As is traditional, Davos has descended into a security lock-down for this week with police officers at many of the main junctions. No sign of protests on the way in, but tiz still early.....
Davos in its usual tight-security mode, for #wef15 pic.twitter.com/9yz1LJ0Q3w
— Graeme Wearden (@graemewearden) January 21, 2015
Davos Day 1: The Agenda
Good morning from Davos, Switzerland, where the 45th World Economic Forum is getting underway.
This year’s meeting takes place under the twin clouds of rising geopolitical risk (think Isis, the conflict in east Ukraine) and Europe’s deepening economic problems.
The threat posed by Climate change is another huge theme for Davos this year; former vice-president Al Gore is leading a ‘call to action’ alongside Pharrell Williams, musician and fashion designer, this morning.
Big-name speakers today include Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Italian PM Matteo Renzi, and Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko.
Other issues on the table today include pandemics, cyber security, oil and the state - and future - of the global economy.
As usual, there are scores of world leaders (more then 40 heads of state and government make the trip), business leaders galore, many top economists, leading scientists and technology pioneers too.
Critics question whether this annual gathering of politicians, economists and other luminaries will solve these problems, or simply perpetuate the thinking that caused some of them. But there are plenty of campaigners, charity chiefs and union leaders here too, so we’ll be covering their concerns as well.
I’m here in Davos with colleagues Larry Elliott and Jill Treanor. Angela Monaghan will be helping cover the event from London.
The Agenda
Here’s some of the main events we’ll be covering. There’s lots more on.
10am CET (9am GMT): Al Gore and Pharrell Williams on Climate Action
10.30am: A debate on whether markets are mispricing political risk, including economist Nouriel Roubini and leading investor Paul Singer
11.15am: Press conference on climate change and growth, including Lord Stern, Paul Polman of Unilever, and Mexico’s president Felipe Calderón.
11.30am: Special address by Italy’s prime minister, Mattei Renzi
2.30pm-3.45pm: Debate on the geo-economics of energy, including OPEC’s secretary general Salem El Badri, and Lithuania’s president Dalia Grybauskaite.
3.30pm: “The future of Ukraine”, with president Petro Poroshenko.
5.45pm: “Global impact of China’s economic transformation”, with premier Li Keqiang.
