Societal Challenges

Return to GC Chapters Societal Challenges List - See Institutions
Decisions must be made in context to the Societal Challenges and try to avoid unintended consequences. See Sustainable Development Goals

1. Climate Change

SDG 13: Climate Action

2. Natural Resources

Air - pollution, emissions, air quality
Water - rivers, oceans, waste, microplastics etc. SDG Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation - SDG 14: Life Below Water
Land - forests, grazing, wildlife, agriculture - SDG 15: Life on Land
Fossil Fuels - oil, coal, natural gas
Rare earth

3. Materials and Production

Packaging
Manufacturing - SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Waste Disposal
Recycling
Plastics
Building Materials - Steel, cement, etc.

4. Systemic Racism

Also called institutional or structural

5. Criminal Justice

Jail Involved (20 million people)
Convicted Felons getting work
Recidivism
Drug Possession
Addiction

6. Equality

Freedoms & Liberties SDG 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions* Racial Discrimination
Gender equality - SDG 5: Gender Equality
Sexual Orientation

7. Guns

8. Digitalization

Data privacy
Digital monopolies
Surveillance Capitalism & Surveillance Authoritarianism - shift from these use cases to societal challenges
Online security
Hacking
Algorithmic bias

9. Data Resources - Data Infrastructure

The new oil - most important resource to address societal challenges
Accurate & Timely Data Feeds
Data Rights - who owns it?
Data Privacy vs Insight
Research & Discovery & Insight
Data Science Infrastrure
Passive Data Collection (i.e., what we have today) vs. Active Data Collections to improve ML Models
Data Creation - i.e., need to collect the 80% - social determination of health
Need labeled data - we need to shift to AI first data strategy - what data do we need, then get it created
Data Standardization - i.e., social determinants of health - collect data for

10. AI & Human Collaboration

Digital vs Human Workforce
Use of One Billion ML Models
Digital Twins and Digital Phenotypes
Use of Algorithms, ML Models in decison making - loans, prison sentences, job applicants
Transparency & Explainability
Ethics
Biases
Citizen Developers

11. Digital Media

Disinformation and sowing discord
Social Media - how do we keep people safe and free? Section 230
Streaming Media - news, music, games, movies
ML Algorithms that drive attention, engagement, find things, sell things
Hacking Algorithms - Facebook Feeds, Viral tweets, Google Search/SEO, Tic-Toc, You Tube
Digital Fakes - Made Up News, Videos, Photos
News - traditional, lack of local news
Fact bubbles - Public company reporting, Facts and narratives (including predictions/forward guidance)
Narrative bubles - news fits into a narrative

12. Digital Divide

Access & Competencies
Telehealth - lack technology and skills
Education - lack of computer, broadband
Ordering Food, Medicines & Consumer goods
Cell service
Broadband
Satellite
Cable
Quality smart phone, digital subscriptions (NY Times, WaPo)

13. Public Health

Global pandemic - including protecting front-line workers health and finance (i.e., paid sick leave)
Research, vaccinations, education (alcohol, tobacco)
Worker safety standards, school nutrition
Track Disease outbreaks, pandemics
Promote guidelines and legislation (Smoking bans, air quality, seat belts) based on science.

14. Substance Use

Drug possession crimes vs drug treatments
Addictions - Opioids
Alchohol, Prescription medications

15. Mental Health

Depression, Anxiety, Stress
Suicide - Deaths of Despair (Suicide, Drug Overdose, Alcohol-related)
Parity - Mental Health vs. Physical Health
Adverse Childhood Events (ACE)

16. Health

Individual health - SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
Life Expectancy
Manage chronic conditions - obesity,

17. Healthcare

Affordability - Cost
Access
Healthcare Insurance
Coordinated
Health Outcomes

18. Food

Food insecurity - SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Food deserts
Nutrition
Regenerative Agriculture
GMOs, Organic, use of fertilizers, pesticides, weed killers, antibiotics,

19. Consumer Protections

Products,
Transportation
Banking
Home Loans
Credit Cards
Food production

20. Public Safety

Policing
Law enforcement
Fire
Emergency Medical Services

21. Crisis Response

Economic Crisis
Global Pandemic
Natural Disasters

22. Safety Net --> Enablement Net

Food Stamps
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Worker's Compensation
Unemployment
Social Security disability benefits (SSDI)
Medicaid & CHIP
School Lunches
Housing & Utilities support

23. Homeland Security

Homeland Security - SDG 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Cybersecurity
Domestic Terrorism
National Security - Military Threats

24. Globalization

Governments Stability vs Values (i.e., Middle East, China, others)
Global Conflicts
Election Tampering
Domestic Supply Chain
Cyberseurity

25. Transportation

Public Transportation - SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Autos
Air Transport - airports, etc.
Roads & Bridges
Trucking & transportation of goods and services
Logistics and deliveries
Autonomous vehicles, drones, etc.

26. Energy

Renewables - SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Oil, Gas and Coal
Production and Distribution - SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

27. Quality Cities, Towns & Neighborhoods

Safety
Parks
Schools- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure* Buildings - facilities - SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Food
Utilities - water, sewage treatment, electricity, phone, internet
Buildings

28. Community Resources

Social Capital (Alienated America)
Churches
Social Organizations
Essential Services - Food, Consumables, Hospitals, Doctors, Mental Health

29. Taxes

30. Research

Basic Science and Innovation - SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Climate Change
Health - Cancer treatment discoveries
Non-Randomized Real World Evidence (RWE) vs. Randonimzed Control Trials (RCT)

31. Retirement Security

Retirement Income
Social Security System

32. Political Polarization

Us and Them
Functional Legislature - lack of collaboration
Populism & Cancel Culture
Fact & Narrative Bubbles - mask wearing, fair elections, climate change
Gerrymandering - create threats from extreme left or right of party
Political Cartel - keeps moderates out, prevents collaboration from happening

33. Democratic Society

Elections - fair
Open Elections
Representitive Government
Mission and Goals - reflect the people

34. Immigration

Citizenship
Worker Visas
DACA

35. Economic Growth

GDP, Jobs, etc. - SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

36. Economic Sustainability

Depletion of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels, metals, and minerals
Enough food, water and energy – that can support a human population
Aging Population - Enough young to care for the old
Workforce - farms, etc.
Pandemic Disruptions

37. Jobs

Future of Work
Middle Income Jobs – Good Paying Jobs - SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Labor Participation

38. Employment Protections

Paid leave - Family, Sick with Covid-19 and need to come to work, can't go to doctor or take family member to doctor
Gig Work - Employee vs. Contractor - need new classifications
Workplace environment
Workforce protections - discrimination, harassment, etc.

39. Workforce Disruptions

Job Loss
Career advancement
Job Disruptions (Change, AI, Automation, Robots) - global pandemic
- Retrain, redistribute, Universal Basis Income, reduce hours

40. Workforce Training