In this special episode of Der Große Neustart, Sibylle Barden speaks with Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and architect of the World Economic Forum, about a new chapter in his life’s work.

After more than 55 years of building and shaping global institutions, Klaus Schwab has entered a new phase of service.

This conversation is not about Davos.
It's about being a compass for the Intelligent Age - in a world of growing complexity.

It explores what leadership requires today.
What happens when truth and trust erode.
What remains human when intelligence is no longer our monopoly.
And why institutions must once again give direction, not just convene.

With the launch of his Intelligent Age series and the Schwab Academy, Klaus Schwab is doing what has defined his life’s work:
naming a transformation, shaping a framework, and inviting the world to think ahead — together.

Schwab Academy - Sibylle Barden

In this moving and timely episode, Der Große Neustart welcomes Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR, the world’s largest agricultural research network—leading 9,000 scientists across 89 countries.

CGIAR’s research powers 60% of the world’s wheat and 50% of its rice, and for over 50 years has shaped how the world grows food—securing food systems and lifting millions out of poverty.

We speak with Dr. Elouafi about what it takes to feed 10 billion people in a world of climate shocks, shrinking biodiversity, and deep global inequality—and how science must be at the center of the solution.

She reminds us:

“Eight hundred million people go hungry today. With a 2-degree rise in temperature, that number could rise by 180 million. With a 4-degree rise? Two billion.”

🔍 Topics we explore:

• Why soil, science, and survival are inseparable

• The launch of CGIAR’s new 2025–2030 global research portfolio

• The promise of gene editing—and why it shows the need to democratize science

• Why old models can’t guide our future in a time of irreversible biodiversity loss

• The need for differentiated climate policy, with stark global disparities in consumption
  → Americans eat 128kg of meat/year
  → Nigerians: 7kg, Indians: less than 1kg

• Why we must diversify beyond a handful of crops: “There are 30,000 edible plants in the world. Why are we relying on just a few?”

• How investing in women farmers unlocks food security and community transformation

Recognized by The New York Times as one of 10 women redefining leadership, Dr. Elouafi offers not only scientific clarity, but a compelling call to action—grounded in public good, equity, and dignity.

“We must design a system that benefits everyone—especially the most vulnerable.”

More: CGIAR - World Economic Forum - Host

In this episode, Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), discusses the reality of land degradation—and the encouraging path to restoration.

🌍 Why does this matter?

40% of the world’s land is already degraded, affecting nearly half of humanity. Every year, we lose 100 million hectares—an area the size of Egypt. If we continue like this, by 2050, we will have lost land the size of South America.

Land degradation isn’t just an environmental crisis—it threatens food security, fuels migration, and drives conflict.

So, who is taking responsibility for restoring our planet’s most valuable resource?

But there is hope. From the Great Green Wall in Africa to China’s Loess Plateau transformation, solutions exist—and they are working.

🎙️ What we discuss: ✔️ The real cost of land degradation—and how 50% of global GDP depends on land and nature.✔️ Who controls the land? The hidden power structures behind global land ownership. ✔️ Proven solutions—from regenerative agriculture to large-scale reforestation projects. ✔️ Success stories—including Africa’s Great Green Wall and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. ✔️ The impact of war on land—and how ecosystems in conflict zones can be restored.

This is more than an interview—it’s both a wake-up call and a roadmap forward. The solutions are there.

⁠UNCCD⁠ - ⁠GS Ibrahim Thiaw⁠ - ⁠Host⁠ - ⁠World Economic Forum