2005 Resources

"The aid system is broken," says Ashraf Ghani in this powerful, reform-oriented talk. He discusses how to mobilize capital for state-building; why technical assistance fails; and why classic economic theory proved useless in Afghanistan, which is "dominated by the drug economy and a mafia." He outlines the 10 key tasks of a functioning state, from providing infrastructure to the rule of law. And, finally, he argues for investment, not handouts: "A dollar in private investment is equal to 20 dollars of aid," he says.

Worldchanging.com founder Alex Steffen offers

a fast-paced round-up of radical (but possible) answers to

our planet's greatest challenges, ranging from green cities

and buildings, to digital collaboration tools, to ingenious

tools for the developing world (flowers that detect

landmines; straws that purify water as you drink;

merry-go-rounds that pump water using the energy expended by

children at play).

As Western-style consumerism spreads to developing

countries, we must re-imagine our world - a process he

believes is slowly happening in such cities as Vancouver and

Portland, Oregon, and also in the developing world, where

new technologies and new forms of collaboration are

combining to solve 21st-century problems.