Publications

INSIGHT REPORT

Pioneering the Future: Space

Technologies Poised to Revolutionize

Exploration and Economy by 2035

September 2026

FACTSHEETS

Pioneering the Future: Space

Technologies Poised to Revolutionize Exploration and Economy by 2035

June 2026

WHITE PAPER

Future of Space Law:

Operationalizing Space Governance

March 2026

REPORT

Clear Orbit, Secure Future:

 A Call to Action on Space Debris

Jan 2026

WHITE PAPER

The Future of Space Law

Insights from the ATS, UNCLOS, and ITU Frameworks

December 2025

WHITE PAPER

The Future of Space Law: 

The Evolving Dynamics of Air and Space Regulation

 September  2025

The Future Of Space Law

News

Centre for Space Futures, Novaspace and SpaceTech Gulf  Sign Agreement to Develop Global Space Capability Mapping Dashboard

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia , 23 Jun 2026|  Press Release

Clear Orbit, Secure Future: A Call to Action on Space Debris

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 26 Jan 2026 | Press Release

Centre for Space Futures Holds Workshop with Participation of 40 Global Experts

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 05 Dec 2025 | Press Release

Centre for Space Futures Releases White Paper on 'The Future of Space Law'

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 12 Sep 2025 | Press Release

The Board of Directors of the Centre for Space Futures Endorses Its Strategic Direction

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 26 May 2025 | Press Release

Saudi Space Agency to Launch the Centre for Space Futures with the World Economic Forum

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 29 April | Press Release

5 ways we can tackle growing risks from rocket bodies in orbit

Dec 09, 2025 | Economic Growth, Stories

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Forum Agenda

Forum Videos

VIDEO

Press Conference: Centre for Space Futures in Riyadh

The World Economic Forum's Special Meeting, April 29, 2024

VIDEO

The Purpose of Astronauts at Davos 2024

World Economic Forum , March 9, 2024

VIDEO

PortWatch: Monitoring Trade Disruptions from Space

World Economic Forum , Dec 18, 2023

VIDEO

India's Moon Mission Triumph: Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj's Insights

World Economic Forum , Aug 23, 2023

VIDEO

Space Exploration is Back at Davos 2023

World Economic Forum , Feb 16, 2023

Forum Publications

REPORT

Space: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity for Global Economic Growth

World Economic Forum , April 8, 2024

REPORT

Navigating the Industrial Metaverse: A Blueprint for Future Innovations

World Economic Forum , March 12, 2024

REPORT

Digital Trust: Supporting Individual Agency

World Economic Forum , Jan 18, 2024

REPORT

The Future of Global Fintech: Towards Resilient and Inclusive Growth

World Economic Forum , Jan 18, 2024

Strategic Intelligence Insights

The climate crisis demands more than individual actions like net-zero pledges or green shopping; systemic changes are essential. Despite global agreements, corporate commitments, and the rise of renewable technologies, emissions remain near record highs. The burden of sustainability often falls unfairly on individuals who face constant challenges against convenience and wasteful systems. Meaningful progress requires addressing these larger structural issues rather than expecting isolated consumer choices to solve the problem.
Financial services, Health
Podcast: The Climate Crisis Is Here. Will We Ever Fix It?
Sustaining knowledge infrastructures (KIs) requires ongoing engagement from diverse stakeholders as new challenges and values emerge. Drawing on literature, practical experience, and a 2024 workshop, five key questions are proposed for KI project managers: considering sustainability throughout the KI lifecycle, communicating evolving visions, engaging communities, appropriately scaling the infrastructure, and adopting iterative decision-making processes. These strategies help KIs adapt to community needs and values without necessarily growing in size. Effective sustainability depends on context, including funding, discipline, governance, and community, but aligning maintenance efforts with institutional goals is essential for all KIs.
Education
Sustaining Knowledge Infrastructures: Asking the Right Questions and Listening for Answers
Planet Labs PBC operates over 200 satellites capturing the entire Earth daily, offering an open-streaming model for satellite imagery used by traders, governments, and humanitarian groups. However, in March 2024, the US government requested a voluntary indefinite halt on imagery of the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, and Gulf States, prompting Planet to restrict access and adopt a managed access model. This move has led customers to seek alternatives such as lower-resolution NASA data, European Space Agency imagery, and Chinese commercial satellite providers. This development is significantly impacting the $5 billion Earth observation industry and raises concerns about reliance on government-controlled satellite infrastructure.
Where Did the Middle East Go? Satellite Imaging in the Fog of War
The escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran, marked by strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz, is reshaping global logistics and economics. The strait, vital for 20% of the world's oil and gas, faces ongoing risks that will increase transportation costs and prompt alternative export routes. Spain's economy is impacted through rising inflation and reduced competitiveness, exacerbated by the U.S. shift toward self-sufficiency and protectionism. Business leaders are urged to adopt agile planning, secure alternative logistics, manage persistent inflation, and monitor currency exposure to navigate the heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Latin America | Financial services
4 steps to face uncertainty: Reassess your strategy in light of the conflict in the Middle East
Virtual worlds are transforming human interaction, production processes, and business models, with over 88,000 global activities mapped across business, innovation, and research involving 68,000 entities. The EU leads in virtual world research publications and innovation strategies, promoting cross-sector collaboration despite regional fragmentation. Venture capital funding is dominated by the US ($9B) and China ($5.8B), while the EU holds 16% of deals but ranks fourth in total investment. Creative Cultural Industries, Tourism, and Retail are key sectors adopting virtual worlds, while Healthcare, Aerospace & Defence, and Energy sectors remain underutilized, signaling growth opportunities for the EU alongside enabling technologies like XR, AI, and IoT.
Luxembourg | Education, ICT
Virtual Worlds, Real Impact
A new global landscape is reshaping US priorities, driven by shifting supply chains, evolving geopolitical alliances, increased weather disasters, and emerging transformative technologies. To secure national and economic interests, the US must prioritize developing frontier technologies and competitive industries. Key areas include critical minerals, semiconductors, biomanufacturing, quantum computing, drones, and advanced manufacturing. Investing in these technologies will build innovation and industrial ecosystems essential for US security and prosperity in the 21st century.
South Africa | ICT, Health, Education, Financial services
Priority Technologies
Health data reuse is vital for advancing oncology research but poses ethical, legal, and societal challenges. The European Health Data Space (EHDS) seeks to standardize data access and reuse across the EU while protecting individual rights. This study explores what patients value in data reuse, emphasizing the importance of embedding these values into governance frameworks. Belgium serves as a key case study due to its strong research traditions and influence on EU policy, offering insights to guide EHDS implementation and improve patient-centered data governance in oncology research.
Health
What patients value in data reuse for oncology research: a multi-stakeholder qualitative study to inform the European Health Data Space implementation in Belgium and beyond
The Franco-German AI Dialogue culminated in a joint report outlining concrete actions to establish a sovereign, competitive, and sustainable European AI ecosystem. Developed by leading institutions and over 100 stakeholders, the report identifies seven key sectors—digital infrastructure, regulation, healthcare, manufacturing, media, energy, and agrifood—and presents strategic priorities and recommendations for each. It emphasizes simplifying regulatory frameworks, strengthening infrastructures, promoting trustworthy AI, and supporting SMEs. This field-driven approach aims to guide public policy, research, and industrial initiatives across Europe, contributing to large-scale projects like the IPCEI AI to bolster Europe’s AI competitiveness.
ICT, Education
Affirmation of a shared European ambition and submission of a report to the French and German authorities
Artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming the European Union's economy and society by changing business operations and individual lifestyles. Eurostat’s statistical report provides key insights into AI usage among EU enterprises and citizens, highlighting the latest data on the adoption and impact of AI technologies across the region.
Education
The use of artificial intelligence technologies in the European Union
Geopolitical tensions affecting the Strait of Hormuz have wide-reaching impacts beyond the immediate region, influencing neutral and distant countries like Switzerland. Disruptions to this critical energy transit route cause longer shipping paths, increasing emissions such as black carbon that accelerate Alpine glacier melt. Supply chain shifts in Swiss industries—especially pharmaceuticals and agriculture—can lead to environmental changes due to altered production methods and reduced fertilizer availability, affecting ecosystem nutrient balances and crop yields. Financial uncertainty slows long-term environmental investments in Switzerland, while conflict-driven migration increases land-use pressures. This illustrates how interconnected global systems transmit localized disturbances into subtle but significant environmental and economic effects worldwide.
Antarctica, Switzerland | Financial services
Strait of Hormuz: why even neutral and distant countries like Switzerland can’t escape the fallout
Discarded oyster shells can capture rare earth elements by crystallizing them into new minerals, offering a novel resource recovery method essential for green technologies like wind turbines and electric cars. A large-scale study of 1,737 climate policies across 40 countries identified 28 consistently effective measures in reducing emissions, guiding better policy focus. In the western US, severe drought has driven innovative water conservation efforts, though research suggests more extensive infrastructure solutions are needed to sustain cities reliant on the Colorado River. In South Africa’s Karoo desert, low-cost aquifer recharge systems replenish groundwater, enhancing drought resilience and securing water supplies for small towns.
Antarctica
Eight wonders of the world
Technology increasingly enhances our experience of nature, particularly the night sky, by providing real-time satellite feeds, apps for spotting celestial events, and simulations that replicate awe-inspiring phenomena like the overview effect. Digital tools can connect people to rare natural events, such as the 2024 aurora borealis in the UK, and facilitate sharing through social media, prompting wider engagement. While online interactions can impact mental health negatively, digital nature experiences have potential for stress relief and emotional benefits. These tools may inspire environmental interest and help younger, digitally native generations develop connections with the natural world despite contemporary challenges.
ICT, Education
From sunsets to the night sky: how technology can help you to notice nature in new ways
Geopolitical risks and economic pressures increasingly impact healthcare systems worldwide, straining funding and staffing while influencing global supply chains. Europe holds a strong position economically but must overcome internal divisions to retain investment and improve healthcare infrastructure. Rising energy costs, inflation, and high public debt divert resources away from healthcare, exacerbated by aging populations and workforce shortages, as seen in Spain. Technology, especially AI and telemedicine, offers promising solutions but requires coordinated data strategies. Key reforms include data-driven approaches, reorganizing care with technology, aligning incentives with outcomes, fostering public-private partnerships, and embracing calculated risks to ensure healthcare sustainability.
Greece, Hungary, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland | Education, Financial services, Health
How geopolitical changes can affect healthcare systems
The report "Growth in the New Economy: Towards a Blueprint," based on insights from over 11,000 global business leaders and the World Economic Forum’s Future of Growth Initiative, identifies essential strategies and dilemmas shaping economic growth through 2030. It highlights key drivers, barriers, and opportunities amid deep structural changes, including advancing artificial intelligence, increased geostrategic competition, high debt levels, demographic shifts, and evolving environmental and societal priorities. The analysis emphasizes the need for long-term growth strategies by governments and businesses to navigate these complexities and balance immediate crises with sustainable development.
Africa | Financial services, Education, Health, ICT
Growth in the New Economy: Towards a Blueprint
The report "Growth in the New Economy: Towards a Blueprint," based on insights from over 11,000 business leaders and two years of dialogues, identifies critical strategies, dilemmas, and drivers shaping growth by 2030. It highlights how deep structural changes—such as advances in AI, intensified geostrategic tensions, high debt levels, demographic shifts, and evolving environmental and social priorities—are redefining the economic landscape. The report emphasizes the need for governments and businesses to adopt a long-term growth perspective to address these challenges and leverage emerging opportunities effectively.
Africa | Financial services, ICT, Health, Education
Growth in the New Economy: Towards a Blueprint
Mission-oriented innovation policies (MOIPs) have become key tools for tackling complex societal challenges, with over 260 missions initiated globally since the late 2010s. Their rapid growth has generated high expectations and concerns, underscoring the need for improved design and implementation approaches. An OECD report synthesizes insights from a year-long dialogue among policymakers and researchers, focusing on how to effectively frame missions, engage stakeholders and resources, leverage private investment, and achieve shared objectives. The report presents best practices and real-world examples to guide mission-oriented innovation efforts.
Education
Forging New Frontiers in Mission‑Oriented Innovation Policies
The Middle East conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel has caused a sharp supply shock in global oil markets, driving Brent crude prices above $100 a barrel and disrupting flows through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 20% of global oil. This supply disruption is increasing energy costs, fueling inflation, and slowing global trade growth from a projected 2% to around 1.5% in 2026. Gulf economies like Qatar and Kuwait face steep hydrocarbon export declines, while more diversified countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain vulnerable. Elevated fuel costs and logistical bottlenecks are also impacting global shipping, aviation, and tourism, with Middle Eastern inbound tourism forecasted to drop 11–27% in 2026. The conflict’s effects extend beyond energy, threatening fertilizer and helium supplies vital for agriculture and high-tech industries, exacerbating inflation and economic volatility worldwide.
Latin America | Financial services
In what ways does the Middle East conflict affect global trade and growth?
The Arctic and Arctic-North Atlantic region are becoming increasingly geopolitically important due to accessible shipping routes and resources. Germany aims to intensify its political, military, and economic involvement, emphasizing close cooperation with Arctic states, the EU, and NATO. Viewing the Arctic-North Atlantic as a unified strategic space linked to European security, Germany seeks to stabilize the region and uphold a rules-based order through defined political, economic, and security measures. Germany's 2024 Arctic policy guidelines prioritize integrating civilian and military efforts, embedding Arctic strategy within broader European frameworks, and enhancing diplomatic, economic, scientific, and military engagement to safeguard national and European interests.
Antarctica, Norway
Germany as Arctic Security Actor
Quantum technologies are rapidly evolving from research to economic applications, presenting new security challenges and uncertain development paths that require strategic policy responses. Saudi Arabia, through its Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, was the first nation to implement the World Economic Forum's Quantum Economy Blueprint at a national level. The pilot highlights that successful quantum readiness depends on institutional coherence, sustained strategic commitment, and early governance integration alongside technological advancement. It offers nine transferable lessons to guide countries in developing coordinated and effective quantum economy strategies.
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates | Financial services, ICT, Education
Piloting the Quantum Economy Blueprint: Lessons from Saudi Arabia
Energy systems are facing increasing challenges from rapid electrification, rising AI-driven power demand, cyber threats, and renewable integration complexities, exceeding the capabilities of traditional digital tools. Quantum technologies—including computing, sensing, and communication—offer new opportunities to enhance energy generation, grid infrastructure, and services. Key areas for quantum application include accelerating clean-energy materials innovation, optimizing operations, strengthening infrastructure security, and enabling precise monitoring. Early adoption of quantum solutions can improve efficiency, resilience, and adaptability, with progress relying on coordinated efforts in standards, workforce development, cybersecurity, and cross-sector collaboration.
Financial services, ICT, Education
Quantum for Energy and Utilities: Key Opportunities for Energy Transition

Centre For Space Futures

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