Global Risks Outlook 2025
The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2025 highlights the major threats facing the world in the coming years according to more than 900 experts.
The risks are analyzed in three time horizons: immediate (2025), short to medium term (until 2027) and long term (until 2035).
Global Outlook Grim The global vision for 2025 is increasingly fragmented across geopolitical, environmental, social, economic and technological domains. Optimism is limited, with 52% of respondents anticipating an unstable outlook in the near term and 62% expecting turbulent or stormy times in the next decade. Growing polarization and distrust in institutions make global cooperation to address these challenges difficult.
Main Risks Identified
- Armed conflict between States: Identified as the most immediate risk, with increasing geopolitical tensions in various regions of the world.
- Extreme weather events: They remain a dominant concern, aggravated by climate change, affecting vulnerable economies and populations.
- Disinformation and Misinformation: Identified as the main threat for 2027 due to its ability to polarize societies, influence electoral processes and distort realities.
- Geoeconomic tensions: Increase in international economic conflicts that complicate global cooperation and affect trade and investments.
- Social polarization: Inequality and social fragmentation emerge as critical short- and long-term risks, weakening cohesion in many societies.
Rising Environmental Risks The frequency and intensity of environmental risks, such as biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, are projected to be more severe in the coming decade. Environmental degradation and scarcity of natural resources could lead to greater conflicts over access to water and food, intensifying tensions between countries and communities.
Underestimated Technological Risks, Although the risks arising from artificial intelligence and frontier technologies are currently underestimated, they are expected to increase significantly by 2035. Misuse of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital espionage are increasingly relevant challenges that could destabilize economies and societies.
Conclusions The report concludes that global cooperation is essential to address these challenges. However, the global political landscape is perceived as increasingly fragmented, which could make a coordinated response to these threats difficult. The need to strengthen institutions, foster resilience and improve international governance is key to avoiding further deterioration in the coming decades.
Source: World Economic Forum.- Marsh McLennan and Zurich Insurance Group
