Futurologist Parag Khanna calls for rethink of new map of the world

“We find ourselves before a generation of young people with the greatest capacity for mobility seen in recent decades,” said geopolitics and globalization specialist Parag Khanna.

Khanna, who is also a leading advisor on global strategy, said there are five driving forces that foster this mobility, which are demographic imbalances, political agitation, economic dislocation, technological disruption, and climate change.

He shared the above during his talk “The New Map of the World in 2030-2040,” given as part of the “Inspire to Transform” lecture series organized by Tec de Monterrey to celebrate its 80th anniversary.

“We’re currently seeing that the oldest cities are those that most need young people, and this gap will widen.

“However, young people are looking to move to places where there is great quality of life, affordable housing with good connectivity, and that are sustainable,” he explained in his talk for students given on Wednesday, May 17, at the Luis Elizondo Auditorium on Monterrey campus.

“Connectivity is people’s right to be connected, which is linked to mobility.”

When discussing this panorama of migration, Khanna explained that new generations are not interested in having children, generating a counter effect to previous generations, which became increasingly larger.

Now, present and future generations will become smaller, thus triggering a global war for talent.

“You young people are those who will decide the future; the decision as to which country wins and which loses lies in your hands.

“To make it very clear, the winners will be those countries that attract young people, and the losers will be those that young people are leaving,” he said.

He added that there is no greater time to be young than the one they are living in, a time in which they are experiencing a realignment of borders, resources, and infrastructure.

“Connectivity is people’s right to be connected, which is linked to mobility,” he said.

Born in India, Parag Khanna is also the author of several international bestsellers such as Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization and Move: The Forces Uprooting Us.

He is the founder and CEO of Climate Alpha and FutureMap, a platform that provides data-driven scenario planning and strategic advisory for clients navigating the dynamics of globalization.

The world after COVID

Regarding the global panorama during the reactivation of all sectors after the COVID-19 pandemic, Parag Khanna acknowledged that lockdown was just a pause in global trends that have occurred for centuries, such as migration.

“All these elements we’ve been talking about: emerging technology, climate change, politics, economics, and so on, they’ve always been bigger than COVID.

“What happened during reactivation is that all these problems are now being amplified and humanity is going to continue migrating, crossing borders,” he explained.

“My advice to you young people is to be mobile; being mobile is an essential skill.”

He said that one way to overcome these challenges is to move people to where the resources are or to move technology to where the people are, to offer them a better quality of life.

“We’re about to reach humanity’s highest peak, when there will be nine billion people worldwide, and there’s no strategy for what we’ll do when we reach that point.

“However, whatever you do or whatever career you choose, you should ensure as young people that your contribution to society is one of these two things: moving people or moving resources,” he said.

Present at the event was Iza Nikova Zermeño from the Tec de Monterrey Federation of Students (FETEC), who relayed questions for the specialist from students participating remotely.

Where will young people migrate to in the future?

In an interview with CONECTA, Parag Khanna said that there are several concerns expressed by young people when searching for a new place to live.

“First, they’re looking for affordability because the rents are high; second is skills development: education systems have to be aligned with the needs of society and the global economy; third is sustainability,” he reiterated.

The specialist added that the current sample of young people tells us that the greatest number of young people are from the Asian continent. For the first time, we’re seeing a disproportionate number in which the young population is the prevailing one worldwide.

“We’re at a time of constant change, but I can say that the main movement will be from South to North,” he said.

He remarked that North America, Europe, Central Asia, and Asia will become the new centers of civilization.

When asked about how global cities can adapt to absorb large populations, the geopolitical expert said that diversification is key.

“We’re about to reach humanity’s highest peak, when there will be nine billion people worldwide.”

“Right now, resilience is worth its weight in gold; each country has its economic or industrial strengths, but the way they diversify their resources is key to quality of life,” he said.

Finally, he said that it is essential for universities to work together with industry in order to address social needs.

“My advice to you young people is to be mobile; being mobile is an essential skill. You also have to understand technology, economics, and politics at the same time,” he concluded.

Inspire to Transform

Parag Khanna is the second guest in this lecture series organized by the institution in order to create spaces for conversation about the topics that are transforming the world.

A series of talks will be given at different Tec campuses over the course of 2023, which will include the participation of renowned national and international leaders.

“Our students and Tec graduates form part of the history of Mexico and the world. At Tec de Monterrey, we understand and feel a great sense of responsibility for the impact we have on the lives of young people, their families, and the community around them.

“That’s why we’re celebrating 80 years of building legacies that transcend alongside our community in this anniversary year,” said Mario Adrián Flores Castro, Vice President for Monterrey Region and Director-General of Monterrey campus.

The next presentation will be on May 31, from Alexandra Cousteau with the talk “This Blue Planet: Restoring Natural Abundance and Diversity to the Earth” at Mexico City campus.

With information from Mónica Torres

READ ALSO: