest price cialis https://cialismat.com/
https://cialisusdc.com/ cialis tadalafil
https://nextadalafil.com/ where to buy generic cialis online safely
buy generic cialis online with mastercard https://cialisvet.com/
tadalafil without a doctor prescription cheap generic cialis for sale
buy generic cialis online with mastercard where to get tadalafil
tadalafil generic where to buy https://cialismat.com/
where to buy cialis without prescription where to get tadalafil
what is tadalafil cialis at canadian pharmacy
tadalafil brands tadalafil cialis
cost of cialis cheap generic cialis for sale
tadalafil cialis cialis at canadian pharmacy
lowest price cialis tadalafil online with out prescription
where to buy cialis without prescription canada generic tadalafil
https://cialistrxy.com/ tadalafil online with out prescription
prescription tadalafil online prescription tadalafil online
generic cialis online fast shipping buy generic cialis online with mastercard
canada generic tadalafil tadalafil without a doctor prescription
side effects of tadalafil buy tadalis
tadalafil liquid buy cialis
https://extratadalafill.com/ where to order tadalafil tablets
prescription tadalafil online cialis without prescription
buy cialis cialis without a prescription
buy generic cialis online with mastercard tadalafil price walmart
tadalafil order online no prescription tadalafil drug
tadalafil cialis tadalafil
https://cialisedot.com/ tadalafil online with out prescription
tadalafil order online no prescription buy cialis pills
cheapest tadalafil cost tadalafil cialis
tadalafil dosage generic cialis tadalafil
tadalafil generic buy cialis
cost of cialis cost of cialis
viagra doses viagra brands
cialis without a prescription buy cialis
ivermectin 5ml stromectol over the counter
viagra sildenafil 100mg sildenafil order
sildenafil for high blood pressure sildenafil 100mg for sale
tadalafil 10mg generic cialis tadalafil treat
sildenafil or tadalafil side effects of cialis tadalafil
ivermectin cost canada ivermectin lotion cost
what is tadalafil side effects of tadalafil
stromectol medication ivermectin 18mg
ivermectin 15 mg stromectol tablets for humans
ivermectin lotion 0.5 how much is ivermectin
ivermectin virus ivermectin tablets
stromectol pill price ivermectin 1 cream 45gm
price of ivermectin tablets ivermectin 90 mg
stromectol coronavirus ivermectin usa price
stromectol price ivermectin rx
purchase stromectol online stromectol 3 mg tablets price
buy ivermectin uk ivermectin coronavirus
ivermectin 9 mg tablet ivermectin 0.5% lotion
how much cialis can you take buy tadalafil 20mg price
sildenafil over the counter sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension
how to buy stromectol ivermectin cream 5%
sildenafil 20 mg vs levitra sildenafil suspension
cialis online no prescription cialis canada
online generic viagra over the counter viagra
albuterol canadian pharmacy buying prescription drugs from canada
sildenafil tadalafil vardenafil is tadalafil as good as cialis
us pharmacy walmart online pharmacy medical expense report
online drugs from canada online schools for pharmacy technician
health canada drug database online pharmacy modafinil
levitra (vardenafil) glaxo levitra
canada pharmacies online pharmacy big online pharmacy
but cialis online india pharmacy cialis
buy sildenafil online us viagra cheap 100mg
ivermectin for cats dosage in ml ivermectin for cats fleas
online pharmacy us prescription drugs itching
cheap. generic cialisis cialis milligrams
ivermectin side effects in humans ivermectin for covid 19
tadalafil 5mg troche tadalafil 60 mg dosage
grocery store with pharmacy near me street names for prescription drugs
no prescription canadian cialis cialison line
online levitra reviews levitra effective time
where can you buy viagra for women us online pharmacy viagra
levitra vs viagra forum levitra 20mg price in india
generic cialis 10mg 30 pills where to buy cialis in usa
what does rx mean in pharmacy cvs pharmacy little canada mn
best online pharmacy for generic viagra Starlix
canadian pharmacies legitimate the drug store
shopko online pharmacy selling prescription drugs
saxenda canada pharmacy giant food store pharmacy
walgreens pharmacy online Kamagra Gold
online pharmacy soma fred meyer pharmacy hours
online pharmacy discount walmart pharmacy store 100
purchase modafinil online
Artane india pharmacy
provigil 100mg canada buy modafinil 100mg for sale
erythromycin oin op http://erythromycinn.com/#
buy provigil 200mg generic modafinil sale purchase provigil online cheap
modafinil medication modafinil online order oral modafinil
order provigil 200mg pills modafinil 200mg over the counter
buy modafinil 100mg for sale order modafinil 100mg without prescription
order provigil sale
buy modafinil 100mg without prescription order modafinil online purchase provigil sale
buy modafinil 200mg without prescription order modafinil 100mg online
erythromycin cost erythromycin pregnancy
how Long Does A Dose Of Cialis Last?