It is natural and right that young people should have a definitive say in the future because it is they who will have to live in it. Thus, it is commendable that the World Economic Forum (WEF) engaged young people between the ages of 20 and 30 to speak up on the world they foresee after the coronavirus pandemic. The results are heartening. As the WEF noted: One result of the pandemic is a far more organised generation of young voters, consumers and investors who are rallying behind urgent climate, fiscal and social justice. That this generation effectively poses an "existential risk" to institutions that continue to take a business-as-usual approach provides cause for thought. Covid-19 has amplified the environmental and economic ills that make today's status quo unsustainable. It adds to the urgency of action that societies need to take now.

The young people cited by the WEF in a report last week displayed their desire for climate security by calling for a halt to all new coal, oil and gas exploration and development immediately so as to limit global warming. Their instincts were also manifested in their call to firms to replace board directors who still live in the world of fossil fuels. They registered deep concern about jobs as well. Almost half of them believe that they are not skilled adequately, and close to a quarter fear falling into debt should they be faced with a substantial medical bill. Together, labour market fragility and receding social security have rallied many young people behind the need for a global wealth tax. They drew attention, too, to the mental health crises caused by Covid-19-related lockdowns that disrupted even the minimal rhythms of daily life for young and old alike.