The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 will take place from January 20-24 in Davos, Switzerland. The meeting is taking place under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age“. The event is set to bring together nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries. Over 350 governmental leaders, 60 heads of state, and key players from global industries will all be part of the meeting.

The context for this year’s meeting arises from both uncertainty and opportunity. Geo economic tensions, climate anxiety, and trade challenges persist. Rapid technological innovations such as AI, quantum computing and biotechnology are set to bring forth shifts. But the big question for leaders will be: How can they collaborate to address these global challenges amid these disorienting technological transformations?

Key Themes at Davos 2025

The discussions will be structured around five core areas. These five areas are aimed at fostering collaborative solutions to urgent global issues:

1. Reimagining Growth
   Leaders will discuss options to revive and reimagine economic growth. Identifying new sources of growth in the evolving global economy will be critical to building stronger, more resilient economies.
2. Industries in the Intelligent Age
   With industries rapidly transforming due to technological advancements, this area will focus on the balance between short term business goals and long term imperatives.
3. Investing in People
   Geoeconomic changes and the green transition are transforming employment, skills, and public services. The debate will be around how the public and private sectors can invest in human capital, especially through education, healthcare, and job creation to build resilient societies.
4. Safeguarding the Planet
   Climate change is one of the most serious issues. This area will highlight the role of innovative partnerships and technologies in advancing climate goals. Leaders will examine how to ensure equitable, secure, and sustainable energy systems to protect the planet for future generations.
5. Rebuilding Trust
   This area will focus on restoring trust at both the global and local levels in a world of rising protectionism and growing societal divides. Discussions will seek to identify strategies for deeper international cooperation and finding common ground in an increasingly fragmented world.

Who’s Attending?

More than 350 political leaders, including heads of state and government, will attend the annual meeting in Davos. Alongside them, 1,600 business leaders, including the world’s top CEOs, will participate. Among the prominent political figures expected are Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine. Donald J. Trump, President-elect of the United States, will join via live video link. In addition, over 170 leaders from civil society, including heads of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and social sector leaders, will be present, ensuring a diverse range of perspectives throughout the event.

The WEF has consistently emphasized the importance of diversity in its participation. The 2025 meeting will bring together stakeholders from various sectors, industries, generations, and genders.

Collaboration and Responsible Leadership

By and large, the overall theme of Davos 2025—Collaboration for the Intelligent Age—aligns with technological innovation used to enable a smarter, more sustainable future. Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF, emphasized that converging technologies reshape societies. Now that we have reached this “inflection point,” collaboration is crucial to ensure that humanity is elevated rather than fractured.

Despite the sense of urgency surrounding climate change, economic instability, and political polarization, leaders at the summit will aim to find common ground and create actionable solutions to ensure that collaboration fosters equality, sustainability, and progress rather than division.

Public Access and Livestreaming

The WEF will livestream the event as part of its commitment to global involvement. This will offer the public access to key sessions. This enables wider participation and enhances the reach of crucial discussions worldwide. On top of that, the Global Collaboration Village will provide an immersive platform for stakeholders to engage in real time collaboration and scale solutions for global challenges.

Catona Climate, a leader in climate finance, has announced a strategic partnership with Tencent, the global tech and entertainment giant, to support the company’s ambitious decarbonization goals. The partnership focuses on accelerating Tencent’s path to carbon neutrality, with a key element being the pre-order of 3 million tons of nature-based carbon removals. Tencent will receive the carbon removals over 14 years, from 2027 to 2040, to help it reach its goal of achieving net-zero emissions across its operations and supply chain by 2030.

Tencent’s Commitment to Sustainability

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated and approved Tencent’s emissions reduction targets last year, guiding the company’s climate efforts. The company is working toward carbon neutrality by switching to renewable energy and using green power for all electricity needs. Tencent has also committed to addressing its residual emissions through high-quality carbon removal initiatives like the one with Catona.

Catona Climate’s Role in Global Climate Action

Catona Climate’s CEO, Tate Mill, said, “For Catona, the ideal enterprise partner supports high-impact carbon removal projects alongside internal decarbonization efforts, while also empowering their customers and clients to take climate action.”

He added, “We’re thrilled to team up with Tencentto help them achieve ambitious climate commitments over time and support their efforts to ingrain climate action across their operations, their customer base, and society as a whole.”

Also read: Catona Climate Partners with Eden’s Compassionate Carbon to Fund Sustainable Nature-Based Projects

A Broader Vision for Climate Action

Beyond its carbon-neutral pledge, Tencent is funding early-stage climate technologies to drive innovation and support a sustainable future. These efforts aim to advance key solutions, like carbon removal technologies, essential for meeting the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.

In 2021, Tencent established its Sustainable Social Value (SSV) Organization, aiming to foster innovation in technology and business models for social good. Tencent leverages its tech expertise to empower customers, share knowledge, and support global efforts toward achieving net-zero emissions.

This partnership represents a significant step towards scaling global climate action. Catona and Tencent are exploring additional opportunities to work together, particularly within the framework of Tencent’s broader social value model. Both companies share a commitment to driving the transition toward a low-carbon society through innovation, collaboration, and impactful climate solutions.