Building the Global Impact Balance Sheet: A Foundation for the Global Impact Exchange

As we explore the concept of a Global Impact Exchange, where future global benefits could become a new asset class, it’s crucial to first understand the current state of the world’s balance sheet. Just as a corporation’s goodwill relies on its tangible and intangible assets to set a baseline for future value, humanity’s accounting must begin with an accurate inventory of our collective wealth and liabilities. To create this future value, we first need clarity on what exists today.

The Current Global Balance Sheet

Assets

1. Physical Assets

The tangible wealth of humanity, encompassing resources, infrastructure, and industry:

• Real Estate: Valued at $380 trillion, the largest store of wealth globally (Savills, 2022).

• Infrastructure: Highways, ports, power grids, and communication networks contribute an estimated $100 trillion (World Bank & Global Infrastructure Hub).

• Industrial Assets: Factories and manufacturing facilities, valued at approximately $30 trillion, enabling global production (World Balance Sheet Initiative).

• Natural Resources: Reserves of oil, gas, minerals, and timber worth $200 trillion (WBS Resource Data).

• Gold and Precious Metals: The total value of mined gold contributes $12 trillion (World Gold Council).

2. Financial Assets

The instruments of global finance reflect the scale of global investment and savings:

• Stocks and Bonds: These tradable assets are valued at $255 trillion, reflecting their role as the backbone of the financial system (McKinsey Global Institute, 2024).

• Bank Deposits: Estimated at $75 trillion, they represent global liquidity (OECD Financial Accounts).

3. Intangible Assets

Often overlooked, these assets are vital for driving innovation and productivity:

• Intellectual Property: Patents, copyrights, and R&D investments contribute $40 trillion, highlighting the value of human creativity (OECD & WBS Studies).

Liabilities

1. Global Debt

Sovereign, corporate, and household debt amounts to $313 trillion, reflecting past and ongoing economic activities (OECD Global Debt Statistics).

Note: Other potential liabilities, such as environmental costs or unfunded pension obligations, have been excluded for now to avoid double-counting or conflating debt categories. These will be addressed as part of the Global Impact Exchange, which seeks to transform such liabilities into opportunities for offset and innovation.

Net Global Wealth

Category Value (Trillion USD)

Total Assets $1,092

Total Liabilities -$313

Net Global Wealth $779

Why This Matters for the Global Impact Exchange

To define a new asset class based on future global benefits, we need to establish the scale and structure of our existing wealth. Here’s how this balance sheet informs the vision:

1. A Baseline for Future Value: Understanding the scale of physical, financial, and intangible assets helps us envision the potential of future impact projects.

2. A Framework for Goodwill: Just as corporations quantify goodwill as a reflection of their future earning power, this global balance sheet provides a starting point for valuing the benefits of large-scale global projects.

3. Strategic Priorities: By identifying the largest assets and liabilities, we can prioritize where the Global Impact Exchange could deliver the most value—whether through environmental restoration, technological innovation, or human capital development.

The Path Forward

This updated balance sheet draws on methodologies and findings from leading organizations like McKinsey Global Institute, the World Balance Sheet Initiative, and the OECD. It highlights the immense potential to rethink how we manage and leverage global resources.

By creating a visionary impact accounting for humanity, we lay the groundwork for the Global Impact Exchange—a system where future global benefits can be quantified, traded, and leveraged to drive transformative planetary projects.

This isn’t just an inventory of what we have—it’s a call to action for what we can build together. Let’s use this foundation to unlock humanity’s full potential.

Disclaimer

This is the first exercise in compiling a global impact balance sheet. While it provides a high-level view of global assets and liabilities, it is by no means comprehensive or final. There is much more work to be done in refining methodologies, gathering data, and addressing details. For now, the focus is on simplicity and creating a foundation for further exploration. Future efforts will dive deeper into the nuances and complexities of this ambitious undertaking.