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DCO Unveils Ethical AI Guidebook To Strengthen AI Governance

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 9, 2026

The Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) has launched a new guidebook to help governments turn ethical artificial intelligence principles into practical public policy, unveiling the publication in Geneva alongside the first United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance.

As governments around the world move from debating AI ethics to building regulatory frameworks, the challenge is no longer defining principles but translating them into laws, institutions and governance models that can keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. Cyprus, which joined the DCO as part of its broader strategy to strengthen international cooperation on digital transformation, is among the organisation’s member states.

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A Policy Blueprint For The AI Era

The DCO launched the DCO Ethical AI Guidebook for Policymakers on July 8 during a session organised with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE).

The event, titled “Responsible, Trusted, and Safe AI for Prosperity: From Principles to Practice,” took place on the sidelines of the United Nations Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, held in Geneva on July 6 and July 7, 2026.

According to the DCO, the session brought together policymakers, international organisations, industry leaders, academics, civil society representatives and technical experts to examine how countries can accelerate the responsible adoption of AI through practical governance, capacity building and cross-border collaboration.

From Principles To Implementation

Designed for governments, regulators and national AI task forces, the guidebook aims to help translate high-level ethical commitments into legislation, national strategies and governance structures that support innovation while maintaining trust and accountability.

According to the DCO, the publication builds on its Principles for Ethical AI and the Riyadh AI Call to Action Declaration and forms part of a broader policy toolkit intended to strengthen national AI readiness and support more consistent policymaking across jurisdictions.

That toolkit also includes the DCO AI Ethics Evaluator, the AI-REAL Toolkit and Web Portal, and the Digital Economy Navigator. Together, these resources are designed to strengthen institutional capacity, reinforce trust and support evidence-based policymaking and investment decisions.

Why Global AI Governance Still Faces A Capacity Gap

Speaking during the main programme of the UN Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya said more needs to be done to ensure that the “World Digital Majority” has a meaningful role in shaping the rules that will govern the next generation of AI.

“The architecture of the AI age is being drawn right now, and more than half the world’s nations are not holding the pen.”

In her view, the greatest challenge is not reaching agreement on ethical principles but giving governments the capacity to implement them effectively.

“The world does not lack principles. We agree AI must be responsible, trustworthy and inclusive. What the world lacks is the capacity to act on them.”

She said the new guidebook is intended to help close that gap by providing governments with practical tools to develop effective AI governance and ensure the technology becomes a driver of digital prosperity rather than fragmented regulation.

A Growing Multilateral Player In Digital Policy

Established in 2020, the Digital Cooperation Organisation describes itself as the world’s first standalone international intergovernmental organisation dedicated to accelerating the growth of an inclusive and sustainable digital economy.

Its 16 member states represent a combined economy of nearly $3.5 trillion and a market of more than 800 million people, with over 70% of the population under the age of 35. Against that backdrop, the organisation argues that effective AI governance will be just as important as technological innovation in ensuring long-term economic and social development.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.