You probably heard the news that EU has passed a law that all new electronic devices must have the same charging cord (the USB version). The manufacturers have a few years to re-deign their products to fit that standard.

The world will likely follow suit, but just because the manufacturers will find it more profitable to make only one kind of device. No new laws necessary.

As for construction standards, there's too much "old buildings" to banish all the old standards. It would be very costly and confusing for suppliers to stock supplies for the old ways and the new ways.

The petroleum industry in Canada and much of the rest of the world still uses construction standards set up by the Texas Railroad Commission in the 1930s. They just have metric names; e.g. a 4.5" drill bit is call a 114 drill bit. Same size. I've been out of the petroleum industry for 20 years, but I wager the new entrants are not aware of a 4.5" drill bit. Only in the USA!