Sustainability joins forces with the One Earth Institute to design a sustainable world.

The world is entering one of the most significant transitions in history, as AI is reshaping the global economy, geopolitical conflicts are shifting the balance of power among nations, and climate pressures are challenging the survival of traditional economic systems.

Mr. Piyachart (Arm) Isarabhakdi, Chief Sustainomist at BiOST and initiator of the Sustainomy concept, was invited to attend The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Leadership Retreat at the Bellagio Center in Italy. He was the only Thai person invited to participate in the forum, which brought together leaders, thinkers, investors, policymakers, and change makers from around the world to help design the One Earth Institute (OEI), a platform for developing future leaders.

The One Earth Institute (OEI) is positioned as a key mechanism for developing new leaders, while the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center is considered one of the world's most influential thought forums, where leaders and thinkers from diverse fields come together to design solutions to major challenges facing humanity. From the exchange of ideas at these forums, at least five key questions are becoming a shared agenda for leaders worldwide:

1. How do we frame AI? Will it help reduce inequality, or will it widen the global gap?

While AI is creating massive economic opportunities, the world faces crucial questions about whether the benefits of this technology will be distributed equitably, or whether they will become increasingly concentrated in certain countries, organizations, and groups of people. The question also arises: how can we limit negative impacts and promote positive ones?

2. How can the world mobilize more funds to drive the transition to a sustainable future?

The energy and economic transition towards sustainable growth, as well as addressing risks such as climate change, requires unprecedented levels of funding, while the world faces budgetary constraints, debt, and economic uncertainty.

3. Is GDP sufficient to measure a country's success?

As the world faces challenges related to quality of life, inequality, well-being, and a sustainable future, while simultaneously driving economic growth, many leaders are seriously questioning whether GDP alone fully reflects economic, social, and environmental progress. And if not, what is the answer?

4. What kind of leaders does the world need in this era of complexity?

The challenges of the 21st century are no longer isolated issues. Geopolitics, economics, technology, society, the environment, and security are more intricately interconnected than ever before, requiring global leaders who can see the big picture, bridge multiple dimensions, and effectively drive cross-sectoral cooperation.

5. What role will Asia play in shaping the new world order?

As the center of global growth shifts from the West to Asia, whether due to its population size or neutrality on the world stage, many are questioning whether Asia will merely be a follower of the old world order, or whether it will unite and rise to become a key player in shaping the new global rules.

Mr. Piyachart (Arm) Isarabhakdi stated that these questions reflect the fact that the world is not only facing a new set of problems, but also the limitations of existing thinking stemming from the old growth equation. "The challenge for the world today, therefore, is not just about taking action to accelerate growth, but about designing a growth model that can advance the economy while simultaneously building a sustainable future."

Within this context, the concept of sustainability is presented as a framework that links key equations for growth—Economy, Human Development, and Sustainable Future—into a single system, rather than viewing them as goals requiring sacrifices and choices as in the past.

This exchange of views at the Bellagio Center also reflected that, despite facing different challenges in each region, leaders are increasingly agreeing that the future of the world cannot be driven solely by economic growth, but rather by designing systems that can create wealth, quality of life, and sustainability simultaneously.

For Thailand to grow in a world that is increasingly complex and interconnected, it needs to start by participating on the global stage. Participation doesn't just mean meeting, talking, exchanging ideas, or negotiating—which are routine occurrences—but rather playing a role in setting the rules to ensure that negotiations achieve the desired results.

The question is: What will make the world listen to Thailand, and what is something the world cannot do without? That may be a crucial starting point towards a sustainable world and a sustainable Thailand, without leaving the future behind.

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