Standardization was presented as a way of minimizing threats from global challenges such as climate change at the World Economic Forum, held Jan. 24–28 in Davos, Switzerland.

More than 1,000 economic and industry leaders attended the event, at which a “shifting power equation” was noted. The emergence of China and India as economic superpowers, new technology connecting the world, collective intelligence becoming more important than individual intelligence and the rise of customers over corporations are illustrations of this power shift, notes the International Organization for Standardization. Forum participants voted that climate change and emerging markets are the issues that will have the greatest effect on the world economy in coming years.

ISO Secretary-General Alan Bryden predicted that several ISO developments will help ease the transition to the new situation. Among them:

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