3. Income Inequality
UN Ranking: 10
WEF Ranking: 2
Average Score: 6
It’s quite clear that despite 7 billion of us now calling this planet home, there is still more than enough wealth to go around and provide all of us with a good standard of living. The problem (which the WEF ranked as the second-biggest facing the planet) is that a huge percentage of that wealth is held by a small fraction of the global population, while the majority make do with the scraps left over. One of the initiatives that could help people struggling to get by is greater access to credit and financial accounts, which 2 billion people and 200 million small-to-medium-sized businesses are lacking according to the Global Findex 2014, IMF Financial Access Survey. If institutions like Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) or local lending firms can bring their services to more people, it could help spur economic growth in the poorest areas. A good solution of one of the biggest problems in the world that can be solved with inventions, right?
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