Will the Next Generation Be Better Off?

The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, published in January, reveals a significant decline in global optimism about the future around the world. Just 32 percent of respondents across 28 countries believe that the next generation will be better off than today, 4 percentage points less than the previous year.

As our infographic shows, the decline is most pronounced in major Asian economies like India and China, each experiencing a 13-point fall in optimism over the past twelve months. However, these two countries maintain a relatively high level of confidence in the state of things' improvement (53-56 percent), well above the global average.

On the other hand, in the North American and European economies surveyed, the outlook appears even bleaker, with the share of respondents feeling that future generations will enjoy better conditions than today ranging only from 6 percent (France) to 21 percent (United States), down from 3 to 9 points over the past year.

Among the exceptions to this trend are African countries, including Nigeria, where optimism has risen by 15 points to reach 65 percent, the highest rate recorded along with Saudi Arabia.