Global Scans · Reduced Inequalities · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.

• [New] The global transition away from fossil fuels risks deepening existing inequalities and creating new injustices if governments pursue environmental goals without protecting workers, vulnerable communities and human rights. Davis Vanguard
• [New] By 2030, robots and artificial intelligence are projected to displace over 20 million manufacturing jobs globally - a seismic shift that threatens to exacerbate inequalities, leaving workers stranded without viable means of livelihood. Journal of Digital Technologies and Law
• [New] Future progress will depend on expanding high-quality datasets, validating AI systems across diverse populations, and implementing responsible governance frameworks to ensure that AI-enabled food innovation benefits global health without exacerbating existing inequalities. News-Medical
• Despite the promising potential of AI integration in higher education, adoption patterns reveal significant disparities that reflect broader global inequalities in technological access and institutional capacity. Nature
• Gini coefficients decrease considerably from 0.48 in 2024 to 0.22 in 2060 (see Figure S17a in Supplementary Information SI1) with remaining inequalities attributable to some countries having already surpassed the decent per-capita stock threshold. / China SpringerLink
• The brisk growth of artificial intelligence may worsen existing gender inequalities and pose new risks to the human rights of women and girls worldwide. Yale Law School
• The revised European Social Fund Plus (ESF +), with a total budget of EUR 142 billion from the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, helps to reduce inequalities. Eurostat
• The uneven global adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies risks deepening existing digital inequalities. IntechOpen
• The Trump administration's policy agenda is exacerbating racial economic inequalities, threatening the Black middle class, and devastating industries with high concentrations of Latino workers, including construction, health services, and manufacturing. Brookings
• Drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are transforming obesity treatment, but without affordable, healthy food and appropriate support, they could widen health inequalities in the UK. EurekAlert!

Last updated: 07 September 2026