Davos, Switzerland
It is that time of year again. The skies over Davos are thick with private jets flying in billionaires to bemoan the problems of climate change and, as US climate envoy John Kerry put it this week, save the planet. Traffic jams clogging the streets, security checks at every hotel, nonstop parties and receptions all over town—the World Economic Forum is back.
The locals seem unimpressed. As one harried resident told me, Davos natives treat forum week the way many New Orleans locals treat Mardi Gras. It’s a great time to get out of town and, with accommodations going for thousands of dollars a night, an enterprising resident can cover a year’s mortgage payments by renting out the old homestead to frenzied forum goers.