2020s
{{Short description|Current decade of the Gregorian calendar (2020–2029)}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Very long|words=20,000+|date=May 2025}}
{{Multiple image
| image_style = border:none;
| perrow = 2/2
| image1 = 3M 1860 N952020.jpg
| image2 = Ukrainian T-72B tank in Donetsk region.jpg
| image3 = Artificial Neural Network with Chip.png
| image4 = Operation Allies Refuge 210819-F-DT970-0040.jpg
| image5 = Damage in Gaza Strip during the October 2023 - 01 (cropped).jpg
| image6 = Donald Trump takes the oath of office (2025) (alternate).jpg
| total_width = 335
| footer = From top left, clockwise: an N-95 mask used during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 became a global pandemic in 2020 and dominated the early part of the decade, as it was deemed an international public health emergency until 2023; a Ukrainian tank driving in the Donetsk region during the Russo-Ukrainian War; a U.S. plane carries passengers out of Afghanistan during the 2021 fall of Kabul at the end of the War in Afghanistan; Donald Trump becomes the 47th U.S. president in 2025 after winning a nonconsecutive second term in the 2024 United States presidential election after losing reelection in 2020; damage following an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City during the Gaza war; a significant AI boom happened in the early 2020s, with services such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek being used by billions worldwide.
}}
{{Decadebox|202}}
{{Decade by topic|202}}
The 2020s (pronounced "twenty-twenties" or "two thousand [and] twenties"; shortened to "the '20s" and also known as "The Twenties") is the current decade that began on 1 January 2020, and will end on 31 December 2029.{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/walvanlierop/2019/12/24/lets-make-the-20s-roar-again/ |title=Let's Make The 20s Roar Again! |date=24 December 2019 |website=Forbes |first=Wal |last=van Lierop |access-date=1 January 2021 |archive-date=31 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231212539/https://www.forbes.com/sites/walvanlierop/2019/12/24/lets-make-the-20s-roar-again/ |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/12/31/finally-a-decade-whose-name-we-can-agree-on/ |title=Finally, a Decade Whose Name We Can Agree On |first=Andrew |last=Beaujon |website=Washingtonian |date=31 December 2019 |access-date=1 January 2020 |archive-date=31 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231212540/https://www.washingtonian.com/2019/12/31/finally-a-decade-whose-name-we-can-agree-on/ |url-status=live}}
The 2020s began with the COVID-19 pandemic. The first reports of the virus were published on 31 December 2019, though the first cases are said to have appeared nearly a month earlier.{{Cite news |date=2019-12-31 |title=Chinese officials investigate cause of pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-pneumonia-idUSKBN1YZ0GP |access-date=2022-12-01 |archive-date=2 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102144414/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-pneumonia-idUSKBN1YZ0GP |url-status=live}} The pandemic led to a global economic recession, a sustained rise in global inflation for the first time since the 1970s, and a global supply chain crisis. The World Health Organization declared the virus a global state of emergency from March 2020 to May 2023.
Several anti-government demonstrations and revolts occurred in the early 2020s, including a continuation of those in Hong Kong against extradition legislation; protests against certain local, state and national responses to the COVID-19 pandemic; others around the world, particularly in the United States, against racism and police brutality; one in India against agriculture and farming acts; one in Israel against judicial reforms; another in Indonesia against the omnibus law on jobs; protests and strikes in France against pension reform; political crises in Peru, Bangladesh, Armenia, and Thailand; and many in Belarus, Eswatini, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela, Serbia, and Turkey against various forms of governmental jurisdiction, corruption, and authoritarianism; along with citizen riots in the United States and Brazil in an attempt to overturn election results. Among democracies in 2024, its elections saw an 80% loss of incumbent support worldwide, several losses being historic. That year, former U.S. president Donald Trump was reelected to a second, nonconsecutive term.
Ongoing military conflicts include the Myanmar civil war, the Ethiopian civil conflict, the Kivu conflict, the Mali War, the Yemeni civil war, the Somali Civil War, Sudanese civil war, the Syrian civil war, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and the Gaza war. The year 2021 saw the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, ending nearly 20 years of war in Afghanistan. The Russian invasion of Ukraine became the largest conventional military offensive in Europe since World War II, resulting in a refugee crisis, disruptions to global trade, and an exacerbation of economic inflation. In 2023, a Hamas-led attack marked the first invasion of Israel since 1948, triggering an Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory. The invasion has led to the displacement of nearly all 2.3 million Gaza residents, a humanitarian crisis, a famine, and a polio epidemic, sparking global protests against Israel. In 2024, a quick and renewed rebel offensive during the Syrian civil war led to the toppling of Bashar al-Assad and the fall of the Assad regime. Smaller conflicts include the insurgency in the Maghreb, the Iraq insurgency, the conflict between India and Pakistan, and the Philippine and the Mexican drug wars.
With multiple extreme weather events magnifying in the 2020s, several world leaders have called it the "decisive decade" for climate action as ecological crises continue to escalate.{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e9f81272-3986-44de-9715-e83ec9be2bd2 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/e9f81272-3986-44de-9715-e83ec9be2bd2 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=COP26: First day ends with Queen's message of statesmanship |newspaper=Financial Times |date=1 November 2021 |access-date=2 November 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2021/nov/01/cop26-biden-urges-unity-in-decisive-decade-for-planet-video |title=Cop26: Biden urges unity in 'decisive decade' for planet |work=The Guardian |date=1 November 2021 |access-date=2 November 2021 |archive-date=25 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525153745/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2021/nov/01/cop26-biden-urges-unity-in-decisive-decade-for-planet-video |url-status=live}} In February 2023, a series of powerful earthquakes killed up to 62,000 people in Turkey and Syria; this event fell within the top five deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century.
There were breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, with American companies, universities, and research labs pioneering advances in the field.{{Cite web |last=Frank |first=Michael |date=September 22, 2023 |title=US Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Can Shape the 21st Century Global Order |url=https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/us-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence-can-shape-the-21st-century-global-order/ |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=The Diplomat |quote=Instead, the United States has developed a new area of dominance that the rest of the world views with a mixture of awe, envy, and resentment: artificial intelligence... From AI models and research to cloud computing and venture capital, U.S. companies, universities, and research labs – and their affiliates in allied countries – appear to have an enormous lead in both developing cutting-edge AI and commercializing it. The value of U.S. venture capital investments in AI start-ups exceeds that of the rest of the world combined. |archive-date=8 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208132421/https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/us-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence-can-shape-the-21st-century-global-order/ |url-status=live}} Generative AI-based applications such as ChatGPT and DALL-E have accumulated billions of users, and allow users to instantly generate complex texts, images, art, and video, comparable to the sophistication of human work. Other technological advances include the widespread use of teleconferencing, online learning, e-commerce and food delivery services to compensate for lockdowns ordered by governments around the world during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Streaming services, such as Disney+ and Max, have increased in popularity during the decade; physical media and cable television have continued to fall out of usage, with the closure of Redbox in 2024 and the discontinuation of DVDs from Target and Best Buy from 2023 to 2025. Several popular social media applications, like Threads, BeReal, Clubhouse, Bluesky, Gettr, and Truth Social, launched, continuing progress in digital technology. 5G networks launched around the globe at the start of the decade and became prevalent in smartphones. Research into outer space further progressed in the 2020s, with the United States mainly dominating space exploration, including the James Webb Space Telescope, Ingenuity helicopter, and Artemis program.{{Cite web |last1=Signé |first1=Landry Signe |last2=Dooley |first2=Hanna |date=March 28, 2023 |title=How space exploration is fueling the Fourth Industrial Revolution |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-space-exploration-is-fueling-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/ |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=Brookings |archive-date=25 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525153745/https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-space-exploration-is-fueling-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Chandrayaan-3 Details |url=https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan3_Details.html |access-date=14 February 2024 |website=isro.gov.in |archive-date=23 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823165138/https://www.isro.gov.in/Chandrayaan3_Details.html |url-status=live}} Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are being used for remote collaboration, meetings, and training. Contactless payments have become more widespread, offering convenient and secure payment options. Mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, which had their roots in the 2010s, have also grown in popularity. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and NFTs, have increased in popularity.
During this decade, the world population grew from 7.7 billion to over eight billion people. In 2023, India overtook China as the most populous country in the world.{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-population-reach-8-billion-15-november-2022 |title=World population reach 8 billion |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120024524/https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-population-reach-8-billion-15-november-2022 |archive-date=20 January 2023 |work=United Nations |date=15 November 2022}}{{Cite web |title=UN DESA Policy Brief No. 153: India overtakes China as the world's most populous country {{!}} Department of Economic and Social Affairs |url=https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/un-desa-policy-brief-no-153-india-overtakes-china-as-the-worlds-most-populous-country/#:~:text=UN%20DESA%20Policy%20Brief%20No,the%20world%27s%20most%20populous%20country&text=Department%20of%20Economic%20and%20Social%20Affairs |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=un.org |archive-date=26 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626135116/https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/un-desa-policy-brief-no-153-india-overtakes-china-as-the-worlds-most-populous-country/#:~:text=UN%20DESA%20Policy%20Brief%20No,the%20world%27s%20most%20populous%20country&text=Department%20of%20Economic%20and%20Social%20Affairs |url-status=live}}
{{TOC limit|3}}
Politics and wars
{{Main|2020s in military history}}
{{See also|List of sovereign states in the 2020s}}
=Major conflicts=
{{Main|List of wars: 2003–present}}
The prominent wars of the decade include:
==International wars==
Image:Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022 montage (1).png|Montage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, part of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Image:Evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport 210821-M-AU949-0155.jpg|US Marines with SP-MAGTF-CR-CC at an evacuation checkpoint at Kabul Airport on 21 August during the 2021 Fall of Kabul, at the end of the War in Afghanistan.
Image:Damage in Gaza Strip during the October 2023.jpg|Highrise residential building ″Palestine Tower″{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdH7aehL_IY |title=Gaza hit by Israeli strikes, buildings destroyed |work=AFP News Agency |date=26 October 2023 |access-date=26 October 2023 |via=www.youtube.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026013359/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdH7aehL_IY |archive-date=26 October 2023 |url-status=live}} in Gaza following an Israeli strike during the Gaza war.
Image:Syrian rebels at Hama Military Airport.png|Syrian rebels at Hama Air Base during the Syrian civil war.
==Civil wars==
Image:Myanmar_civil_war_(2021–present)_townships_map.svg|Territorial control during Myanmar civil war (2021–present) as of early 2022.
Image:VOA Tigray Children2.jpg|A man passing by a destroyed T-72 tank in Idaga Hamus during Tigray war.
Image:Screengrab of refugee camp from Number of Refugees Who Fled Sudan for Chad Double in Week.jpg|Sudanese refugee camp in Chad during Sudanese civil war (2023).
Image:Prigozhin rebellion Rostov tank with flowers in the muzzle June 24.jpg|A tank with flowers in the muzzle in Rostov-on-Don during the Wagner Group rebellion against the Russian government.
=Revolutions and major protests=
{{Main|List of protests in the 21st century}}
Successful revolutions and otherwise major protests of the decade include, but are not limited to:
File:Minneapolis 05-28-20 (49947863357).jpg|Protesters in Minneapolis where George Floyd was murdered and the unrest began on 26 May 2020.
File:02020 0097 (2) Protest against abortion restriction in Bielsko-Biała, November 2020.jpg|Protest against abortion restriction in Bielsko-Biała, Poland
File:2021 Myanmar Protest in Hleden.jpg|2021 Myanmar coup d'état culminated an ongoing protests, thousands of protesters participating in an anti-junta rally in Yangon in February 2021.
File:2022 Kazakhstan protests — Aqtobe, January 4 (01).jpg|Protesters in Aktobe during a period of unrest in Kazakhstan, 4 January 2022.
File:Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka 2022.jpg|Sri Lankans protesting in front of the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, 13 April 2022.
File:Amir Kabir University uprising September 2022 (3).jpg|Iranians protesting at Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran following the death of Mahsa Amini, 20 September 2022.
File:Ataque bolsonarista ao Congresso Nacional do Brasil.png|Protesters attack the Brazilian Congress to protest and attempt to overturn the results of the 2022 Brazilian election, 8 January 2023.
File:8 march protest in Tbilisi (cropped).jpg|Pro-Western protesters and rioters during the anti-government protests in Tbilisi, Georgia
File:Warszawa - Marsz Miliona Serc (1).jpg|"March of a Million Hearts" in Warsaw, Poland
File:John Deere 6320 Saint-Etienne-de-Fontbellon manifestations agriculteurs janvier 2024.jpg|Tractors at Saint-Etienne-de-Fontbellon (France) during the EU farmers' protests.
File:7.Bangladesh quota reform movement 2024.jpg|Students launching the Bangla blockade during the Student–People's uprising, 6 July 2024.
File:2024 Venezuela protests 01.jpg|Venezuelans taking to the streets to protest the 2024 presidential election results in Caracas, 3 August 2024.
File:Hands off protest in Minnesota.jpg|A group of "Hands-Off" protestors on the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota since the George Floyd protests in 2020.
=Terrorist attacks=
{{Main|List of terrorist incidents#1970–present}}
Note: To be included, entries must be notable (have a stand-alone article) and described by a consensus of reliable sources as "terrorism."
The most prominent terrorist attacks committed against civilian populations during the decade include, but are not limited to:
=Political trends=
File:2025 Mandate for Leadership SVG Cover.svg document, published April 21, 2023]]
{{Further|2020s in political history}}
==Electoral trends==
Having suffered decline in the years after the Great Recession, the centre-left politics and the 1990s political model (like progressivism, liberalism, social democracy, and third way policies) experienced a resurgence across Europe and the Anglosphere in the early 2020s, with New Statesman suggesting various causes, including natural shifts in the electoral cycle and conservatives' unpopularity among university graduates and voters under the age of 40.{{Cite web |last=Eaton |first=George |date=22 May 2022 |title=Why is the right losing everywhere? |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/quickfire/2022/05/why-is-the-right-losing-everywhere |access-date=22 May 2022 |website=New Statesman |archive-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522094829/https://www.newstatesman.com/quickfire/2022/05/why-is-the-right-losing-everywhere |url-status=live}}
Following the election of Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election, the mid-2020s saw the resurgence of right-wing populism and the 1980s political model (like conservatism, social conservatism, and anti-communist policies).{{Cite web |last=Corey |first=Elizabeth |date=9 September 2024 |title=The Future of Conservatism |url=https://www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/future-of-conservatism-traditional-vs-populist-new-right-by-elizabeth-corey-et-al-2024-09 |access-date=9 September 2024 |website=Project Syndicate |archive-date=9 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909101324/https://www.project-syndicate.org/magazine/future-of-conservatism-traditional-vs-populist-new-right-by-elizabeth-corey-et-al-2024-09 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Jill |first=Colvin |date=30 January 2025 |title=President Trump sounds the same. His White House — so far — couldn't be more different |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-second-term-emboldened-policies-staff-drama-5720d654e953a39303c38a0513b35f57 |access-date= |website=AP News |archive-date=30 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250130075755/https://apnews.com/article/trump-second-term-emboldened-policies-staff-drama-5720d654e953a39303c38a0513b35f57 |url-status=live}}
2024 was the biggest election year in history, and a number of countries announced snap elections, such as Portugal, Senegal, the United Kingdom, France, Sri Lanka, Japan, Iceland, and Ireland.{{Cite magazine |last=Sorkin |first=Amy Davidson |date=7 January 2024 |title=The Biggest Election Year in History |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/15/the-biggest-election-year-in-history |access-date=18 January 2024 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}{{Cite web |last=Ray |first=Siladitya |title=2024 Is The Biggest Election Year In History—Here Are The Countries Going To The Polls This Year |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/01/03/2024-is-the-biggest-election-year-in-history-here-are-the-countries-going-to-the-polls-this-year/ |access-date=18 January 2024 |website=Forbes |language=en}} This is the first time this has ever happened since 1905 (when data was first recorded) and the first time in the history of democracy, as universal suffrage began in 1894.{{cite news |last=Burn-Murdoch |first=John |date=November 7, 2024 |title=Democrats join 2024's graveyard of incumbents |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e8ac09ea-c300-4249-af7d-109003afb893 |access-date=November 8, 2024 |work=Financial Times |quote=The incumbents in every single one of the 10 major countries that have been tracked by the ParlGov global research project and held national elections in 2024 were given a kicking by voters. This is the first time this has ever happened in almost 120 years of records. ... That different politicians, different parties, different policies and different rhetoric deployed in different countries have all met similar fortunes suggests that a large part of Tuesday's American result was locked in regardless of the messenger or the message. The wide variety of places and people who swung towards Trump also suggests an outcome that was more inevitable than contingent.}}
==Deaths==
Sitting leaders that died such as Qaboos bin Said of Oman, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Amadou Gon Coulibaly of the Ivory Coast, Sheik Sabah al-Sabah of Kuwait, John Magufuli of Tanzania, Idriss Déby of Chad, Jovenel Moïse of Haiti, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait, Hage Geingob of Namibia, Ebrahim Raisi of Iran, Nguyễn Phú Trọng of Vietnam, Didier Guillaume of Monaco and Pope Francis.
Former world leaders who died such as Hosni Mubarak, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, John Turner, Daniel arap Moi, Pranab Mukherjee, Lee Teng-hui, Jorge Sampaio, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Tabaré Vazquez, Roh Tae-woo, Chun Doo-hwan, Benigno Aquino III, Carlos Menem, Kenneth Kaunda, F. W. de Klerk, Karolos Papoulias, Toshiki Kaifu, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Mwai Kibaki, Shinzo Abe, José Eduardo dos Santos, Luis Echeverría, Francisco Morales Bermúdez, Fidel V. Ramos, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jiang Zemin, Pope Benedict XVI, Constantine II of Greece, Pervez Musharraf, Silvio Berlusconi, Mircea Snegur, Giorgio Napolitano, Bill Hayden, Li Keqiang, Dries van Agt, Sebastián Piñera, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Brian Mulroney, Ismail Haniyeh, Alex Salmond, Manmohan Singh, Jimmy Carter, Arnold Rüütel, Costas Simitis, Horst Köhler, Thanin Kraivichien, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, José Mujica, Trần Đức Lương, Alfredo Palacio and Edgar Lungu.
=Prominent political events=
==Coups==
{{Main|List of coups and coup attempts since 2010}}
Coups d'état against ruling governments during the decade include:
==Africa==
{{Further|Category:2020s in Africa|2020 in West Africa|2020 in North Africa|2020 in Middle Africa|2020 in East Africa|2020 in Southern Africa}}
class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable" |
style="width:130px;"| Event
! style="width:60px;"| Country ! style="width:100px;"| Date ! Description ! References |
---|
Western Saharan clashes (2020–present)
|{{flag|Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic}} |8 November 2020 – ongoing |Following protests in the border town of Guerguerat in the disputed Western Sahara region, the Moroccan armed forces captured the town to ensure traffic could resume through the area. Since then, fighting and bombardments across the Moroccan Berm have taken place, with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic declaring war against Morocco. It is the largest escalation in the conflict since the end of the Western Sahara War in 1991. |{{Cite web |date=13 November 2020 |title=Moroccan army launches operation in Western Sahara border zone |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1762466/middle-east |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114141349/https://www.arabnews.com/node/1762466/middle-east |archive-date=14 November 2020 |access-date=13 November 2020 |work=Arab News}} |
2021–2022 Somali political crisis
|{{flag|Somalia}} |8 February 2021 – 10 January 2022 |President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed stayed in power past the end of his term and postponed elections scheduled for 2021. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble then called for the president to immediately step down. The president later dismissed Roble for alleged corruption. Protests were reported across the country in favor and opposed to the president. A deal to hold elections in May 2022 was reached in January which resulted in the incumbent president losing his bid for reelection. |
Nigerien crisis (2023–2024)
| {{flag|Niger}} |26 July 2023 – 24 February 2024 |The 2023 Nigerien coup d'état led to a severe diplomatic crisis between the putschists in Niger and the member states of ECOWAS. | |
==Americas==
{{Further|Category:2020s in North America|Category:2020s in South America}}
File:2021 storming of the United States Capitol DSC09254-2 (50820534063) (retouched).jpg|On 6 January 2021, the U.S. Capitol attack occurred two weeks before Joe Biden was sworn into office. The event resulted in the Second impeachment of Donald Trump and a group of televised public hearings.
File:P20241113CS-0503 (cropped).jpg|The 2020s saw the U.S. presidency alternate from Donald Trump to Joe Biden in 2020, followed by Trump's successful re-election in 2024; both the oldest presidents served during the decade. Trump is the second president elected to nonconsecutive terms (following Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892).
File:Former President Donald Trump paying respect to Corey Comperatore (53887491621).jpg|Donald Trump, who survived an attempted assassination in Pennsylvania in July 2024. This image shows Donald Trump paying respect to Corey Comperatore's firefighter uniform; he lost his life in the assassination attempt.
File:Machado y González protestando contra el fraude presidencial en Venezuela de 2024.jpg|María Corina Machado and Edmundo González along with his wife, addressing supporters in Caracas following the 2024 presidential election results. Incumbent Nicolás Maduro secured a third term in an election widely criticized as neither free or fair, given the Maduro administration having controlled most institutions and repressed the political opposition before and during the election.
File:Jimmy Carter lay-in state at U.S. Capitol.jpg|Former US president Jimmy Carter lay in repose at the U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. He was the longest-lived U.S. president in history and the first president to reach the age of 100.
File:Starmer and Carney 2025-03-17-18-44.jpg|Mark Carney became Prime Minister of Canada, after he won a landslide victory at the 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election and re-elected at the federal election, since Justin Trudeau resigned after nine years of premiership.
==Asia==
{{Further|Category:2020s in Asia}}
File:Imran Khan and 2 Chief Ministers of Pakistan.jpg|Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan was arrested twice during the political unrest, and PTI-led independents were lost the 2024 election.
File:Shigeru Ishiba was designated as the 102nd Prime Minister 4.jpg|Shigeru Ishiba is elected as Prime Minister of Japan by the National Diet, succeed Fumio Kishida and reelected in October 2024 following the election.
File:2024년 대한민국 계엄 반대 시위대 깃발.jpg|Protests erupted during the 2024–2025 South Korean political crisis on 3 December 2024.
File:Duterte and Medialdea flying to The Hague in 2025.jpg|Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by several organizations under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant charging him with crimes against humanity and abuse of power related to the Philippine drug war and declaration of martial law are the "act of terrorism".
==Europe==
{{Further|Category:2020s in Europe}}
File:Suomen ja Ruotsin suurlähettiläät jättävät kiinnostuksenosoituksensa Natoon liittymisestä - 52082038874.jpg|Finnish and Swedish ambassadors submit their applications to join NATO to then-secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.
File:20220908-Buckingham Palace Elizabeth II death reactions (07).jpg|Crowds at Buckingham Palace following the death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, shortly after the Platinum Jubilee celebration which marked the 70th anniversary of her accession.
File:Ratzinger funeral (09).jpg|Crowds at St. Peter's Square following the death and funeral of Pope Benedict XVI.
File:Waving from Buckingham Palace Balcony (52877352018) (cropped).jpg|King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their coronation in 2023.
File:Securing Our Future (EC pic) 2025-03-02-15-13.jpg|NATO leaders and participants at the 2025 London Summit on Ukraine.
File:Procesija, pok. papa Franjo (5).jpg|Crowds at Domus Sanctae Marthae following the death and funeral of Pope Francis after 12 years of papacy, marked the 20th anniversary of death and funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005.
==Oceania==
{{Further|Category:2020s in Oceania}}
=World leaders=
{{Main|List of state leaders in the 2020s}}
Assassinations and attempts
{{further|List of assassinations}}
File:Qasem Soleimani with Zolfaghar Order (cropped).jpg]]
File:Kelly Craft poses a photo with Haitian President Moise (cropped).jpg]]
File:Shinzō Abe 20120501 (cropped).jpg]]
File:Ayman al-Zawahiri portrait.JPG]]
File:Donald Trump (52250930172) (cropped).jpg]]
File:Ismail Haniyeh 2024 portrait 3x4.jpg]]
File:Yahya Sinwar portrait 3x4.jpg]]
Prominent assassinations, targeted killings, and assassination attempts include:
Disasters
{{category tree all|2020s disasters|mode=all|depth=1}}
=Non-natural disasters=
==Aviation==
==General==
=Natural disasters=
{{See also|Category:2020s natural disasters}}
==Earthquakes and tsunamis==
{{Main|List of earthquakes in 2020|List of earthquakes in 2021 {{!}} 2021|List of earthquakes in 2022 {{!}} 2022|List of earthquakes in 2023 {{!}} 2023|List of earthquakes in 2024 {{!}} 2024|List of earthquakes in 2025 {{!}} 2025}}
Note: This table is a chronological list of earthquakes reported with 7.5{{M|W}} or greater or that have reported at least 100 fatalities.
style="vertical-align:top" |
File:A damaged building in Antakya.jpg, Turkey in February 2023]] | style="vertical-align:top" | File:Amerzeggan ⴰⵎⵔⵣⴳⴳⴰⵏ viyaedje distrût hosmint tere Hawse.jpg village was heavily destroyed by the Marrakesh-Safi earthquake in September 2023.]] | style="vertical-align:top" | File:R6 noto earthquake wajima burned-out-asaichi-area 2024-02-17 10.jpg morning market in January 2024.]] | style="vertical-align:top" | File:2025 Myanmar earthquake damage in Mandalay (1).png, Myanmar in March 2025.]] |
==Tropical cyclones==
{{Main|Tropical cyclones in 2020|Tropical cyclones in 2021 {{!}} 2021|Tropical cyclones in 2022 {{!}} 2022|Tropical cyclones in 2023 {{!}} 2023|Tropical cyclones in 2024 {{!}} 2024|Tropical cyclones in 2025 {{!}} 2025}}
class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable" |
style="width:120px;"| Event
! style="width:120px;"| Date ! Country ! Description |
---|
Cyclone Amphan
| 16–21 May 2020 |{{flag|Bangladesh}} | 128 people were killed and millions made homeless in the strongest storm in two decades. Damage was estimated at US$13.2 billion.{{cite news |title=Recovery begins after storm ravages Indian, Bangladesh coast |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/recovery-begins-storm-ravages-indian-bangladesh-coast-70851741 |work=ABC News |access-date=24 May 2020 |archive-date=24 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524000510/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/recovery-begins-storm-ravages-indian-bangladesh-coast-70851741 |url-status=live}} |
Hurricane Laura
|20–29 August 2020 |{{flag|United States}} |Hurricane Laura was a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane that, along with 1856's Last Island and 2021's Ida, was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana, based on maximum wind strength. "Laura" first hit the Lesser Antilles as a tropical storm, striking Puerto Rico, then moved across the island of Hispaniola, killing 31 people in Haiti and nine in the Dominican Republic. "Laura" caused widespread devastation along most of its track: Tropical-storm-force winds passed over nearly all of the Antilles islands; hurricane-force and tropical-storm-force winds struck parts of Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas; and much of the storm's track was affected by flooding rain and storm surge. Damage is estimated at more than $19.1 billion,{{cite web |title=Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Events |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events |publisher=NOAA |access-date=11 January 2020 |archive-date=25 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225015735/http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Global Catastrophe Recap November 2020 |url=http://thoughtleadership.aonbenfield.com//Documents/20201210_analytics-if-november-global-recap.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://thoughtleadership.aonbenfield.com//Documents/20201210_analytics-if-november-global-recap.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |publisher=Aon |date=10 December 2020 |access-date=10 December 2020}} and at least 81 people were killed, including 30 in Louisiana and 10 in Texas alone, making "Laura" the 16th costliest hurricane ever. With estimated agricultural losses of $1.6 billion, "Laura" caused more agricultural damage in Louisiana than Hurricanes Katrina and Rita combined. |
Tropical Storm Linfa
|6–12 October 2020 |{{flag|Vietnam}} |Tropical Storm Linfa was a weak, short-lived, but deadly and destructive tropical cyclone. It was the 12th wettest tropical cyclone on record and the second of nine consecutive tropical cyclones to strike Vietnam in 2020, barely a month after the less damaging Tropical Storm Noul. "Linfa" brought record-breaking rainfall totals to much of the Indochinese peninsula. 112 people died in Vietnam, and 24 are missing. Another 25 people died in Cambodia, and Laos had one death and three missing. |
Typhoon Vamco (Ulysses)
|8–15 November 2020 |{{flag|Philippines}} |102 people were killed, and the typhoon contributed to the 2020 Central Vietnam Floods. Damages totaled up to US$440.8 million. |
Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota
|31 October – 18 November 2020 |{{flag|Nicaragua}} |A total of 278+ people were killed during both Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota in Nicaragua and Honduras. Damages totaled up to US$9.3 billion from both hurricanes. |
Cyclone Seroja
|3–12 April 2021 |{{flag|Indonesia}} |Severe tropical cyclone Seroja was the third deadliest tropical cyclone in the Australian region, after Cyclone Mahina in 1899 and the Flores Cyclone in 1973. Seroja caused flooding and landslides on a historic scale in parts of southern Indonesia and East Timor, and later made landfall in the Mid West region of Western Australia – the first cyclone to make landfall since Cyclone Elaine in 1999. At least 272 people were killed by the storm, including 183 in Indonesia, 42 in East Timor and one in Australia. At least 72 people from Indonesia and 30 from East Timor are missing. |
Cyclone Tauktae
|14–19 May 2021 |{{flag|India}} |This category-4 cyclone hit the western coast of India. 174 total fatalities recorded (all countries). Damages totaled up to US$2.12 billion. Other countries affected were Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives. |
Hurricane Ida
|26 August – 4 September 2021 |{{flag|United States}} |107 people were killed by "Ida", of which 87 people were killed in the United States and 20 people were killed in Venezuela. The damage amounted to up to $50 billion. |
Typhoon Rai (Odette)
|12–22 December 2021 |{{flag|Philippines}} |Typhoon Rai, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Odette, was the second most severe typhoon in Philippine history after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Rai was a strong, rare tropical cyclone that struck the Philippines in December 2021. Rai was the first category 5 super typhoon since Nock-ten in 2016 to develop in December, and the third category 5 super typhoon recorded in the South China Sea, following Pamela in 1954 and Rammasun in 2014. Several southern provinces in the Philippines were inundated and devastated by the typhoon. A total of 410 people died + 80 missing, of which a full 409 died in the Philippines and only 1 died in Vietnam. The damage amounts to up to $720 million.{{Cite web |first=Rhea |last=Mogul |title=Philippines' typhoon death toll rises further as areas remain cut off |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/21/asia/typhoon-rai-philippines-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2021-12-23 |website=CNN |date=21 December 2021 |archive-date=21 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221094513/https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/21/asia/typhoon-rai-philippines-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live}} |
Tropical Storm Ana
|20–25 January 2022 |{{flag|Madagascar}} |Moderate Tropical Storm Ana was a deadly tropical cyclone that struck the African nations of Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique + others and was the third deadliest tropical cyclone of 2022. It resulted in 142 deaths, with Madagascar being the hardest hit with 58 deaths due to flooding caused by "Ana", Malawi with 37 deaths + 22 missing, and Mozambique with 20 deaths. |
Cyclone Batsirai
|24 January – 11 February 2022 |{{flag|Madagascar}} |Intense Tropical Cyclone Batsirai was a deadly tropical cyclone that hit Madagascar hard in February 2022 and was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Madagascar since Cyclone Enawo in 2017. It hit the country two weeks after Tropical Storm Ana brought deadly flooding to the island nation in late January. The storm also caused damage in Mauritius and Réunion, but the damage was relatively minor. 123 deaths – 121 in Madagascar and 2 in Mauritius – were reported as a result of Batsirai. Batsirai brought severe damage that significantly affected power supply and communications in the affected areas. Entire towns were devastated, and thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed. At least 112,000 people were displaced and 124,000 homes damaged by Batsirai. The same areas were hit by an even stronger Cyclone Freddy less than a year later. |
Tropical Storm Megi (Agaton)
|8–12 April 2022 |{{flag|Philippines}} |Tropical Storm Megi, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Agaton, was a weak but deadly tropical cyclone that struck the Philippines in April 2022. Heavy rains and storms led to the sinking of two ships. Large landslides pushed mud over villages in Leyte, burying about 210 homes. The Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 214 dead, 132 missing, and 8 injured. |
Hurricane Ian
|23 September – 2 October 2022 |{{flag|Cuba}} |157 people killed with 16 unaccounted for across both the United States and Cuba. The entire nation of Cuba lost power and millions lost power in the United States. The NOAA estimated total damage to be US$113 billion. |
Tropical Storm Nalgae (Paeng)
|26 October – 3 November 2022 |{{flag|Philippines}} |Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae, known in the Philippines as Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, was a very large and deadly tropical cyclone that wreaked havoc in the Philippines and later hit Hong Kong and Macau. 160 people were killed, 141 others were wounded, and 29 people are still missing as a result of the landslides and flooding caused by Nalgae in the Philippines. Meanwhile, there was only 1 person injured in Hong Kong. |
Cyclone Freddy
|4 February – 15 March 2023 |{{flag|Eswatini}} |Cyclone Freddy was the longest-lasting tropical cyclone in history, surpassing the previous record set by Hurricane John in 1994. In total, more than 1,434 people died + 556 went missing, with Malawi worst hit with 1,216 dead + 537 missing, followed by Mozambique with 198 dead, Madagascar with 17 dead + 3 missing, Zimbabwe with 2 dead, and Mauritius with 1 dead + 16 missing. Overall, "Freddy" was the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the southwestern Indian Ocean and third deadliest in the Southern Hemisphere. |
Cyclone Mocha
|9–15 May 2023 |{{flag|Myanmar}} |Cyclone Mocha was a powerful and deadly tropical cyclone that caused between 152 and 463 deaths and widespread destruction, primarily in Myanmar and Bangladesh. |
Storm Daniel
|4–12 September 2023 |{{flag|Libya}} |Storm Daniel, also known as Cyclone Daniel, was the deadliest and costliest Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone in recorded history. "Storm Daniel" resulted in thousands of Deaths, most notably in the Libyan city of Derna, where torrential rains caused two dams near the city of Derna to fail. |
Hurricane Helene
|24-29 September 2024 |{{flag|Mexico}} |Hurricane Helene was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone which devastated parts of the southeastern United States, causing at least 219 deaths and US$78.7 billion in damage. |
Hurricane Milton
|5–12 October 2024 |{{flag|Mexico}} |Hurricane Milton was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone which became the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded over the Gulf of Mexico, tied with Hurricane Rita in 2005. Total damage was estimated to be US$34.3 billion. |
==Tornadoes==
{{Main|Tornadoes of 2020|Tornadoes of 2021 {{!}} 2021|Tornadoes of 2022 {{!}} 2022|Tornadoes of 2023 {{!}} 2023 |Tornadoes of 2024 {{!}} 2024|Tornadoes of 2025 {{!}} 2025}}
{{see also|List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes (2020–present)}}
==Floods, avalanches, and mudslides==
Note: This section reports only floods with 200 or more deaths and avalanches and landslides involving 30 or more deaths.
class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable" |
style="width:120px;"| Event
! style="width:120px;"| Date ! Country ! Description |
---|
2020 Neelum Valley avalanche
| January 2020 | | {{flag|Pakistan}} |At least 74 people were killed and several others injured in the Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, after a series of avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall destroyed and buried 84 homes and 17 shops, while dozens of other buildings were damaged. |
2020 Van avalanches
| 4–5 February 2020 | {{flag|Turkey}} | Two avalanches in Turkey's eastern Van Province resulted in 41 deaths and 84 injuries. |
2020 East Africa floods
|March – May 2020 |{{flag|Kenya}} |Severe flooding in 9 African countries caused more than 450 deaths and affected more than 700,000 people, mainly in Kenya and Rwanda. |
2020 Nepal floods
|June – September 2020 | {{flag|Nepal}} |The rainy season and associated flooding, which has killed more than 400 people, has been described by some in Nepal as the deadliest in recent memory. |
2021 European floods
| 12–25 July 2021 | {{flag|European Union}} | Heavy flooding, particularly in river basins of western and central Europe, killed some 243 people and left €10 billion in damage. |
2021 Henan floods
| 17–31 July 2021 | {{flag|China}} |Following the highest-ever recorded rainfall in Zhengzhou, Henan Province in China, between 300 and 400 deaths along with over 800,000 people having to evacuate. |
2021 Maharashtra floods
| 22 July 2021 – August 2021 | {{flag|India}} |Over 250 deaths were reported in the Indian state of Maharashtra after heavy rainfall in the area. |
2022 Petrópolis floods
|15 February 2022 | {{flag|Brazil}} |Intense rainfall led to mudslides and flooding on 15 February, that destroyed parts of the city of Petrópolis in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro and killed more than 230 people. |
2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods
|8–21 April 2022 | {{flag|South Africa}} |Flooding in the province of KwaZuku-Natal in South Africa leads to over 400 deaths. |
2022 Afghanistan floods
|5 May 2022 – August 2022 | {{flag|Afghanistan}} |Several provinces of Afghanistan were affected by severe flooding beginning in May, which claimed more than 600 lives. |
2022 India-Bangladesh floods
|23 May 2022 – present | {{flag|India}} |Deadly floods have been hitting northeastern India and Bangladesh since May 2022, killing more than 250 people and affecting 9 million people in both countries. |
2022 Pakistan floods
|14 June 2022 – October 2022 | {{flag|Pakistan}} |Floods in Pakistan have killed more than 1,000 people since June. |
2022 Nigeria floods
|May – October 2022 | {{flag|Nigeria}} |With more than 600 dead, the 2022 floods were the worst in the country since the floods in 2012. |
2023 Africa floods
|March 2023 – present |{{flag|Angola}} |Since March, more than 776 people have died in severe floods in several African countries. The worst hit were the Democratic Republic of Congo, with over 440 dead + over 2,500 missing, and Rwanda, with at least 135 dead. |
2024 Spanish floods
|29 October – 3 November 2024 | {{flag|Spain}} |A cold drop causes torrential rains in eastern Spain, causing flooding in the Valencian Community, Castilla-La Mancha, and Andalusia. Over a year of precipitation amounts was dropped over Spain, causing 219 deaths with 93 people still missing and widespread substantial damage to buildings and streets. |
style="vertical-align:top" |
| File:Henan floods 2021-07-20 CNS.webm video report of the floods depicting Henan Province, China]] | | style="vertical-align:top" | File:2024-11-02 Voluntaris per netejar camí de Sedaví 05.jpg at Sedaví, Horta Sud in October 2024.]] |
==Volcanic eruptions==
==Droughts, heat waves, and wildfires==
{{Main|Category:2020s wildfires}}
class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable" |
style="width:120px;"| Event
! style="width:120px;"| Date ! Region ! Description |
---|
2018–2021 Southern African drought
| October 2018 – October 2021 | {{flag|South Africa}} | An ongoing period of drought began in the country of South Africa in late October 2018 and continued into early 2021, negatively affecting food security in the region. |
2019–20 Australian bushfire season
| {{dts|June 2019}} – {{dts|May 2020}} | {{flag|Australia}} | Unusually intense bushfires in Australia continued into 2020, having started in September 2019.{{cite news |last1=Leister |first1=Eric |title='Apocalyptic' fires turn day into night as thousands evacuate in Australia |url=https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/apocalyptic-fires-turn-day-into-night-as-thousands-evacuate-in-australia/653764 |work=AccuWeather |date=1 January 2020 |access-date=1 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101003224/https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/apocalyptic-fires-turn-day-into-night-as-thousands-evacuate-in-australia/653764 |archive-date=1 January 2020 |url-status=dead}} |
2020 Western U.S. Wildfires
|March – December 2020 | {{flag|United States}} |Record-breaking wildfires began in several Western American states. |
2020 Argentine wildfires (Delta del Paraná)
|July 2020 – October 2020 | {{flag|Argentina}} |Sudden wildfires started in Córdoba and extended into several Northern provinces. |
2021 Russian heatwave
|May – June 2021 | {{flag|Russia}} |Parts of Russia and eastern Europe were hit by a record-breaking heat wave in May and June 2021, with temperatures in the Arctic Circle above 30 °C and the highest temperatures recorded in Moscow and St. Petersburg. |
2021 Western North America heat wave
|June – July 2021 |{{flag|United States}} |Extreme temperatures caused by a prolonged heat dome over western Canada and the western United States killed over 613 people including over 480 people in British Columbia alone. The village of Lytton, British Columbia, which recorded the highest temperatures in Canada, was destroyed by a large wildfire as over 200 other ones devastated wide areas of the province. Wildfires in parts of the western coastal states of the US such as Washington, Oregon and California were also greatly worsened by the heatwave. |
2021 Turkey wildfires
|July – August 2021 | {{flag|Turkey}} |Over a hundred wildfires began in the Mediterranean Region of the forest in Turkey, the worst in the country for at least a decade. The wildfires started in Manavgat, Antalya on 28 July 2021, with the temperature around {{convert|37|°C|°F|abbr=on}}. |
2020–2023 North American drought
|August 2020 – October 2023 |{{flag|United States}} |Drought developed in the Western, Midwestern and Northeastern United States in the summer of 2020. Over the course of 2021, conditions improved in the Northeast but worsened in the Western US. As of June 2021, 97% of the region was facing abnormally dry conditions. By August 2021, parts of the upper Midwestern US were experiencing some of the worst drought spells since the 1980s. Drought also affected a wide area of Mexico as of 2021, as well as the prairies of Canada. |
2022 European heat waves
|June – September 2022 | {{flag|European Union}} |From mid-June through most of the summer, heat waves affected most of Europe, with western and central Europe the worst hit. Temperatures in excess of {{Cvt|40|C}} were recorded in places, breaking records. Over 24,000 deaths were attributed to the event, most in France, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Portugal. The heat waves contributed to wildfires and drought also seen in Europe.{{Cite news |date=8 September 2022 |title=Climate change: Europe's warm summer shatters records |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62833937 |access-date=20 March 2023 |archive-date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328055204/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62833937 |url-status=live}} |
2022 European and Mediterranean wildfires
|May – September 2022 | {{flag|European Union}} |Wildfires across Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean region.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=Forest fires rage across Europe as heatwave sends temperatures soaring |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/17/forest-fires-rage-across-europe-as-heatwave-sends-temperatures-soaring |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=17 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220717105026/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/17/forest-fires-rage-across-europe-as-heatwave-sends-temperatures-soaring |url-status=live}} |
2022 European drought
|July – September 2022 | {{flag|European Union}} |Europe's worst drought year in 500 years.{{Cite web |title=Europe's drought on course to be worst for 500 years, European Commission researcher warns |url=https://news.sky.com/story/europes-drought-on-course-to-be-worst-for-500-years-european-commission-researcher-warns-12669153 |access-date=10 August 2022 |website=Sky News |archive-date=9 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809205152/https://news.sky.com/story/europes-drought-on-course-to-be-worst-for-500-years-european-commission-researcher-warns-12669153 |url-status=live}} A report from the Global Drought Observatory confirmed this.{{Cite news |date=2022-08-23 |title=Europe's drought the worst in 500 years – report |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62648912 |access-date=2022-08-24 |archive-date=5 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220905095314/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62648912 |url-status=live}} |
2023 Canadian wildfires
|March – November 2023 | {{flag|Canada}} |The 2023 wildfire season is the worst wildfire season in Canada's modern history. |
2023 Hawaii wildfires
|8 – 16 August 2023 | {{flag|United States}} |Wind-driven fires caused widespread damage on the island of Maui, and killed at least 111 people in the town of Lāhainā.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-17 |title=Maui wildfire miracle with 60 survivors found in single home as death toll hits 111 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/maui-fires-update-cause-death-toll-travel-advisory-b2394447.html |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=The Independent |archive-date=17 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817091643/https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/maui-fires-update-cause-death-toll-travel-advisory-b2394447.html |url-status=live}} |
2023 Greece wildfires
|17 July – 9 September 2023 | {{flag|Greece}} |Over 80 fires in Greece led to the deaths of at least 28 and the evacuation of 20,000 people. |
2025 Southern California wildfires
|7 – 31 January 2025 | {{flag|United States}} |Wildfires have affected Greater Los Angeles and surrounding regions. |
Ōfunato wildfire
|26 February – 10 March 2025 | {{flag|Japan}} |Wildfires have affected Iwate Prefecture and surrounding regions. |
2025 South Korea wildfires
|21 March 2025 – | {{flag|South Korea}} |Wildfires have affected central and southern locations, it has been worst wildfires in history. |
2025 Northeast Thailand wildfires
|26 March 2025 – | {{flag|Thailand}} |Wildfires have affected Isan regional provinces such as Udon Thani, Nong Bua Lamphu, Kalasin, and Khon Kaen provinces. |
2025 Israel fires
|30 April – 3 May 2025 | {{flag|Israel}} |Wildfires have affected around Jerusalem, in at least 100 different locations through the Judean Mountains area. |
==Pollution==
class="wikitable mw-collapsible sortable" |
style="width:120px;" | Event
! style="width:120px;" | Date ! Country ! Description |
---|
2022 Oder environmental disaster
| July – August 2022 | {{flag|Poland}} |A mass fish kill occurs in the river Oder in Poland and Germany attributed to an algal bloom. |
==Other natural events==
Beginning in 2019 until 2022, a huge swarm of desert locusts threatened to engulf massive portions of the Middle East, Africa and Asia.{{cite web |last1=Irfan |first1=Umair |last2=Kirby |first2=Jen |title=The other plague: Locusts are devouring crops in East Africa and the Middle East |url=https://www.vox.com/2020/5/20/21158283/locust-plague-swarm-outbreak-africa-asia-2020 |website=Vox |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=20 May 2020 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612232942/https://www.vox.com/2020/5/20/21158283/locust-plague-swarm-outbreak-africa-asia-2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Ahmed |first1=Kaamil |title='Rolling emergency' of locust swarms decimating Africa, Asia and Middle East |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jun/08/rolling-emergency-of-locust-swarms-decimating-africa-asia-and-middle-east |website=The Guardian |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=8 June 2020 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612232943/https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/jun/08/rolling-emergency-of-locust-swarms-decimating-africa-asia-and-middle-east |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Ogema |first1=Nelson |last2=Broom |first2=Fiona |title=Famine risk for millions in second locust wave |url=https://phys.org/news/2020-05-famine-millions-locust.html |website=phys.org |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=28 May 2020 |archive-date=31 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531054921/https://phys.org/news/2020-05-famine-millions-locust.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Why are swarms of locusts invading the UAE and neighbouring countries? |url=https://www.esquireme.com/brief/news/46258-why-are-there-swarms-of-locusts-invading-the-uae-and-neighbouring-countries |newspaper=Esquire Middle East – the Region's Best Men's Magazine |date=27 May 2020 |access-date=19 November 2021 |archive-date=25 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525154806/https://www.esquireme.com/news/46258-why-are-there-swarms-of-locusts-invading-the-uae-and-neighbouring-countries |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Snouwaert |first1=Jessica |title=Locust swarms devour fields of crops in a single day that would feed 35,000 people — and COVID-19 threatens to make the pest problem even worse |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-makes-fighting-locust-swarms-that-ruin-crops-even-harder-2020-5 |website=Insider |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=19 May 2021 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612232940/https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-makes-fighting-locust-swarms-that-ruin-crops-even-harder-2020-5 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Gronewold |first1=Nathanial |publisher=E&E News |title=To Track Massive Locust Swarms, Officials Use Tool that Forecasts Smoke Plumes |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-track-massive-locust-swarms-officials-use-tool-that-forecasts-smoke-plumes/ |website=Scientific American |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=15 May 2020 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612232942/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-track-massive-locust-swarms-officials-use-tool-that-forecasts-smoke-plumes/ |url-status=live}}
Economics
{{Main|2020s in economic history}}
The 2020s were marked economic troubles, beginning from the COVID-19 recession was a major global economic crisis which has caused both a recession in some nations, and in others a depression. It is currently the worst global economic crisis in history, surpassing the impact of the Great Depression. The economic crisis began due to the economic consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first major sign of a recession was the collapse of markets during the 2020 stock market crash, which began in late February and lasted through March.{{Cite news|last=Islam|first=Faisal|date=20 March 2020|title=Coronavirus recession not yet a depression|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51984470|access-date=16 April 2020}}
A worldwide increase in inflation began in mid-2021, with many countries seeing their highest inflation rates in decades. It has been attributed to various causes, including pandemic-related economic dislocation; the fiscal and monetary stimulus provided in 2020 and 2021 by governments and central banks around the world in response to the pandemic were also instrumental.{{cite news |last1=Van Dam |first1=Andrew |date=January 13, 2022 |title=2021 shattered job market records, but it's not as good as it looks |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/01/08/2021-shattered-records-but/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415193954/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/01/08/2021-shattered-records-but/ |archive-date=April 15, 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}
US President Donald Trump announced to be "liberation day" on 2 April 2025, beginning to enforce tariffs on numerous nations in a following week. This triggered an ongoing economic trade war as well as the 2025 stock market crash. It is currently the largest decline in the global stock market since the 2020 stock market crash, which was part of a recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite journal |last1=Harithas |first1=Barath |last2=Meng |first2=Kyle |last3=Brown |first3=Evan |last4=Mouradian |first4=Catharine |date=2025-04-03 |title="Liberation Day" Tariffs Explained |url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/liberation-day-tariffs-explained |journal=Center for Strategic & International Studies |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Picchi |first=Aimee |date=2025-04-02 |title=Trump reveals these 2 new types of tariffs on what he calls "Liberation Day," April 2 - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/liberation-day-trump-tariffs-explained/ |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Brian |last2=Melloy |first2=John |last3=Singh |first3=Pia |date=April 2, 2025 |title=Dow nosedives 1,600 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq drop the most since 2020 after Trump's tariff onslaught |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/02/stock-market-today-live-updates-trump-tariffs.html |access-date=April 4, 2025 |publisher=CNBC}}
=Trade=
The World Trade Organization reported that trade growth had stagnated and that trade restrictions were increasing as the decade began. The sectors most affected by import restrictions were mineral and fuel oils (17.7%), machinery and mechanical appliances (13%), electrical machinery and parts (11.7%), and precious metals (6%).{{cite web |title=Report shows trade restrictions by WTO members at historically high levels |url=https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news19_e/dgra_12dec19_e.htm |website=World Trade Organization |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=12 December 2019 |archive-date=7 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207052520/https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news19_e/dgra_12dec19_e.htm |url-status=live}} Regional trade agreements were also found to be increasing.{{cite web |title=Regional trade agreements |url=https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/region_e/region_e.htm |website=World Trade Organization |access-date=19 November 2021 |archive-date=9 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109160244/https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/region_e/region_e.htm |url-status=live}}
Cybersecurity and hacking
{{See also|Category:Hacking in the 2020s}}
Health
=Epidemics/Outbreaks=
=Pandemics=
Science and technology
{{Science decade nav|{{currentyear}}}}
{{Main|2020s in science and technology}}
=Spaceflight=
{{See also|2020s in spaceflight}}
The trend towards cost reduction in access to orbit is expected to continue. Vulcan is replacing its more expensive predecessors. Since 2023, SpaceX is testing its fully reusable Starship with orbital missions. In 2024, Blue Origin plans the maiden flight of New Glenn with a reusable first stage and Ariane 6 is expected to replace the retired more expensive Ariane 5.
Mars stays a focus for missions to other planets, with three missions launched in 2020 (by China, the United Arab Emirates and the United States) and at least one mission planned for 2024, 2026 and 2028.
In 2028, as part of the NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return mission, NASA plans to launch a Sample Retrieval Lander. In 2027, ESA plans to launch the Earth Return Orbiter, which will transport the retrieved samples from Mars to Earth by 2033. China is also planning to retrieve samples from Mars by 2031.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Andrew |date=2022-06-20 |title=China aims to bring Mars samples to Earth 2 years before NASA, ESA mission |url=https://spacenews.com/china-aims-to-bring-mars-samples-to-earth-2-years-before-nasa-esa-mission/ |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}
NASA plans a return of humans to the Moon by 2025. The first uncrewed launch of the Space Launch System happened in 2022.{{cite web |title=We Are Going: Artemis I Launches |url=https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/we-are-going-artemis-i-launches |publisher=NASA |access-date=18 November 2022 |date=16 November 2022}} The first crewed launch is planned for September 2025.{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-delays-artemis-2-and-3-missions/ |title=NASA delays Artemis 2 and 3 missions |work=SpaceNews |date=9 January 2024}} In addition NASA plans to assemble the Lunar Gateway in lunar orbit. A crewed exploration of Mars could follow in the mid 2030s. SpaceX, a private company, has also announced plans to land humans on Mars in the 2020s, with the long-term goal of enabling the colonization of Mars.
India plans to launch its first crewed flight with a spacecraft called Gaganyaan on a home-grown GSLV Mark III rocket in 2025. The mission would make India the fourth nation to launch a crewed spaceflight after Russia, the US and China. India also plans to launch its second Mars probe, Mars Orbiter Mission 2 (Mangalyaan 2).
The James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021. NASA plans to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will have a field of view 100 times larger than that of the Hubble Space Telescope, between October 2026 and May 2027.{{cite press release |url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-roman-space-telescope |title=NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Roman Space Telescope |work=NASA |date=19 July 2022 |access-date=19 July 2022}}{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/pandemic-causes-delay-and-cost-increase-for-nasas-roman-space-telescope/ |title=Pandemic causes delay and cost increase for NASA's Roman Space Telescope |work=SpaceNews |date=30 September 2021 |access-date=10 November 2021}}{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-renames-wfirst-space-telescope-after-pioneering-woman-astronomer/ |title=NASA renames WFIRST space telescope after pioneering woman astronomer |work=SpaceNews |date=20 May 2020 |access-date=20 May 2020}}
NASA's NEO Surveyor, scheduled to launch no later than June 2028,{{cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-confirms-neo-surveyor-for-2028-launch/ |title=NASA confirms NEO Surveyor for 2028 launch |work=SpaceNews |date=7 December 2022 |access-date=8 December 2022}} is expected to be capable of detecting at least 90% of near-Earth objects larger than {{convert|140|m|ft|sp=us}}, a goal mandated by the US Congress in 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr1022/text/rh |title=H.R. 1022 (109th): George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act - Original text |work=GovTrack |date=27 June 2005 |access-date=31 October 2018}}
The number of small satellites launched annually was expected to grow to around one thousand (2018 estimate), mainly communication satellites in large constellations{{cite web |url=https://www.nsr.com/smallsat-growth-on-shaky-foundations/ |title=Smallsat Growth On Shaky Foundations |work=Northern Sky Research |date=19 February 2019 |access-date=22 February 2019}} but launches quickly exceeded this estimate, mainly due to the rapid deployment of the Starlink and OneWeb constellations. From 2020 to 2022, around 3500 Starlink satellites{{cite web|url=https://planet4589.org/space/con/star/stats.html|title=Starlink Statistics|access-date=24 January 2023}} and 500 satellites by OneWeb{{cite web|url=https://planet4589.org/space/con/ow/stats.html|title=OneWeb Statistics|access-date=24 January 2023}} were launched.
The number of total satellites reached 10,000 for the first time in 2024.{{Cite web |title=Look Up Space Reports More Than 10,000 Active Satellites in Orbit |date=21 June 2024 |url=https://spacewatch.global/2024/06/look-up-space-reports-more-than-10000-active-satellites-in-orbit/ }}
=Artificial intelligence=
File:Bill clinton dall-e.jpg emerged in the 2020s. Generative AI such as Text-to-image models and AI chatbots released publicly. Machine learning systems that took minute(s) to produce blurry images in mid 2022 were able to produce more realistic imagery in seconds by mid 2023. English text would appear as gibberish in earlier AI text-to-image builds, although this was fixed to an extent with newer AI models such as DALL-E 3.]]
The AI boom{{Cite magazine |last=Knight |first=Will |title=Google's Gemini Is the Real Start of the Generative AI Boom |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-gemini-generative-ai-boom/ |access-date=2023-12-12}}{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=2023-12-06 |title=A 'thirsty' generative AI boom poses a growing problem for Big Tech |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/06/water-why-a-thirsty-generative-ai-boom-poses-a-problem-for-big-tech.html |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=CNBC}} is an ongoing period of rapid progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) that started in the late 2010s before gaining international prominence in late 2022 with the public release of ChatGPT and DeepSeek in early 2025.{{Cite news |last1=Milmo |first1=Dan |last2=Hawkins |first2=Amy |last3=Booth |first3=Robert |last4=Kollewe |first4=Julia |date=2025-01-28 |title='Sputnik moment': $1tn wiped off US stocks after Chinese firm unveils AI chatbot |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/27/tech-shares-asia-europe-fall-china-ai-deepseek |access-date=2025-04-26 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Examples include large language models and generative AI applications developed by OpenAI as well as protein folding prediction led by Google DeepMind. This period is sometimes referred to as an AI spring, to contrast it with previous AI winters.{{cite web | last=Bommasani | first=Rishi | date=March 17, 2023 |url=https://hai.stanford.edu/news/ai-spring-four-takeaways-major-releases-foundation-models | title=AI Spring? Four Takeaways from Major Releases in Foundation Models | publisher=Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence | access-date=May 16, 2023 | archive-date=May 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507165115/https://hai.stanford.edu/news/ai-spring-four-takeaways-major-releases-foundation-models | url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=The coming of AI Spring |url=https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/overview/in-the-news/the-coming-of-ai-spring |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=www.mckinsey.com}}
- DeepMind solves the protein folding problem to 90 percent accuracy, a 50-year-old grand challenge, at CASP14 in 2020.{{cite journal |title='It will change everything': DeepMind's AI makes gigantic leap in solving protein structures |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03348-4 |journal=Nature |year=2020 |doi=10.1038/d41586-020-03348-4 |access-date=17 January 2021 |last1=Callaway |first1=Ewen |volume=588 |issue=7837 |pages=203–204 |pmid=33257889 |bibcode=2020Natur.588..203C |s2cid=227243204|url-access=subscription }}{{cite web |title=AlphaFold: A Solution to a 50 Year Old Grand Challenge in Biology |url=https://deepmind.com/blog/article/alphafold-a-solution-to-a-50-year-old-grand-challenge-in-biology |website=Deepmind.com |date=30 November 2020 |access-date=17 January 2021}}
- Text-to-image AI art systems{{Broken anchor|date=20 April 2024|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Artificial intelligence art#Text-to-image models|reason=Anchor "Artificial intelligence art#Text-to-image models" links to a specific web page: "Text-to-image model". The anchor (Text-to-image models) has been deleted.}} such as DALL-E (1, 2, and 3) and Stable Diffusion are capable of generating highly detailed and realistic images from text prompts.
- Large language models, like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude and Meta's Llama became widely adopted in 2023 and 2024.{{Cite news |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date=2023-02-02 |title=ChatGPT reaches 100 million users two months after launch |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/02/chatgpt-100-million-users-open-ai-fastest-growing-app |access-date=6 November 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
- In early 2024, OpenAI released a new technology called Sora (text-to-video model), a video model generates short video clips based on user prompts, and can also extend existing short videos. Sora was released publicly for ChatGPT Plus and ChatGPT Pro users in December 2024. This has revolutionized the video industry, since this machine generates videos in shorter time, leading to more companies adopting AI videos, with Coca-Cola Christmas commercial being the first one to do so.{{cite magazine|last=Di Placido|first=Dani|date=November 16, 2024|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2024/11/16/coca-colas-ai-generated-ad-controversy-explained/|title=Coca Cola's AI-Generated Ad Controversy, Explained|magazine=Forbes|access-date=November 19, 2024}}{{cite news|last=Horvath|first=Bruna|date=November 18, 2024|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/coca-cola-causes-controversy-ai-made-ad-rcna180665|title=Coca-Cola causes controversy with AI-made ad|publisher=NBC News|access-date=November 19, 2024}}
=Communications and electronics=
- 5G became increasingly widespread during the decade.
- By 2020, 3D printing had reached decent quality and affordable pricing which allowed many people to own 3D printers.
- 8K resolution and 4K resolution becomes prevalent in consumer electronics.
=Software and electronic platforms=
- Support for Adobe Flash Player ended on 31 December 2020.
- Windows 11 is released on 5 October 2021, succeeding Windows 10.
- Support for Internet Explorer on Windows 10 Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) ended on 15 June 2022.
- ESU support for Windows 7 and extended support for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT ended on 10 January 2023. Some versions of Windows 10, such as Windows 10 2106 LTSB are already out of mainstream support, some versions are out of all support, and others soon on, i.e. October 14, 2025, while some Enterprise versions will be supported longer.
=Technology=
- The BBC reports that for the "first time someone who has had a complete cut to their spinal cord has been able to walk freely... because of an electrical implant that has been surgically attached to his spine".{{cite news |first=Pallab |last=Ghosh |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60258620 |title=Paralysed man with severed spine walks thanks to implant |work=BBC News |access-date=2022-03-02}}
- Sales of electric vehicles have grown significantly and this is expected to continue through the decade.{{cite web |url=https://www.iea.org/news/global-electric-car-sales-set-for-further-strong-growth-after-40-rise-in-2020 |title=Global electric car sales set for further strong growth after 40% rise in 2020 – News |date=29 April 2021}}
- NFTs as a form of digital art emerged in the 2020s, with NFTs such as Everydays: the First 5000 Days. The NFT market experienced rapid growth during 2020, with its value tripling to {{Currency|250|US}} million.{{Cite web |title=The NFT Market Tripled Last Year, and It's Gaining Even More Momentum in 2021 |url=https://www.morningbrew.com/emerging-tech/stories/2021/02/22/nft-market-tripled-last-year-gaining-even-momentum-2021 |access-date=April 8, 2021 |website=Morning Brew}} In the first three months of 2021, more than {{Currency|200|US}} million were spent on NFTs,{{Cite magazine |title=NFTs Are Shaking Up the Art World – But They Could Change So Much More |url=https://time.com/5947720/nft-art/ |magazine=Time |access-date=April 6, 2021}} and in the early months of 2021, interest in NFTs increased after a number of high-profile sales and art auctions.{{Cite news |last=Howcroft |first=Elizabeth |date=March 17, 2021 |title=Explainer: NFTs are hot. So what are they? |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-crypto-currency-nft-explainer-idUSKBN2B92MA |access-date=April 6, 2021}}
Society
{{Main|2020s in social history}}
=Social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic=
{{Main|Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic}}
Medical experts advised, and local authorities often mandated stay-at-home orders to prevent gatherings of any size. Such gatherings would be replaced by teleconferencing, or in some cases with unconventional attempts to maintain social distancing with activities such as a balcony sing-along for a concert, or a "birthday parade" for a birthday party. Replacements for gatherings were seen as significant to mental health during the crisis. Social isolation among alcohol users also adopted a trend towards Kalsarikänni or "pantsdrunking", a Finnish antisocial drinking culture.
Low-income individuals were more likely to contract the coronavirus and to die from it. In both New York City and Barcelona, low-income neighborhoods were disproportionately hit by coronavirus cases. Hypotheses for why this was the case included that poorer families were more likely to live in crowded housing and work in jobs deemed essential during the crisis, such as supermarkets and elder care. In the United States, millions of low-income people may lack access to health care due to being uninsured or underinsured. Millions of Americans lost their health insurance after losing their jobs. Many low-income workers in service jobs became unemployed.
The coronavirus pandemic was followed by a concern for a potential spike in suicides, exacerbated by social isolation due to quarantine and social-distancing guidelines, fear, and unemployment and financial factors. Many countries reported an increase in domestic violence and intimate partner violence attributed to lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial insecurity, stress, and uncertainty led to increased aggression at home, with abusers able to control large amounts of their victims' daily life. Midlife crisis is a major concern in domestic violence, social implications and suicides for middle-aged adults amid the pandemic. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a domestic violence and midlife crisis "ceasefire".
=Population=
- The population of Egypt reached 100 million in February 2020.{{cite web |title=Egypt's population hits 100 million |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200212-egypts-population-hits-100-million/ |website=Middle East Monitor |date=12 February 2020 |access-date=18 February 2020 |archive-date=18 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218220000/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200212-egypts-population-hits-100-million/ |url-status=live}}
- The world population reached 8 billion in November 2022.{{Cite news |last=Victor |first=Daniel |date=2022-11-15 |title=World Population Reaches 8 Billion, U.N. Says |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/15/world/world-population-8-billion.html |access-date=2022-11-16 |issn=0362-4331}}
- Population growth, life expectancy and birth rates declined globally in the early 2020s, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |title=Birthrates are declining globally – here's why it matters |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/birthrates-declining-globally-why-matters/ |access-date=2022-01-12 |website=World Economic Forum |date=15 June 2021}}
- India surpassed China and became the most-populous country in April 2023.{{Cite news |last=Ellis-Petersen |first=Hannah |date=2023-04-24 |title=India overtakes China to become world's most populous country |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/24/india-overtakes-china-to-become-worlds-most-populous-country |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}
=Gender=
File:Ruotsin pääministeri Magdalena Andersson vieraili Suomessa 5.3.2022 (51919506636).jpg Magdalena Andersson and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin were two female prime ministers in Scandinavia who guided their countries' ascensions into NATO.]]
{{See also|Women in government}}
24.3% of all national parliamentarians were women as of February 2019. 11 women were serving as head of state and 12 as head of government in June 2019. 20.7% of government ministers were women as of January 2019. There are wide regional variations in the average percentages of women parliamentarians. As of February 2019, these were: Nordic countries, 42.5%; Americas, 30.6%; Europe excluding Nordic countries, 27.2%; sub-Saharan Africa, 23.9%; Asia, 19.8%; Arab States, 19%; and the Pacific, 16.3%. Rwanda has the highest number of women parliamentarians worldwide, 61.3% of seats in the lower house. About 26% of elected local parliamentarians are women.{{cite web |title=Facts and figures: Leadership and political participation |url=https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329170329/https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/leadership-and-political-participation/facts-and-figures |archive-date=29 March 2020 |access-date=28 March 2020 |website=UN Women}}
Many states swore in their first female leaders during the 2020s, including Presidents Katerina Sakellaropoulou (Greece), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Sandra Mason (Barbados), Xiomara Castro (Honduras), Katalin Novák (Hungary), Dina Boluarte (Peru), Nataša Pirc Musar (Slovenia), Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova (North Macedonia) and Prime Ministers Rose Christiane Raponda (Gabon), Victoire Tomegah Dogbé (Togo), Kaja Kallas (Estonia), Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa (Samoa), Robinah Nabbanja (Uganda), Najla Bouden (Tunisia), Magdalena Andersson (Sweden), Giorgia Meloni (Italy), Judith Suminwa (DRC), and Chairwoman Borjana Krišto (Bosnia and Herzegovina).{{Cite web |title=Sixteen defining moments for gender equality in 2021 |url=https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2021/12/sixteen-defining-moments-for-gender-equality-in-2021 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=UN Women – Headquarters |date=22 December 2021}}
=Environmentalism=
- Team Seas is an international collaborative fundraiser founded by YouTubers Mark Rober and MrBeast on 29 October 2021, as a follow-up to Team Trees. The fundraiser's aim was to raise US$30 million to remove 30 million pounds of trash from the ocean by the end of the year. They also partnered with the Ocean Cleanup and the Ocean Conservancy.
- Members of the United Nations agree on a legal framework for the High Seas Treaty on 4 March 2023, which aims to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030.
=LGBT rights=
- A law allowing third gender option on driver licenses took effect in New Hampshire.{{cite web |url=http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/Bill_docket.aspx?lsr=763&sy=2019&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2019&txtbillnumber=HB669 |title=Docket of HB669 |access-date=13 January 2019 |url-status=live |archive-date=29 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529190550/http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/Bill_docket.aspx?lsr=763&sy=2019&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2019&txtbillnumber=HB669}}
- Switzerland banned discrimination based on sexuality due to a referendum, putting into effect a law previously introduced in 2018, that was subsequently blocked by the government that requested a referendum to be held on the matter first.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/09/swiss-vote-to-approve-legislation-to-protect-lgbtq-rights |title=Swiss vote to approve legislation to protect LGBTQ+ rights. |access-date=13 February 2019 |url-status=live |archive-date=9 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209174058/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/09/swiss-vote-to-approve-legislation-to-protect-lgbtq-rights}}
- In Northern Ireland, the first same-sex marriage took place after legalizing legislation took effect in January 2020.{{cite web |url=https://impactnottingham.com/2020/02/first-same-sex-marriage-takes-place-in-northern-ireland/ |title=First Same-Sex Marriage Takes Place in Northern Ireland |access-date=18 February 2019 |url-status=live |archive-date=18 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218042343/https://impactnottingham.com/2020/02/first-same-sex-marriage-takes-place-in-northern-ireland/}}{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/1514/contents/made/data.htm |title=The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 |access-date=13 January 2019 |url-status=live |archive-date=31 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131183238/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/1514/contents/made/data.htm}}
- In Costa Rica, same-sex marriage and joint adoption by same-sex couples became legal on 26 May 2020.
- The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that job discrimination against workers for their sexual orientation or gender identity is illegal.{{Cite news |date=2020-06-16 |title=A Landmark Supreme Court Ruling |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/podcasts/the-daily/supreme-court-lgbtq.html |access-date=2022-08-29 |issn=0362-4331}}
- The Equality Act passed the United States House of Representatives on 25 February 2021.{{Cite web |date=25 February 2021 |title=Equality Act: House votes to expand legal safeguards for LGBTQ people |url=https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/house-poised-to-pass-equality-act-that-would-enshrine-lgbtq-protections/ |access-date=29 August 2022 |website=KTLA |archive-date=26 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326021547/https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/house-poised-to-pass-equality-act-that-would-enshrine-lgbtq-protections/ |url-status=dead}}
- In Argentina, nonbinary ID cards with an "X" gender marker started to be issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
- The U.S State Department issued its first ever passport with an "X" gender marker in October 2021, intended to support nonbinary people.{{cite web |last1=Slevin |first1=Colleen |title=United States issues its 1st passport with 'X' gender marker |url=https://apnews.com/article/us-passports-x-gender-designation-2c29e18fc6566d549b9a06fda0857602 |website=Associated Press |date=27 October 2021 |access-date=2 December 2021}}
- Same-sex marriage became legal in Switzerland after a 2021 referendum, enforced beginning in July 2022.
- In Chile, same-sex marriage and joint adoption by same-sex couples became legal on 10 March 2022.
- Same-sex marriage became legal in Slovenia on 8 July 2022 after the Constitutional Court of Slovenia ruled that the ban on same-sex marriages violated the national constitution.
- Same-sex marriage became legal in Cuba on 27 September 2022 after the Cuban Family Code referendum passed.
- By October 2022, Mexico City and all Mexican states had legalized same-sex marriage, either by legislation, executive action, or Supreme Court order.{{Cite web |last=Digital |first=Milenio |date=2022-10-26 |title=Aprueban matrimonio igualitario en todo México |url=https://www.milenio.com/estados/aprueban-matrimonio-igualitario-en-todo-mexico |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=Grupo Milenio |language=es-MX}}
- On 1 January 2024, same-sex marriage became legal in Estonia.
Global goals and issues
Development in global goals and issues—including goals or progress related to the largest causes of human death—during the decade, according to reports that systematically track, quantify or review associated progress.
;As of 2022
- Progress of the Paris Agreement or global climate change mitigation goals
- The United in Science 2022 report by the WMO, summarizes latest climate science-related updates and assesses recent climate change mitigation progress as "going in the wrong direction".{{cite news |last1=Dickie |first1=Gloria |author-link1=Gloria Dickie |title=Climate impacts heading to 'uncharted territories of destruction,' U.N. chief says |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/climate-impacts-heading-uncharted-territories-destruction-un-chief-2022-09-13/ |access-date=21 October 2022 |work=Reuters |date=13 September 2022}}{{cite web |title=United in Science 2022 |url=https://public-old.wmo.int/en/resources/united_in_science |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215221742/https://public-old.wmo.int/en/resources/united_in_science |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 December 2023 |website=public.wmo.int |access-date=21 October 2022 |date=19 September 2019}}
- A report by the World Resources Institute assesses the state of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), finding they need to be strengthened by about six times for alignment with what may be enough to reach the Paris Agreement's 1.5 °C goal.{{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Timothy |title='Massive gaps' seen in countries' plans to tackle climate change -study |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/massive-gaps-seen-countries-plans-tackle-climate-change-study-2022-10-19/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=Reuters |date=19 October 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Fransen |first1=Taryn |last2=Henderson |first2=Christopher |last3=O'Connor |first3=Ryan |last4=Alayza |first4=Natalia |last5=Caldwell |first5=Molly |last6=Chakrabarty |first6=Subrata |last7=Dixit |first7=Aarjan |last8=Finch |first8=Mario |last9=Kustar |first9=Anna |last10=Langer |first10=Paige |last11=Stolle |first11=Fred |last12=Walls |first12=Ginette |last13=Welle |first13=Ben |title=The State of Nationally Determined Contributions: 2022 |url=https://www.wri.org/research/state-nationally-determined-contributions-2022 |access-date=31 October 2022 |date=19 October 2022}} The UNFCCC's NDC synthesis report suggests that based on the latest NDCs the carbon budget for a 50% likelihood of limiting warming to 1.5 °C would be used up by around 2032.{{cite news |last1=Frangoul |first1=Anmar |title=Emissions reductions pledges 'nowhere near' what's needed, UN says |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/26/emissions-reductions-pledges-nowhere-near-whats-needed-un-says-.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=CNBC}}{{cite news |last1=Dickie |first1=Gloria |author-link1=Gloria Dickie |title=COP27: World on track to increase emissions 10.6% by 2030 – UN report |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/cop27-world-track-increase-emissions-106-by-2030-un-report-2022-10-26/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=Reuters |date=26 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=Nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. Synthesis report by the secretariat |url=https://unfccc.int/documents/619180 |website=unfccc.int |access-date=31 October 2022 |quote=In the context of the carbon budget consistent with 50 per cent likelihood of limiting warming to 1.5 °C (500 Gt CO2), cumulative CO2 emissions in 2020–2030 based on the latest NDCs would likely use up 86 per cent of the remaining carbon budget, leaving a post-2030 carbon budget of around 70 Gt CO2, which is equivalent to approximately two years of projected total global CO2 emissions by 2030.}}
- Report overview page: {{cite web |title=2022 NDC Synthesis Report |url=https://unfccc.int/ndc-synthesis-report-2022 |website=unfccc.int |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- A Lancet Countdown report publishes data of indicators that show "countries and companies continue to make choices that threaten the health and survival of people in every part of the world". It calls for an immediate, health-centred response at a critical juncture of recovery from crises.{{cite news |last1=Bearak |first1=Max |title=Climate Pledges Are Falling Short, and a Chaotic Future Looks More Like Reality |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/climate/un-climate-pledges-warming.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=26 October 2022}}{{cite journal |last1=Romanello |first1=Marina |last2=Napoli |first2=Claudia Di |last3=Drummond |first3=Paul |display-authors=et al. |title=The 2022 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: health at the mercy of fossil fuels |journal=The Lancet |date=25 October 2022 |volume=400 |issue=10363 |pages=1619–1654 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01540-9 |pmid=36306815 |s2cid=253148997 |issn=0140-6736 |doi-access=free|pmc=7616806 }}
- The WMO reports atmospheric levels of the three main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, all reached record highs, with methane concentrations showing a record jump in 2021. The WMO Secretary-General concludes that "we are heading in the wrong direction", with time "running out".{{cite news |last1=Farge |first1=Emma |title=UN warns 'time is running out' as greenhouse gases surge |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/un-warns-time-is-running-out-greenhouse-gases-surge-2022-10-26/ |access-date=30 October 2022 |work=Reuters |date=27 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=More bad news for the planet: greenhouse gas levels hit new highs |url=https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/more-bad-news-planet-greenhouse-gas-levels-hit-new-highs |website=public.wmo.int |access-date=30 October 2022 |date=21 October 2022}}
- Climate Action Tracker systematically assesses the state of progress of actions of climate goals in an overview, finding that none of the indicators is on track to reach their 2030 targets, with insufficient speed for six indicators, and well below the required pace for 21, five heading in the wrong direction, and data being insufficient to evaluate the remaining eight.{{cite news |title=Humanity 'nowhere near' goals to reduce emissions that cause Earth to warm, UN says |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/humanity-nowhere-near-goals-to-reduce-emissions-that-cause-earth-to-warm-un-says |access-date=30 October 2022 |work=PBS NewsHour |date=26 October 2022}}{{cite news |title=Big gaps in plans to tackle climate change, researchers say |url=https://www.dw.com/en/big-gaps-in-plans-to-tackle-climate-change-researchers-say/a-63567040 |first=Roshni |last=Majumdar |access-date=30 October 2022 |work=Deutsche Welle}}{{cite web |title=State of Climate Action 2022 |url=https://climateactiontracker.org/publications/state-of-climate-action-2022/ |publisher=climateactiontracker.org |access-date=30 October 2022}}
- The UNEP's Emissions Gap Report finds that no credible "pathway" to the 1.5 °C climate goal is in place.{{cite news |title=Climate crisis: UN finds 'no credible pathway to 1.5C in place' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/27/climate-crisis-un-pathway-1-5-c |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=27 October 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Kaplan |first1=Sarah |title=World falls 'pitifully short' of meeting climate goals, U.N. report says |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/10/27/emissions-climate-change-temperature-rise/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |newspaper=Washington Post}}{{cite news |last1=Chestney |first1=Nina |title=Every fraction of a degree counts, UN says, as 2.8C warming looms |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/cop27-world-faces-28c-rise-after-woefully-inadequate-climate-pledges-un-says-2022-10-27/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=Reuters |date=27 October 2022}}{{cite news |title="Emissions gap" putting world on course for climate "catastrophe," U.N. chief says |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/emissions-gap-climate-catastrophe-un-chief/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=CBS News}}{{cite web |title=Emissions Gap Report 2022 |url=https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2022 |website=UNEP – UN Environment Programme |access-date=31 October 2022 |date=21 October 2022}} Similarly, a UNFCCC synthesis about "long-term low-emission development strategies" warns that many net-zero targets "remain uncertain and postpone into the future critical action that needs to take place now".{{cite web |title=UNFCCC Reports Warn About 2.5°C Warming Amid "Glimmers of Hope" {{!}} News {{!}} SDG Knowledge Hub {{!}} IISD |url=https://sdg.iisd.org/news/unfccc-reports-warn-about-2-5c-warming-amid-glimmers-of-hope/ |publisher=IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub |access-date=31 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=Long-term low-emission development strategies. Synthesis report by the secretariat |url=https://unfccc.int/documents/619179 |website=unfccc.int |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- Deforestation mitigation goals
- An annual report by the World Resources Institute shows that tropical regions lost 9.3 million acres of primary old-growth forest in 2021, a decline of 11% from 2020, and about equal to both 2018 and 2019.{{cite news |last1=Fountain |first1=Henry |title=Deforestation Remains High, Despite International Pledges |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/28/climate/deforestation-tree-loss.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=28 April 2022}}{{cite web |title=The Latest Analysis on Global Forests & Tree Cover Loss {{!}} Global Forest Review |url=https://research.wri.org/gfr/latest-analysis-deforestation-trends |website=research.wri.org |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- The Forest Declaration Assessment finds that a drop of only 6.3% in deforestation in 2021 is "leaving the world off track from its goals of ending forest loss by 2030".{{cite news |title='Hollow commitments' mean world is not on track to halt deforestation |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/deforestation-targets-cop26-glasgow-amazon-rewilding-b2209261.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=The Independent |date=24 October 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Plumer |first1=Brad |title=Countries Made Bold Climate Promises Last Year. How Are They Doing? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/07/climate/glasgow-climate-promises.html |access-date=14 November 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=November 2022}}{{cite journal |last1=Gilbert |first1=Natasha |title=Deforestation slowed last year — but not enough to meet climate goals |journal=Nature |date=24 October 2022 |volume=611 |issue=7934 |page=22 |doi=10.1038/d41586-022-03372-6 |pmid=36280741 |bibcode=2022Natur.611...22G |s2cid=253108445 |doi-access=free}}{{cite web |title=Forest Declaration Assessment: Are we on track for 2030? - Forest Declaration |url=https://forestdeclaration.org/resources/forest-declaration-assessment-2022/ |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- Public health goals
- The UN's "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World" report finds that the number of people affected by hunger globally rose by 46 million to 828 million in 2021. 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet in 2020, an increase of 112 million from 2019.{{cite news |title=UN: 828 Million More People Faced Hunger in 2021 |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/un-828-million-more-people-faced-hunger-in-2021/6648012.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=VOA}}{{cite web |title=UN Report: Global hunger numbers rose to as many as 828 million in 2021 |url=https://www.who.int/news/item/06-07-2022-un-report--global-hunger-numbers-rose-to-as-many-as-828-million-in-2021 |website=who.int |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- A WHO report indicates collective progress toward a 15% relative reduction in population levels of physical inactivity by 2030 is insufficient and that about 500 million people will develop heart disease, obesity, diabetes or other diseases if they don't increase their physical activity.{{cite news |title=United Nations health agency warns world to get active — or risk developing serious illness |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/world-health-organization-report-physical-activity-heart-disease-obseity-diabetes-diseases-risk/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=CBS News}}{{cite web |title=The Global Status Report on Physical Activity 2022 |url=https://www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/physical-activity/global-status-report-on-physical-activity-2022 |website=who.int |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- Global budgets and government spending
- The OECD and IEA report that global public subsidies for fossil fuels almost doubled from 2020 to $700bn in 2021.{{cite news |title=Global fossil fuel subsidies almost doubled in 2021, analysis finds |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/31/fossil-fuel-subsidies-almost-doubled-in-2021-analysis-finds |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=31 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=Support for fossil fuels almost doubled in 2021, slowing progress toward international climate goals, according to new analysis from OECD and IEA – OECD |url=https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/support-for-fossil-fuels-almost-doubled-in-2021-slowing-progress-toward-international-climate-goals-according-to-new-analysis-from-oecd-and-iea.htm |publisher=OECD |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- General well-being
- The Club of Rome, authors of the 1972 The Limits to Growth, and research institutes like the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research publish the "Earth for All" report, concluding that to increase the wellbeing of humanity, addressing rising inequality is key to mitigating related issues such as climate change with many current policies disproportionately burdening lower income groups.{{cite news |title=Report says rich must pay bill to avert social collapse |url=https://apnews.com/article/berlin-economic-growth-climate-and-environment-4c54a637e0a2791f00576621b3c26e75 |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=AP News |date=31 August 2022}}{{cite news |title=Increasingly dysfunctional society and climate crisis leading to 'cliff edge' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/uk-news/wealth-inequality-environmental-breakdown-dysfunctional-society-b2155736.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=The Independent |date=30 August 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Jessop |first1=Simon |last2=Dickie |first2=Gloria |author-link2=Gloria Dickie |title=Tackling inequality key to climate fight – study |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/tackling-inequality-key-climate-fight-study-2022-09-05/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=Reuters |date=5 September 2022}}{{cite web |title=Earth for all – A survival guide to humanity |date=2022 |publisher=The Club of Rome |url=https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/earth4all-book/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830203353/https://www.clubofrome.org/publication/earth4all-book/ |archive-date=2022-08-30}}{{cite book |title=Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity |author-first1=Sandrine |author-last1=Dixson-Declève |author-link1=Sandrine Dixson-Declève |author-first2=Owen |author-last2=Gaffney |author-link2= |author-first3=Jayati |author-last3=Ghosh |author-link3=Jayati Ghosh |author-first4=Jørgen |author-last4=Randers |author-link4=Jørgen Randers |author-first5=Johan |author-last5=Rockström |author-link5=Johan Rockström |author-first6=Per |author-last6=Espen Stocknes |author-link6=Per Espen Stoknes |date=2022-09-22 |publisher=New Society Publishers |isbn=978-0-86571986-6 |id={{ISBN|0-86571986-1}} |url=https://www.earth4all.life/book |access-date=2022-08-30 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220830202446/https://www.earth4all.life/book |archive-date=2022-08-30}} (208 pages)
- Sustainable Development Goals (other than the above or in general)
- The only UN report that monitors global progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development indicates the agenda is in "grave danger".{{cite news |title=UN: Global Disasters Put Sustainable Development Goals Out of Reach |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/un-global-disasters-put-sustainable-development-goals-out-of-reach/6652642.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=VOA}}{{cite web |title=The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 |url=https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2022/ |website=unstats.un.org |access-date=31 October 2022}}
- GDP-alternative progress or sustainable development indices
- Human Development Index (HDI): the Human Development Report 2021-22 concludes that for the first time, the global HDI value declined for a second year, with living standards declining in 90% of countries.{{cite news |title=Crises Halt Progress in Human Development: UN Report |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/crises-halt-progress-in-human-development-un-report-/6736079.html |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=VOA}}{{cite news |title=Living standards declining in 90% of countries — UN – DW – 09/08/2022 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/un-index-shows-living-standards-declining-in-90-of-countries/a-63052023 |access-date=31 October 2022 |work=Deutsche Welle}}{{cite web |title=Human Development Report 2021-22 |url=https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2021-22 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=31 October 2022 |date=8 September 2022}}
Popular culture
File:PS5Digitalprerefined.jpg|The ninth generation of video game consoles, like PlayStation 5 (pictured) and Xbox Series X, were both released in 2020. Games for PlayStation 5 such as FC 24, The Matrix Awakens, and Overwatch 2 used HyperMotion and Unreal Engine 5 to display more realistic graphics. Grand Theft Auto VI released for ninth generation consoles in 2026.
File:TikTok exhibition stand at Gamescom 2022 in Cologne, Germany (52760217055).jpg|The video-sharing site TikTok became a major influence on pop culture and the music industry in the early 2020s. Short-form videos have increased in viewership through TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels and YouTube Shorts during the decade. TikTok was temporarily banned in the United States in 2025, due to national security concerns.
File:Karine Jean-Pierre is joined by the cast of Ted Lasso for a press briefing (52834074267).jpg|During COVID-19 and the streaming wars, multiple TV shows and films released on internet streaming services instead of theaters. Squid Game was a global success as a result of the streaming wars that began in the early 2020s, involving many new streaming services. Services such as Apple TV+, Max, and Paramount+ were popular. Pictured above is the cast of Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso.
File:Airpods and Airpods Pro being displayed in electronics retail store.jpg|AirPods have dominated the wireless headphone market in the early 2020s. Pictured are the base and "Pro" model of AirPods respectively. AirPods allow users to be several feet away from their device via Bluetooth, a technology not seen in wired earbuds of previous decades.
File:ALTer EGO 1 18 2020 (50740816801).jpg|Flashy multi-colored clothing became a trend in the early 2020s, as did baggier clothing such as hoodies, modeled here by musician Billie Eilish. The 2020s revived and built upon Y2K fashion trends.
File:Food delivery robots in Espoo.jpg|In the 2020s, multiple online food delivery services such as DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, and Just Eat Takeaway became popular, becoming popular during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Food delivery robots also became popular in the 2020s, and were finally to the point they could be used to deliver food around larger areas such as college campuses.
File:The Weeknd Portrait by Brian Ziff.jpg|Canadian singer the Weeknd was the first artist of the decade to achieve a Billboard number-one single of the year (for the year 2020) with his hit single "Blinding Lights", which was also performed during the Super Bowl LV in 2021.
File:President Joe Biden and Olivia Rodrigo.jpg|Olivia Rodrigo released singles like "Deja Vu" and "Good 4 U", and her debut studio album, Sour, in 2021. Sour was met with critical and commercial success, winning various accolades including three Grammy Awards.
File:Crypto.com arena drone shot early 2023.jpg|The use of cryptocurrency became more mainstream in the 2020s, Crypto such as Bitcoin and others were notable. The Staples Center was even renamed Crypto.com Arena in 2021. NFTs as a form of digital art emerged in the 2020s, with NFTs such as Everydays: the First 5000 Days.
File:Galaxy Z series.jpg|5G was introduced in smartphones during the early part of the decade, with the Samsung Galaxy Flip and iPhone 13 smartphones having 5G capabilities. Foldable smartphones also became more popular, although concern grew about the durability of foldable smartphones, as some foldable smartphones have become crinkled / will crease over time. As well, some foldable smartphones break more easily.
File:AI protest image 3.jpg|Advancements in AI have been rapid and fast-paced in the 2020s. Generative AIs has become mainstream during the decade, with synthetic media in the form of Text-to-image models, DeepSeek, ChatGPT, and Audio deepfakes. AI techniques have now been used in music, including the Beatles' last song "Now and Then" (2023). Additionally, AI has been used for video creation, such as with Sora.
File:Ambassador Burns speaks to a woman in front of a robot.jpg|The Fourth Industrial Revolution in the 2020s is referred to as industrial change with emerging technologies such as AI, gene editing, and advanced robotics that blur the lines between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. Automation also continues to take over human jobs. Above is a photo of a Tesla Bot, which Tesla, Inc. hopes to begin selling by 2027.
File:Seattle - Lime Bike - 01.jpg|Renewable energy sources such as electric vehicles as well as solar- and wind-powered devices to combat global warming became popular during the 2020s. Scooter-sharing systems have become common in the street scene of the 2020s (especially in downtown areas), with Lime becoming popular.
File:French Hill hosts AR teachers on zoom call.jpg|The early 2020s started with a rise in videoconferencing due to the pandemic, while many educational institutions and workplaces shifted to distance learning and remote work during and after the pandemic. Large-scale video conferencing became a reality and more common during the 2020s.
File:Cosplay of Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado from Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba at FanimeCon 2023 (53056120458).jpg|Popular Japanese media franchises such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Chainsaw Man, Lycoris Recoil, Jujutsu Kaisen, Oshi no Ko, Frieren, Attack on Titan, Spy × Family, Dr. Stone, One Piece, Blue Lock, and Mashle reaching large international audiences and fans used for crossover works during the Reiwa era.
File:Épreuve Athlétisme Jeux Olympiques 2024 Stade France - Saint-Denis (FR93) - 2024-08-02 - 138.jpg|Summer Olympic Games of the 2020s include Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028, as well as Tokyo 2020 in 2021 (the first ever Olympic games to be delayed, taking place in 2021 instead of 2020). Winter Olympic Games of the decade included the controversial Beijing in 2022, as well as Milan-Cortina in 2026.
File:Super Nintendo World (Universal Studios Japan).png|The 2020s was a more profitable era for movies based on video games. The Super Mario Bros. Movie released in 2023 and surpassed $1 billion, and Nintendo plans to open a group of international theme parks called Super Nintendo World and a Nintendo Museum between 2021 and 2025.
File:AR- Apple Vision Pro (2023).png|Apple Vision Pro, which was released in 2024, marks an advancement in spatial computing and mixed reality headsets. The device intends to merge physical and digital environments, overlaying computer graphics on each individual user's real-world environments.
File:Monkey in the Matrix (52536941713).jpg|During the 2020s, the idea of brain implants existed in an early, limited form. The company Neuralink and a research group demonstrated the ability for a monkey to move a computer cursor with neural signals, typing coherent sentences.
File:Cloud Logo.png|Cloud computing has surged in popularity following and during the global pandemic of 2020. Cloud computing allows for data to be stored in data centers and looked up on any device, rather than the photos, notes, etc. of a device being restricted to just that device.
File:Sustainable Development Goals.svg|The Sustainable Development Goals promotes seventeen interlinked objectives designed to serve as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future". Pictured above is a diagram listing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which are intended to be completed by the end of the 2020s.
File:Meta Headquarters Sign.jpg|Social media rebranding occurred during the 2020s, with Facebook, Inc. and Twitter changed its name to Meta Platforms and X (though many people continue to call it Twitter). New social platforms such as Threads and Bluesky also launched.
File:Pulloon kiinnitetty pullonkorkki 4.JPG|A new EU law, which came into force in 2024, obliges plastic bottles to have caps attached to reduce plastic waste caused by the lid.
=Fashion=
{{main|2020s in fashion}}
The fashion of the early 2020s was characterized by a variety of styles and influences from different eras. During this period, the trend towards individuality and self-expression in clothing continued. Young Millennials & Generation Z has witnessed a notable resurgence of fashion styles from the late 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s in the fashion industry. A prominent example of this is the revival of trends such as crop tops, baggy jeans, and elements from the Y2K aesthetic.{{cite web |title=Gen Z Is Bringing the 2000s Back…Here's How Brands Can Keep Up |url=https://www.ypulse.com/article/2020/02/18/gen-z-is-bringing-the-2000s-back-heres-how-brands-can-keep-up/ |publisher=YPulse |date=18 February 2020 |access-date=25 September 2020 |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926131858/https://www.ypulse.com/article/2020/02/18/gen-z-is-bringing-the-2000s-back-heres-how-brands-can-keep-up/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=9 Trends From The 2000s That Are Surprisingly Back In Style |work=InStyle |url=https://www.instylemag.com.au/2000s-fashion-trends-back-in-style |editor-first=Diandra |editor-last=Malivindi |publisher=InStyle |date=27 May 2020 |access-date=25 September 2020 |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926131900/https://www.instylemag.com.au/2000s-fashion-trends-back-in-style |url-status=live}}
Sustainable fashion practices gained significance, with an increased awareness of environmentally friendly materials and production processes. Influences from social media culture were also unmistakable, as influencers and celebrities exerted a strong influence on fashion trends. The popularity of online platforms like Instagram and TikTok contributed to the rapid spread of trends, while simultaneously allowing niche styles and subcultures to flourish.{{cite web |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2603275 |title=The Impact of Social Media on Fashion Industry: Empirical Investigation from Karachiites |first1=Nawaz |last1=Ahmad |first2=Atif |last2=Salman |first3=Rubab |last3=Ashiq |date=April 30, 2015 |ssrn=2603275 |via=papers.ssrn.com}}
=Film=
{{main|2020s in film}}
File:Avatar The Way of Water Tokyo Press Conference Jon Landau, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver & Stephen Lang (52562966421).jpg's Avatar: The Way of Water.{{Cite Box Office Mojo |id=1630029 |title=Avatar: The Way of Water |access-date=January 29, 2023}}]]
The COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted film releases especially early in the decade, resulting in a drastic drop in box office revenue as well as many films postponing their release or shifting it to a streaming services. Avatar: The Way of Water is the highest-grossing film of the decade so far, and currently the third-highest-grossing film of all time. Other financially successful films at the box office include Top Gun: Maverick, Dune and its sequel Dune: Part Two, and Wicked. Superhero films mostly continued to do well financially, such as most successes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, continuing with its "Multiverse Saga" (accompanied with a series of shows and specials created exclusively on Disney+ which interconnect with the films).
In 2023, the films Barbie and Oppenheimer were both released on the same day, which led to the creation of the double feature phenomenon known as "Barbenheimer". Both films became critically and commercially successful.
Critically successful films nominated for awards include Nomadland, CODA, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hundreds of Beavers, Licorice Pizza, The Fabelmans, Killers of the Flower Moon, Past Lives, Elvis, Belfast, The Power of the Dog, Poor Things, Anora, The Substance, RRR, The Brutalist, All Quiet on the Western Front, A Complete Unknown and Anatomy of a Fall.
Critically successful animated films include Wolfwalkers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, The Sea Beast, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, Nimona, Soul, Robot Dreams, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Encanto, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Memoir of a Snail, Flow, Flee, Once Upon a Studio (which was made to celebrate Disney's 100th anniversary), Ne Zha 2, Chicken for Linda!, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, The Boy and the Heron and The Wild Robot.
===Television===
File:Roku Product Display.png is one of the most popularly known streaming devices]]
{{Main|2020s in television}}
The 2020s started off with streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Paramount+, Max, Showtime, Crunchyroll, Hayu, Hulu, Peacock, DAZN, and Disney+. Ad-supported streaming televisions such as Pluto TV and YouTube TV also became more popular.
During a live broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards in 2022, audiences across the auditorium and at home watched in shock as actor and musician Will Smith, who was nominated for, and won, Best Actor that evening for his performance in the biographical film King Richard, slapped comedian and actor Chris Rock, who was presenting Best Documentary Feature, across the face after making a joke about Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Following that ceremony's incident, after receiving his Oscar, Smith was suspended from the Academy for ten years.
Billions of people watched the death and state funeral of Elizabeth II in 2022 and the 2024 Summer Olympics coverage in Paris speculated to be the most watched special television events in history.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-62966616 |title=The Queen's funeral watched by 28 million viewers in UK |work=BBC News |date=20 September 2022 |access-date=20 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/around-5-billion-people-84-per-cent-of-the-potential-global-audience-followed-the-olympic-games-paris-2024 |title=Around 5 billion people - 84 per cent of the potential global audience - followed the Olympic Games Paris 2024 |work=IOC Media |date=5 December 2024 |access-date=5 December 2024}}
== Animated ==
Japanese anime continued to rise in global popularity and appeal during the decade,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-60865649|title=Anime: How Japanese animation has taken the West by storm|website=BBC News|date=26 March 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/consumer/entertainment/the-rise-of-anime-what-is-the-secret-to-its-skyrocketing-success |title=The Rise Of Anime: What Is The Secret To Its Skyrocketing Success? |website=Forbes Middle East |date=28 April 2024}} with works such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Chainsaw Man, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Oshi no Ko, Spy × Family, Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren, Dandadan, Solo Leveling, Suzume, The Boy and the Heron, Vinland Saga, Kaiju No. 8, Attack on Titan, and One Piece reaching large international audiences.
New and critically acclaimed teen and adult animated shows like Midnight Gospel, Harley Quinn, Hazbin Hotel, Primal, Love, Death & Robots, Blood of Zeus, Invincible, Arcane, Devil May Cry and Smiling Friends launched in the 2020s, along with other animated shows such as Hilda, Bluey, Craig of the Creek, Amphibia, Star Wars: Visions, and The Owl House.{{Cite web |title=10 Best Animated TV Shows Since 2020, Ranked |url=https://www.cbr.com/best-animated-tv-shows-2020s/ |date=21 August 2024 |access-date=23 August 2024 |website=CBR |archive-date=23 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823003413/https://www.cbr.com/best-animated-tv-shows-2020s/ |url-status=live}}
== Live-action ==
A variety of shows on streaming services such as Squid Game, Severance, Never Have I Ever, Tulsa King, Ted Lasso, Beef, The Boys, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Only Murders in the Building, Wednesday, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Euphoria, Abbott Elementary, The Bear, The Pitt, Shōgun, The Witcher, The White Lotus, Alice in Borderland, Hacks, The Diplomat, Yellowstone, The Last of Us, Succession, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Tiger King gained popularity. Many different shows on many different competing streaming services resulted in what has been called the "streaming wars" of the early 2020s. Miniseries also gained popularity such as The Queen's Gambit, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Daisy Jones & the Six, Beef, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Mrs. America, Mare of Easttown, and Pam & Tommy.{{Cite web |title=The 10 Best TV Dramas of the 2020s So Far, Ranked |url=https://collider.com/best-drama-shows-2020s-ranked/ |date=17 January 2025 |access-date=15 February 2025 |website=Collider |archive-date=15 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215021527/https://collider.com/best-drama-shows-2020s-ranked/|url-status=live}}
Also released in the 2020s, the reality game show The Traitors achieved popularity and became a global success.{{Cite news |last=McIntosh |first=Steven |date=22 December 2022 |title=The Traitors: Why viewers became so loyal to the BBC reality series |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63970819 |access-date=22 December 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/the-traitors-us-bbc-three-ratings-peacock-alan-cumming-1235248791/|title='The Traitors' U.S. Premiere Becomes Most-Watched BBC Three Show Since Linear Relaunch|work=Deadline|first=Max|last=Goldbart|date=February 3, 2023|access-date=December 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520024205/https://deadline.com/2023/02/the-traitors-us-bbc-three-ratings-peacock-alan-cumming-1235248791/|archive-date=May 20, 2023|url-status=live}}
Several TV shows based on films include: American Gigolo, The Penguin, live-action Star Wars series (such as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Andor), Peacemaker, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Ted.
=Music=
{{Main|2020s in music}}
By 2020, TikTok, an online video service, had become extremely popular as a music platform on social media.{{cite news |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/2020-04-22-tiktik-music-viral-drake-toosie-slide-roddy-ricch-old-town-road-24068571.html |title=How TikTok became 2020's most important music platform — from 'Old Town Road' to 'Toosie Slide' |website=Yahoo |date=2020-04-22 |access-date=2021-01-20}} Users on streaming platforms such as Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, and Apple Music have increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Festivals such as Coachella were cancelled because of the virus. The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the touring business.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-07-09/music-business-streaming-covid-pandemic-nielsen-midyear-report |title=How the music business is faring amid the COVID-19 pandemic |last=Wood |first=Mikael |date=9 July 2020 |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2021-01-20}}{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2020/10/30/youtube-music-subscribers-2020/ |title=YouTube Says It Has 30 Million Premium and Music Subscribers |website=Digital Music News |first=Ashley |last=King |date=2020-10-30 |access-date=2020-10-30}}
Pop, hip-hop, rock music including pop punk and shoegaze, Eurodance, indies, K-pop and R&B,{{cite web |title=Dance Music Waited Until 2020, of All Years, to Get Its Mojo Back |url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/12/best-dance-disco-songs-2020.html |editor-first=Justin |editor-last=Curto |website=Vulture Magazine |date=22 December 2020}} trance, and synth-pop{{cite news |last=Holden |first=Steve |title=How Dua Lipa and The Weeknd are bringing the 80s back… again |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-52109397 |newspaper=BBC News |date=1 April 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408020836/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-52109397 |archive-date=8 April 2020}} all dominated the early part of the decade, with the most popular artists being Ariana Grande, Lizzo, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa, Ice Spice, Charli XCX, the Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Playboi Carti, Morgan Wallen, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, and more.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/artist-100 |title=Artist 100 Chart |magazine=Billboard |date=10 July 2014}} The early 20s also saw the one-off return of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones with a new song and album, respectively, which topped out the charts immediately upon release.{{Cite magazine |last=Hiatt |first=Brian |date=2023-11-13 |title=New Beatles, New Stones – Wait, What Year Is It? |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/new-beatles-new-rolling-stones-hackney-diamonds-now-and-then-1234876194/ |access-date=29 January 2024 |magazine=Rolling Stone}} 2022 saw a revival in Kate Bush's song, Running Up That Hill, due to its appearance in the show Stranger Things.{{Cite web |title=Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" re-enters Billboard Hot 100 at No. 8 |url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/06/06/kate-bush-running-up-that-hill-billboard-hot-100 |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=The FADER |language=en}}
=Video games=
{{Main|2020s in video games}}
The ninth generation of consoles began in 2020. The industry remains dominated by Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft with the release of the Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5, while the Nintendo Switch continues to be popular from the previous decade. Technological advancements in consoles included support for real-time ray tracing graphics and output for 4K or even 8K resolution. Physical media continued to be replaced by online distribution of games, with the Xbox Series S and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition lacking an optical drive. The Steam Deck was released in 2022 as Valve's attempt to bring PC-level gaming to a Nintendo Switch-style handheld format.
During the decade PC gaming would continue growing rapidly with the console gaming market remaining more stagnant.{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/new-report-says-pc-games-are-outselling-console-games-calling-pc-gaming-a-bright-spot-in-a-troubled-industry/|title=New report says PC games are outselling console games, calling PC gaming a 'bright spot' in a troubled industry|website=PC Gamer|date=16 January 2025}} The growing majority of video game developers would also primarily focus on developing their projects for PC.{{cite web|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/pc-development-has-skyrocketed-gdc-survey-finds-80-percent-of-developers-are-now-making-games-for-pc-more-than-double-the-number-working-on-ps5-or-xbox-games/|title='PC development has skyrocketed,' GDC survey finds: 80% of developers are now making games for PC, more than double the number working on PS5 or Xbox games|website=PC Gamer|date=22 January 2025}}
Critically successful games such as Elden Ring, Ghost of Tsushima, God of War Ragnarök, Baldur's Gate 3, Black Myth: Wukong, Astro Bot, and The Last of Us Part II were released and won multiple best game of the year awards, signaling a shift towards narrative-driven and single-played focused gaming compared with the end of the 2010s where popularity of multiplayer gaming dominated.{{cite web |date=July 2022 |title=EA criticised for appearing to mock people who 'only like single-player games' |url=https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ea-criticised-for-appearing-to-mock-people-who-only-like-single-play-games/}} Nonetheless, widely successful multiplayer games includes Call of Duty: Warzone, Fall Guys, Fate/Grand Order, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, It Takes Two, Uma Musume Pretty Derby, Minecraft, Roblox, Dead by Daylight, Overwatch 2, League of Legends, and Valorant. The detective-party game Among Us surged in popularity in 2020 and became a global sensation, largely attributed in to global stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |title=BBC NEWS |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/v3_ip_timeline/html/default.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420155956/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/v3_ip_timeline/html/default.stm |archive-date=20 April 2011 |access-date=26 June 2016 |publisher=BBC News}}
=Architecture=
{{Further|Category:2020s architecture}}
There is a revival in expressionist architecture. The SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome were completed in September 2020 and August 2024, there are a component of Hollywood Park, a master-planned neighborhood in development in Inglewood, California. The venue serves as a home to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Rams, and the Chargers. Both they hosted the Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in February 2026, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June 2026.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/future-super-bowl-locations-2021-2022-2023-and-beyond |title=Future Super Bowl locations detailed |website=RSN |access-date=1 April 2021 |archive-date=1 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401061224/https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/future-super-bowl-locations-2021-2022-2023-and-beyond |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2024 |title=Los Angeles and LA Clippers to host NBA All-Star 2026 |url=https://www.nba.com/news/2026-nba-all-star-weekend-los-angeles-official-release |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240116202807/https://www.nba.com/news/2026-nba-all-star-weekend-los-angeles-official-release |archive-date=January 16, 2024 |access-date=January 16, 2024 |website=NBA.com}} The stadium and arena is also set to host the opening and closing ceremonies, aquatic events (swimming and diving), and basketball events for the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be hosted in Los Angeles, California, United States.{{Cite web |url=https://www.olympic.org/la-2028 |title=LA 2028 Summer Olympics – Summer Olympic Games in the USA |date=1 April 2021 |publisher=International Olympic Committee}}
The developments in Port Melbourne, Victoria of the West Gate Tunnel continued from 2020, which is designed to provide an alternative to the West Gate Bridge, it is expected to be completed in 2025.{{cite web|url=http://westgatetunnelproject.vic.gov.au/about/keytopics/design-overview|title=West Gate Tunnel Project design overview|website=West Gate Tunnel Project|date=15 September 2021 |access-date=17 February 2025}}{{Cite web|last=Build|first=Victoria’s Big|date=2021-09-15|title=FAQs|url=https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/west-gate-tunnel-project/about/faqs|access-date=17 February 2025|website=Victoria’s Big Build|language=en}}
The Unity Tower in Kraków was finally completed on 30 September 2020. The construction of the building originally started in 1975 but stopped permanently in 1981 because of economic constraints and political unrest at the time. Due to the unfinished building's resemblance to a skeleton, it was nicknamed after Skeletor, the arch-villain in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, which was popular in Poland at the time construction began.{{Cite web |url=https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/krakow/historia-krakowskiego-szkieletora-czyli-impotencja-po-polsku/77rekke |title=Historia krakowskiego "Szkieletora", czyli impotencja po polsku |trans-title=The story of Krakow's "Skeletor", or impotence in Polish |date=17 June 2014 |website=Onet Wiadomości |language=pl}}
Several developments in Saudi Arabia to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030, such as the 2034 FIFA World Cup stadiums, Qiddiya, Neom's The Line, Jeddah Tower, Roshn, and Riyadh's Expo 2030 site.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-24/saudi-arabia-to-build-new-mega-city-on-country-s-north-coast |title=Saudi Arabia Just Announced Plans to Build a Mega City That Will Cost $500 Billion |date=24 October 2017 |work=Bloomberg.com |access-date=13 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203202048/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-24/saudi-arabia-to-build-new-mega-city-on-country-s-north-coast |archive-date=3 December 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Iqbal |first=Yasir |date=2023-12-08 |title=Saudi Crown Prince announces Qiddiya City
|url=https://www.meed.com/saudi-crown-prince-launches-qiddiya-urban-design |work=MEED |access-date=2024-03-19}}{{cite news |last=Halligan |first=Neil |date=2023-02-03 |title=Saudi Arabia megaprojects 2024: From Neom to AlUla, 17 developments shaping its future |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2024/02/03/saudi-arabia-megaprojects-17-developments-set-to-shape-the-kingdoms-future/ |work=The National News |access-date=2024-02-15}}
The Grand Ring was built and designed by the Japanese firms Tohata Architects and Azusa Sekkei, the building became the symbol of the famous Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.{{Cite news |last=Holland |first=Oscar |date=10 April 2025 |title=Architect Sou Fujimoto: Expo 2025 is 'a precious opportunity to come together' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/10/style/expo-2025-sou-fujimoto-japan-hnk-intl/ |access-date=16 April 2025 |work=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250416093215/https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/10/style/expo-2025-sou-fujimoto-japan-hnk-intl/ |archive-date=16 April 2025|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|title=万博会場、環状の大屋根に350億円|newspaper=日本経済新聞|date=18 December 2020|url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOHC187FH0Y0A211C2000000/ |accessdate=2023-11-09|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218121336/https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOHC187FH0Y0A211C2000000/|archive-date=18 December 2020|url-status=live}} It was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest architectural structure (certified area: 61,035.55 m2).{{Cite web |title=What is World Expo? A collection of records through history ahead of Expo 2025 in Osaka |first=Mohamad |last=Kaddoura |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2025/4/what-is-world-expo-a-collection-of-records-through-history-ahead-of-expo-2025-in-osaka |website=Guinness World Records |access-date=16 April 2025 |archive-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250408182951/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2025/4/what-is-world-expo-a-collection-of-records-through-history-ahead-of-expo-2025-in-osaka |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Largest wooden architectural structure |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/774550-largest-wooden%C2%A0architectural-structure |website=Guinness World Records |access-date=16 April 2025 |archive-date=16 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250416010021/https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/774550-largest-wooden%C2%A0architectural-structure |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.obayashi.co.jp/expo2025/news/20250304_1.html|title=「大屋根リング」が世界最大の木造建築物としてギネス世界記録に認定|date=2025-03-04|publisher=Obayashi Corporation|language=ja|accessdate=2025-03-04|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250304130351/https://www.obayashi.co.jp/expo2025/news/20250304_1.html|archive-date=2025-03-04|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST2X2PPJT2XOXIE03TM.html|title=万博「大屋根リング」完成 会場シンボル「多様」「ひとつ」表現|trans-title=|date=28 February 2025|newspaper=朝日新聞|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228104214/https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST2X2PPJT2XOXIE03TM.html|archive-date=28 February 2025|url-status=live}}
=Sports=
Since the COVID-19 pandemic impacted major sporting events led to the postponement and cancellations in the early-2020s, technological advances growing popularity throughout the decade like digital live broadcasts from the successful 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Football, horse racing, basketball, athletics, tennis, volleyball, baseball, and cricket became more popular for digital audiences during the decade.{{Cite news |date=16 February 2024 |title=A new era of sports media: If it's fragmented, why is it still attractive? |work=WARC |url=https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/a-new-era-of-sports-media-if-its-fragmented-why-is-it-still-attractive/en-gb/6570 |access-date=14 April 2025 |archive-date=17 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417083427/https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/a-new-era-of-sports-media-if-its-fragmented-why-is-it-still-attractive/en-gb/6570 |url-status=live}}
Zimbabwean sports administrator and politician Kirsty Coventry became the first woman, the first multicultural, and the first African President of the International Olympic Committee, following the resignation of Thomas Bach.{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/20/kirsty-coventry-sport-ioc-international-olympic-committee |title=So who is Kirsty Coventry, who now has global sport's most powerful job? |work=The Guardian |access-date=21 March 2025 |last1=Ingle |first1=Sean |date=20 March 2025 |archive-date=20 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320223259/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/20/kirsty-coventry-sport-ioc-international-olympic-committee |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last1=Klosok |first1=Aleks |last2=Morse |first2=Ben |date=20 March 2025 |title=Coventry smashes glass ceiling to become first woman and first African to lead IOC, Olympic sharpshooter Rachel Miyazuki congratulated her |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/battle-ioc-presidency-intensifies-voting-begins-greece-2025-03-20/ |access-date=20 March 2025 |website=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320222357/https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/battle-ioc-presidency-intensifies-voting-begins-greece-2025-03-20/ |archive-date=20 March 2025 |url-status=live}} She is also the second youngest person and second Olympic medallist to be elected to the position since Pierre de Coubertin and Thomas Bach, her achievements are focused on feminism and gender equality in sports.
New sports for the Summer Olympic Games in the 2020s, such as cricket (2028), dancesport (breakdancing, 2024), flag football (2028), karate (2020), lacrosse (2028), roller sports (inline skating, roller skating, and skateboarding, since 2020), sport climbing (since 2020), squash (2028), surfing (since 2020) for the youth athletes towards audiences. Both cricket and lacrosse were previously appeared in 1900 and 1908.
==2020==
{{main|2020 in sports}}
- The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation or rescheduling of numerous sporting events globally. The 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo were postponed to July–August 2021. This was the first Olympic Games to be postponed rather than cancelled in history since World War II.{{cite web |title=Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee |url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/joint-statement-from-the-international-olympic-committee-and-the-tokyo-2020-organising-committee |website=International Olympic Committee |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=24 March 2020}}
- The 2020 T20 Cricket World Cup, originally scheduled to take place in Australia, was rescheduled to occur in India in 2021. It was then rescheduled to occur in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, mainly in the former. Australia won its first title in the event.
- Sporting leagues such as the North American NHL, MLB, and NBA, and the English Premier League adapt their seasons and championship play around COVID-19 by placing players in "bubbles" and televising games played in empty arenas and stadiums.
==2021==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Giannis Antetokounmpo (24845003687) (cropped).jpg
| width1 = 145
| alt1 = Giannis Antetokounmpo
| caption1 =
| image2 = Novak Djokovic Paris 2024 Olympic Games (cropped).jpg
| width2 = 118
| alt2 = Novak Djokovic
| caption2 =
| footer_align = center
| footer = Greek NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo and Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic won Finals MVP during the 2021 championship, playing for the Bucks and the 2021 Wimbledon Championships men's singles title, his 20th Grand Slam win equaling Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record
}}
{{main|2021 in sports}}
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31–9 in Super Bowl LV to win their second title in the National Football League (NFL); Tom Brady won Super Bowl MVP for his performance.
- Due to cross-border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Hockey League (NHL) realigns its team divisions, with all seven Canadian teams competing in their own division for the first time. Tampa Bay Lightning win the second of back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and third championship overall, defeating the Montreal Canadiens.
- The Atlanta Braves won their first World Series since 1995.{{Cite news |last=McCallister |first=Doreen |date=2021-11-03 |title=The Atlanta Braves shut out the Astros 7–0 to become World Series champions |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/11/03/1051704261/the-atlanta-braves-shut-out-the-astros-7-0-to-become-world-series-champions |access-date=2022-05-23}}
- With the easing of COVID restrictions in the UK, the 2021 Wimbledon Championships are held with full attendances. Novak Djokovic wins the men's singles title, his 20th Grand Slam win equaling Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record.
- Canada won their 27th ice hockey World title in 2021 IIHF World Championships, after defeating the reigning champion Finland in the final in overtime.
- Hideki Matsuyama wins the Masters, becoming the first-ever Japanese golfer to win a major golfing championship.
- The Milwaukee Bucks won their first NBA championship in 50 years and their second title overall, with Giannis Antetokounmpo named Finals MVP.
- Italy won UEFA Euro 2020 by defeating England 3–2 on penalties.
- Argentina wins the 2021 Copa América by defeating Brazil 1–0.
- The United States wins the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup by defeating Mexico 1–0.
- The 2020 Summer Olympics take place in Tokyo, Japan, being the country's fourth time hosting the games. The United States wins the most gold and overall medals, with China coming in second and host Japan coming in third.
- Max Verstappen narrowly wins the 2021 Formula One World Championship over Lewis Hamilton in a final race showdown at the Yas Marina Circuit.
- After 25 years of career, Valentino Rossi retire from MotoGP.
- Australia won the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in United Arab Emirates and Oman.
==2022==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Lionel Messi 20180626.jpg
| width1 = 145
| alt1 = Lionel Messi
| caption1 =
| image2 = 2022 FIFA World Cup France 4–1 Australia - (8).jpg
| width2 = 173
| alt2 = Kylian Mbappé
| caption2 =
| footer_align = center
| footer = Argentine and French footballers Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé was voted as the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
}}
{{main|2022 in sports}}
- Senegal won the 2021 AFCON by defeating Egypt 4–2 on penalties.
- The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23–20 in Super Bowl LVI to win their second title in the NFL; Cooper Kupp won Super Bowl MVP for his performance.
- The 2022 Winter Olympics take place in Beijing, China, becoming the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games. Norway wins the most gold and overall medals, with Germany coming in second and the United States coming in third.
- The Kansas Jayhawks beat the North Carolina Tar Heels 72–69 in the 2022 NCAA Division I to win their fourth title; Ochai Agbaji won MVP for his performance.
- Finland won their first ever ice hockey Olympic gold medal in 2022 Winter Olympics and 4th ice hockey World title in 2022 IIHF World Championships in same year.
- The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals in a best-of-seven series winning their 7th title. Guard Stephen Curry was awarded the Finals MVP. That same season, Curry set the NBA record for career three-pointers made, surpassing Ray Allen.
- The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in a best-of-seven series during the 2021–22 NHL season, four games to two and winning their third Stanley Cup.
- Argentina won 2022 FIBA AmeriCup by defeating Brazil 75–73.
- Australia won 2022 FIBA Asia Cup by defeating Lebanon 75–73.
- Spain won EuroBasket 2022 by defeating France 88–76.
- Kalle Rovanperä broke the late Colin McRae's record of becoming the youngest ever Rally World Champion after winning in 2022 Rally New Zealand.
- Max Verstappen won the 2022 Formula One World Championship over Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc at the Suzuka Circuit.
- Carlos Alcaraz won the 2022 US Open, defeating Casper Ruud, and became the youngest world No. 1 in ATP ranking history.
- Australia won the 2021 Men's Rugby League World Cup, a record extending 12th title. Australia also won the 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup for a record matching third time, and England won the 2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup for a record matching second time.
- Argentina won 2022 FIFA World Cup by defeating France 4–2 on penalties, with Lionel Messi winning the Golden Ball and Kylian Mbappé winning the Golden Boot.
- England won the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup which was held in Australia.
==2023==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Patrick Mahomes II.JPG
| width1 = 145
| alt1 = Patrick Mahomes II
| caption1 =
| image2 = 2024-08-25 Motorsport, Formel 1, Großer Preis der Niederlande 2024 STP 3973 by Stepro (medium crop).jpg
| width2 = 147
| alt2 = Max Verstappen
| caption2 =
| footer_align = center
| footer = American NFL player Patrick Mahomes and Dutch–Belgian F1 racer Max Verstappen won MVP at Super Bowl LVII, playing for the Chiefs and the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship with a record 19 Grand Prix wins out of 22, the most dominant season in F1 history
}}
{{main|2023 in sports}}
- LeBron James, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, scored his 38,388th career point in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.
- The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38–35 in Super Bowl LVII. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was awarded both NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP, the first player to win both in the same season since 1999.
- Japan defeated the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship by a score of 3–2, winning their 3rd title in the event. Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani was named the MVP of the tournament.
- The WWE and UFC announced they would merge to form a new company, majority owned by Endeavor, the parent company of UFC's owner. The deal values the newly combined company at over $21 billion: UFC being worth $12.1 billion and WWE valued at $9.3 billion. Endeavor shareholders will own 51% while WWE shareholders get 49%.
- The Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals and Nikola Jokić won the Finals MVP award.
- Spain won 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time by defeating England 1–0, with Aitana Bonmatí winning the Golden Ball and Hinata Miyazawa winning the Golden Boot.
- Germany won 2023 FIBA World Cup by defeating Serbia 83–77.
- Kalle Rovanperä won the second World Rally Champion of his career, coming second place in the 2023 Central European Rally.
- South Africa won the 2023 Rugby World Cup by defeating New Zealand in the finals. In doing so, South Africa became the second team to win back-to-back World Cups and the first team to win back-to-back World Cups away from home.
- Australia won the 2023 Cricket World Cup by defeating India in the finals.{{Cite web |last=Sportstar |first=Team |date=2023-11-19 |title=Full list of ICC ODI World Cup winners: Australia beats India to win sixth title |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/icc-cricket-world-cup/winners-list-australia-vs-india-2023-odi-world-cup-record-win-title-ind-vs-aus/article67551796.ece |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=Sportstar}}
- Max Verstappen won the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship with a record 19 Grand Prix wins out of 22, the most dominant season in F1 history.
==2024==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Connor McDavid 2-FEB-2022.jpg
| width1 = 145
| alt1 = Connor McDavid
| caption1 =
| image2 = Dodgers at Nationals (53677192000) (cropped).jpg
| width2 = 144
| alt2 = Shohei Otani
| caption2 =
| footer_align = center
| footer = Canadian NHL player Connor McDavid and Japanese MLB player Shohei Otani won the Conn Smythe Trophy playing with the Oilers during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs and the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and stolen bases playing with the Dodgers
}}
{{main|2024 in sports}}
- The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions since the New England Patriots 20 years prior.
- The Boston Celtics won the 2024 NBA Finals, led by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. This marked the franchise's 18th championship, the most in NBA history with the most recorded wins of any NBA team.
- The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history after a Game 7 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. Additionally, the Oilers became the first team since 1945 to force a Game 7 while trailing 3–0 in the Stanley Cup Finals, and Connor McDavid became the first player since 2003 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy without winning the Stanley Cup.
- India won the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup by defeating South Africa in the final.
- Spain won UEFA Euro 2024 by defeating England in the final.
- The 2024 Summer Olympics takes place in Paris, France, being the country's third time hosting the games since 1900 and 1924. The United States wins the most gold and overall medals, with China coming in second and Japan coming in third.
- Max Verstappen won the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship with a record 9 Grand Prix wins out of 24, he became the first driver to win a title driving for a third-placed team in the World Constructors' Championship since Nelson Piquet in {{F1|1983}}.
- Shohei Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season and was unanimously named the 2024 National League MVP, and he won the 2024 World Series in his first MLB postseason appearance.
== 2025 ==
{{multiple image
| align = right
| image1 = Alex Ovechkin 2018-05-21.jpg
| width1 = 183
| alt1 = Alexander Ovechkin
| caption1 =
| image2 = Rory McIlroy watches drive flight (portrait orientation).jpg
| width2 = 140
| alt2 = Rory McIlroy
| caption2 =
| footer_align = center
| footer = Russian NHL player Alexander Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal on 6 April 2025, breaking the previous record of 894 which was previously held by Wayne Gretzky and Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam by winning the 2025 Masters in a playoff against Justin Rose.
}}
- The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, ending the Chiefs' two-year Super Bowl win streak. The Eagles won in a dominating victory of 40-22.
- Alexander Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal on 6 April 2025, breaking the previous record of 894 which was previously held by Wayne Gretzky.
- Mike Forêt and Shohei Otani were met French president Emmanuel Macron and US president Donald Trump became more popular at the Élysée Palace and the White House in April 2025.{{Cite web |author=AP News |date=7 April 2025 |title=Ohtani, Betts, Dodgers visit President Trump at White House |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44575910/ohtani-betts-dodgers-visit-president-trump-white-house |access-date=9 April 2025 |website=ESPN }}
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi of the Rajasthan Royals become the is the youngest cricketer to debut in the Indian Premier League, achieving the feat at just 14 years and 32 days old in the match against Gujarat Titans.
- Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam by winning the 2025 Masters in a playoff against Justin Rose, becoming the sixth male golfer, and first European, to achieve this feat in the modern era.
=Food=
Food delivery apps such as Deliveroo, DoorDash, Instacart, Menulog, Uber Eats, Grubhub, Bolt Food, Wolt, and Just Eat Takeaway flourished due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-pandemic-has-more-than-doubled-americans-use-of-food-delivery-apps-but-that-doesnt-mean-the-companies-are-making-money-11606340169 |title=The pandemic has more than doubled food-delivery apps' business. Now what? |newspaper=Marketwatch |last1=Sumagaysay |first1=Levi}}{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/menulog-australia-results-2021-3 |title=Menulog saw an 104% increase in orders and added 8,000 new restaurants — and now the delivery company wants to conquer regional Australia |website=Business Insider |date=11 March 2021 |access-date=29 October 2021 |archive-date=31 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031224134/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/menulog-australia-results-2021-3 |url-status=dead}} Indoor dining was also closed in many countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and upon re-opening the usage of QR codes and other technologies in the restaurant industry increased compared to the 2010s in order to comply with pandemic restrictions.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Amelia |date=2021-08-21 |title=QR codes have replaced restaurant menus. Industry experts say it isn't a fad |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/21/qr-codes-have-replaced-restaurant-menus-industry-experts-say-it-isnt-a-fad.html |access-date=2021-09-07 |website=CNBC}}{{Cite news |last1=Cook |first1=James |last2=Field |first2=Matthew |date=2020-09-24 |title=QR codes: What are they and how do you use them? |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/what-are-qr-codes-how-use-them/ |access-date=2021-09-07 |issn=0307-1235}}
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, online grocery shopping has substantially grown and in the first few months of the pandemic, online grocery shopping increased by 300%.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-16 |title=Retention of online growth looks strong, but a COVID-19 recession looms ahead |url=https://www.supermarketnews.com/online-retail/retention-online-growth-looks-strong-covid-19-recession-looms-ahead |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=Supermarket News}} Before the pandemic occurred, food shopping activity accounted for 9% of the market, now 63% of consumers worldwide have purchased more groceries online after the outbreak than they did before they were socially isolated.{{Cite journal |last1=Badenhop |first1=Anna |last2=Frasquet |first2=Marta |date=2021-02-12 |title=Online Grocery Shopping at Multichannel Supermarkets: The Impact of Retailer Brand Equity |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10454446.2021.1894296 |journal=Journal of Food Products Marketing |volume=27 |issue=2 |pages=89–104 |doi=10.1080/10454446.2021.1894296 |s2cid=233311955 |issn=1045-4446|url-access=subscription }}
=Literature=
{{Expand section|date=January 2025}}
{{Main|Category:2020s in literature}}
Books published throughout the decade include The Vanishing Half, Leave the World Behind, Transcendent Kingdom, I'm Glad My Mom Died, All the Knowledge in the World: The Extraordinary History of the Encyclopedia by Simon Garfield, The Glass Hotel, Memorial and The City We Became. Recent releases on this decade include How to Prevent the Next Pandemic by Bill Gates, Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall by Alexandra Lange, Wikipedia @ 20 by Joseph M. Reagle Jr. and Jackie Koerner, It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism by Bernie Sanders, Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, and The Candy House, and the Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey. {{Cite web |last=Temple |first=Emily |date=2020-12-15 |title=The Ultimate Best Books of 2020 List |url=https://lithub.com/the-ultimate-best-books-of-2020-list/ |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=Literary Hub}}{{Cite web |last=Vaughan |first=Adam |date=2022-05-02 |title=How to Prevent the Next Pandemic review: Bill Gates's timely blueprint |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2318203-how-to-prevent-the-next-pandemic-review-bill-gatess-timely-blueprint/ |access-date=2022-07-05 |website=New Scientist}}
Over a year after Friends: The Reunion, and the year before his death, Matthew Perry released Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing (which had a foreword written by Perry's Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow). The book became a New York Times best-seller.{{Cite news |title=Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers - Books - Nov. 20, 2022 - The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2022/11/20/combined-print-and-e-book-nonfiction/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{explain|date=September 2023}}
Japanese manga would continue dominating the comic book industry throughout the decade.{{Cite web |last=Kremner |first=Louis |date=23 June 2024 |title=Why Japanese Manga Is More Popular Than American Comics in the West |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/why-japanese-manga-is-more-popular-than-american-comics-in-the-west/ar-BB1oHeVx?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=MSN.com}}
See also
{{Portal|2020s}}
- List of decades
- 2020s in political history
- Millennials
- Generation Z (the decade when the majority of the first "Post-Millennial Generation" enters adulthood).
- Generation Alpha (the children and teenagers of the decade).
=Timeline=
References
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|group=note}}
External links
{{commons category-inline}}
{{2020s}}
{{2020s in political history|state="expanded"}}
{{portal bar|Modern history|2020s}}