Dean Rabi Mohtar was an invited speaker at the Congresso Futuro in Santiago, Chile, January 15-17. Congresso Futuro is an annual event, held in Chile since 2010. Individuals recognized as experts in science and humanitarian studies introduced the challenges that face or will face society in the future. The Congress is organized by the Commission Challenges of the Future of the Senate of Chile, the Chilean Academy of Sciences and the Government of Chile.
The Dean offered the keynote speech at the session From our plate to the planet: the future of food, attended by José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director General. In a second presentation, Mohtar spoke about Reaching planetary boundaries of primary resources & services: pathways moving forward, in which he highlighted the unsustainable current business model, stressing the need for a new business model that is based on valuing primary resources through a nexus system management approach and building synergies across stakeholder groups. Mohtar discussed the changes in perception of global risks and the shift from a geopolitical risks into economic and resource-based risks. He highlighted vital challenges in inequity of distribution, variability in distribution, and non-sustainable consumption of the primary resources.
Other discussions included CORFO (Production Development Corporation of the Chilean government), headed by the Ministry of Economy and four additional affiliated Ministries: Agriculture, Industry, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, which promotes economic growth in Chile by fostering the development of advanced human capital and technological capabilities toward sustainable, balanced economic growth.
Dean Mohtar was interviewed by a Chilean television channel as well as Chilean magazines and newspapers, including America Economia and Las Últimas Noticias. Discussions were very insightful; Dean Mohtar stated that “there is a commitment to the future: we want global leaders to consider pushing the envelope on how we design our future, what kind of species we want to be”.