Sustained partnerships between international Donors and the EIB are improving people's lives, contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and advancing the international development objectives of the European Union. Through its global presence and the mobilization of grant funds from Donor Mandates, the EIB finances projects, companies and initiatives in some 130 countries outside of the European Union. As this inaugural EIB Donors in Action book illustrates, the contributions of our Donors make a big difference, enabling the EIB to do more in challenging environments around the globe.

Internet is a real place. Every time we switch on our computers, use a program or an application, or log in to a social media site, we enter a virtual space made up of worlds, domains, forums and rooms. But we behave differently when we interact with technology: technology amplifies and accelerates our deeds; it can help us find useful information, benefit from a wide range of services and stay in touch with our friends, but it can also create addictive-type behaviours and subliminally manipulate us online. Mary Aiken, a cyberpsychologist specialised in the impact of technology on human behaviour, warns us about cybersecurity: "We need a human-centred approach that is mindful of how humans actually use connected things and not how the tech sector presumes or expects them to". This is the fifth essay in the Big Ideas series created by the European Investment Bank.

The climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic remind us that we cannot face down our challenges alone--our solutions must be global. The European Investment Bank is at the heart of the push to turn EU policy initiatives into real development solutions on the ground. This report provides insights into our vital projects and initiatives outside the European Union, data on their impact and ideas for the future of development through a series of expert essays.

The food sector is a strategic part of the European economy, but it faces many complex challenges: The sector is afraid of risk Spending on innovation is low The sector does not use technology adequately The financing landscape is too fragmented To prepare food production for the future, we need more innovation, we must reap the full potential of technology, and we need creative financing.

Over the last decade, Europe and most advanced economies experienced a decline in productivity, leading to political unrest and rising uncertainty about the future. A new production revolution, enabled in part by artificial intelligence (AI), is now emerging, bringing a new wave of technologies, but there are widespread fears that these changes also will bring a big rise in unemployment as machines replace human beings in big numbers. History tells us that we should not be afraid of industrial change. AI will take over some tasks, but this will not happen all of a sudden and there will be plenty of work left for humans. Restricting or slowing down new technology will not help the world economy. Instead, nations need to help people adjust to more technically advanced jobs, while education should focus more on "21st century skills" such as teamwork and critical thinking. These are our next real challenges.

This report outlines how providers can make changes at home, in developing countries and in the international development co-operation system, to help create low-emissions, climate-resilient economies, and how they can avoid supporting activities that lock the world into an unsustainable future.