Experimentation and social consensus
Small countries are characterised by their ability to respond quickly to change and to try out new approaches. 'These countries have to constantly adapt to external forces. This makes them more willing to experiment and more adaptable,' says Breiding. The success of Singapore, which has gone from a fishing village to one of the world's most competitive nations in just a few decades, is particularly impressive. This success is based on bold political decisions and a strong focus on education and long-term planning. Smaller states are also characterised by greater social consensus and trust in government and institutions: 'Small countries manage to build stable systems that are supported by their citizens.'

S8nations: a task force for global challenges
Complex global problems like the climate crisis require quick and efficient solutions. But cumbersome summits such as COP28, with 84,000 participants exchanging ideas, are ill-suited to the task. Instead, Breiding proposes a task force that scales the strengths and successes of small nations. The S8nations initiative, launched in Zurich in 2020, aims to connect the world's most successful small nations to learn from each other and tackle global challenges pragmatically. The initiative started with eight small countries, including Denmark, Finland, Singapore and Switzerland. 'S8nations is like a laboratory for the world', says Breiding. Innovative ideas can be tested by small, high-performing nations and then implemented globally.

It takes will and money
S8nations is still a thought experiment. It is currently busy finding delegates and partners in the participating countries. And the hurdles to real solutions are high, as Prof. Dr Reto Knutti, renowned climate researcher at ETH Zurich, pointed out in the audience discussion. Even if a task force of experts on the climate crisis could be assembled, 'decisions are made in society. We need a common understanding that we want to solve the problem'. Knutti does not see this understanding at present. What's more, there needs to be a body that allocates money to fighting the climate crisis – and a lot of it. In Knutti's experience, there is a need for concrete solutions to problems that people can directly experience and understand. But the basic idea of S8nations could help: making the benefits of concrete approaches visible on a small scale.

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