The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 identifies geoeconomic confrontation as the biggest risk for the year, followed by concerns about interstate conflict, extreme weather, societal polarization, and misinformation. Leaders and experts express significant worry, with 50% of surveyed individuals anticipating turbulence over the next two years, an increase from last year. Only 1% of respondents expect calmness in that period. For a ten-year outlook, 57% expect continued turbulence.
Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, noted that a new competitive environment is forming as major powers protect their interests. He emphasized the need for cooperation and dialogue, highlighting the Annual Meeting in Davos as an important platform for discussing risks and opportunities. Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, explained that the report acts as an early warning for growing global risks, stressing the need for a collective response to future challenges.
The report categorizes risks into three timeframes: immediate (2026), short-to-medium (two years), and long-term (ten years). Immediate risks include armed conflict, economic weaponization, and societal fragmentation. These risks, alongside technological and environmental challenges, are increasing the difficulty of addressing global issues.
Geoeconomic confrontation is seen as the most likely cause of a global crisis in 2026, with 18% of respondents ranking it as the top risk. Armed conflict is next, falling to fifth place in the two-year outlook. The report reveals rising tensions threaten economic stability and cooperation efforts. For the next decade, 68% expect a fragmented global order.
Economic risks, including downturns and inflation, have risen sharply in the two-year outlook. Concerns about mounting debt and asset bubbles are also significant in this context.
On the technology front, misinformation ranks high, and cybersecurity is a major concern. The risks associated with artificial intelligence show a dramatic rise over the next ten years. Societal polarization and inequality remain pressing issues, with inequality viewed as the most interconnected risk, which exacerbates other problems. Environmental risks have decreased in urgency in the two-year outlook, but they remain severe in the long term, with concerns about extreme weather and biodiversity loss. Three-quarters predict a turbulent environmental future.