Securing cyberspace, economical clean energy, sustaining land and oceans, and sustainable and resilient infrastructure were listed as the top four challenges facing the world in the next 25 years, according to a global survey of engineers.
To celebrate the first World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, DiscoverE, in partnership with UNESCO and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, conducted a global survey of engineers to take the pulse of the profession.
The survey focused on the future of engineering, and asked about global challenges and the profession’s confidence in addressing them.
Securing cyberspace was listed as the most daunting global challenge the world will face over the next 25 years. However, 64.2 per cent of respondents were optimistic that this challenge is solvable.
The top 10 global challenges identified by respondents are:
- Securing cyberspace
- Economical clean energy
- Sustaining land and oceans
- Sustainable and resilient infrastructure
- Sustainable cities
- Access to clean water and sanitation
- Clean air
- Food security
- Preparing for and containing pandemics
- Developing and delivering better medicines
Respondents were most optimistic about being able to develop and deliver better medicines, while they were least optimistic about sustaining lands and oceans.
What are the limiting factors to solving these challenges? The majority of respondents felt the biggest hurdle is lack of necessary support from government and policy makers. Others felt the necessary technologies have not yet been developed, there is too little collaboration between disciplines, and there is not enough public support for innovative engineering solutions.
From future challenges to ‘futuristic’, survey respondents listed space travel, artificial intelligence and transportation as the areas where science fiction-like advances will make their way into reality.
Respondents had several suggestions for the ‘out there’ advancements that will reshape the world in the next 25 years, including vehicles for personal space travel, artificially intelligent service robots, self-driving vehicles, solar-powered flight and energy-efficient high-speed rail.
Future problem-solvers
A global shortage of engineering talent was also a concern for respondents: 54 per cent thought there is a current shortage of engineers, and 54 per cent see a shortage of engineers in the future.
These extended to technologists and technicians: 60 per cent of respondents said there is currently a shortage of both roles, and 58 per cent said this will be the case in the future.
Perhaps as a sign of engineers’ interest in reversing this trend, 95.8 per cent of respondents said it is important or very important to volunteer with students and get future generations excited about the profession.
More than 10,000 engineers, technologists and technicians responded to the survey. The top disciplines represented were Electrical/electronic engineering and computer science, followed by mechanical, civil and aviation/aerospace.
Read the full survey response here.
This is quite a surprising top 10. I am particularly surprised that it did not include issues such as 1) global population growth, and 2) the inter-related issues of war/border security, changing geopolitics and the international rule of law. Some of the top 10 issues listed such as food security, clean air, sustaining land and oceans etc are only issues at all because of population growth. In areas of massive population growth or mass migration, the problems of access to water and sanitation may be due to war/changing geopolitics/terrorism or even the success of other areas such as better medicines and food production leading to population growth, causing increased (but unsustainable) energy source consumption. I guess the answers were given with a ‘problem solving’ lens but in terms of global issues seem to have missed some ‘root causes’?
I agree that the top 10 issues are surprising. We currently have a global footprint that exceeds what the planet can sustain in the future. We are approaching a number of tipping points that threaten global stability in a number of ways but have not yet shown a clear capacity to deal with those tipping points, of which climate change and water are the more immediate threats. Yes, population is a serious problem, particularly if the resource demand of the particular population was to be similar to that of the average Aussie – the planet does not have the regenerative capacity to support such a demand. We have an economic system that depends on growth – in the current form of growth it ignores biophysical limits and as such will prove to be unsustainable in the medium term.
We have ignored the reality that there are limits to growth and dare I suggest we are very close to some of those limits yet almost no leaders cannot talk about them as it would be a challenge to jobs and growth! Until we can face limits we are on path to a collapse of global systems on which we all depend. Given the dominant drivers of most humans thinking processes, the list of priorities are not surprising but seem to assume business as usual. Unfortunately, it is not sustainable.
I agree with Stephen Howe and Keith Altmann. Adding to their points, the economics field also has it’s head-in-the-sand. We need economic models on: down-sizing global population; on what it takes to quickly stop pumping sequestered carbon into the atmosphere; a program to more rapidly expand renewable (and nuclear) energy; and, in short, creating a new economic and political paradigm for our planet so that we (our progeny) has some hope of getting through all of this. While engineers are our best hope, the curricula is still insular in terms of interacting with other disciplines. The problem needs to be faced, discussed, and then finding solutions by engineers. Expanding on the ten points enumerated, in more stark and realistic terms, like the recent UN report, would be helpful to engineers and the public. In other words, we have a global environmental crisis and a ‘game plan’ is needed (by engineers). It should be international in scope; engineers from other countries should be involved. Carrying this to another level, I suggest that the ASCE leadership appoint an ASCE President’s Global Environmental Task Force to provide a near-term report and then a two year interim report with continuation and institutionalizing the effort. Federal funding should be requested by ASCE.
I am quite surprised with the challenges being mentioned. But if this are the kind of challenges we will be facing in near future, then what are action points which need to be considered by all the Nations.
The rapid rate at which artificial intelligence applications will change humanity is mind-boggling for those who comprehend its full impact. One of the significant challenges not listed in this rendition is the impact on human consciousness, morality, and self-worth. We know that education systems is failing on many levels. Critical thinking is losing its sheen. For humanity to survive — we may have to get back to fundamentals and colossal investment in education, not for propping the young in aspiring for jobs — but propping the young to build character and moral standards ought to be the focus of education. Enlightenment versus training people for jobs that don’t exist in the future can’t be the reality.