The struggles we’re experiencing in the United States are undeniable — but we’re not alone. As the UN Foundation noted in an op-ed earlier this year, “Choose a country — any country — and you will likely find the same trends: Trust in public institutions is plummeting, wealth inequality is on the rise, and societies are increasingly polarized.”

It is in an effort to navigate this mistrust in institutions — and in each other — that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is convening in September the “Summit of the Future,” a convening of world leaders to adopt the Pact for the Future. That Pact notes that, while “We are at a time of profound global transformation [and] too many of our fellow human beings face avoidable suffering” … this is also a moment of hope and opportunity.

Advances in knowledge, science, technology, and innovation … could deliver a breakthrough to a better and more sustainable future for all.” So with that in mind, we have assembled a panel of experts who share with us a vision of the Solutions of the Future — solutions that address climate, energy, health, and other intractable problems. Solutions to inspire us and give us hope that all is far from lost, but instead — if we choose wisely — exciting and full of opportunity.

Aired: September 6, 2024