Global Risks Report 2025

sector are likely to become acute and widespread problems in super-ageing societies, with no easy fix for governments. Section 2.5: Super-ageing societies explores this risk theme. Environmental risks - from long- term concern to urgent reality The impacts of environmental risks have worsened in intensity and frequency since the Global Risks Report was launched in 2006, as discussed in depth in Section 2.6: Looking back: 20 years of the Global Risks Report. Moreover, the outlook for environmental risks over the next decade is alarming – while all 33 risks in the GRPS are expected to worsen in severity (Figure E) from the two-year to the 10-year time horizon, environmental risks present the most significant deterioration. Extreme weather events are anticipated to become even more of a concern than they already are, with this risk being top ranked in the 10-year risk list for the second year running. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse ranks #2 over the 10-year horizon, with a significant deterioration compared to its two-year ranking. The GRPS shows generational divergence when it comes to risk perceptions related to environmental Adverse outcomes of AI technologies Adverse outcomes of frontier technologies Asset bubble burst Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse Biological, chemical or nuclear weapons or hazards Censorship and surveillance Concentration of strategic resources and technologies Crime and illicit economic activity Critical change to Earth systems Cyber espionage and warfare Debt Decline in health and well-being Disruptions to a systemically important supply chain Disruptions to critical infrastructure Economic downturn Erosion of human rights and/or civic freedoms Extreme weather events Geoeconomic confrontation Inequality Infectious diseases Inflation Insufficient public infrastructure and social protections Intrastate violence Involuntary migration or displacement Lack of economic opportunity or unemployment Misinformation and disinformation Natural resource shortages Non-weather-related natural disasters Online harms Pollution Societal polarization State-based armed conflict Talent and/or labour shortages Concentration of strategic resources and technologies Adverse outcomes of AI technologies Adverse outcomes of frontier technologies Asset bubble burst Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse Biological, chemical or nuclear weapons or hazards Censorship and surveillance Crime and illicit economic activity Critical change to Earth systems Cyber espionage and warfare Debt Decline in health and well-being Disruptions to a systemically important supply chain Disruptions to critical infrastructure Economic downturn Erosion of human rights and/or civic freedoms Extreme weather events Geoeconomic confrontation Inequality Infectious diseases Inflation Insufficient public infrastructure and social protections Intrastate violence Involuntary migration or displacement Lack of economic opportunity or unemployment Misinformation and disinformation Natural resource shortages Non-weather-related natural disasters Online harms Pollution Societal polarization State-based armed conflict Talent and/or labour shortages Global risks landscape: An interconnections map³ FIGURE D Source World Economic Forum Global Risks Perception Survey 2024-2025Edges Relative influence High LowMediumRisk influenceNodes High LowMedium Risk categories Economic Environmental Geopolitical Societal Technological Global Risks Report 2025 9