KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 15): The World Economic Forum (WEF) has identified state-based armed conflict as one of the most pressing risks over the next few years, reflecting the current "complex geopolitical environment” characterized by a record number of global conflicts and humanitarian crises.
The risk of further destabilising consequences following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as in the Middle East and in Sudan, are likely to be amplifying respondents’ concerns beyond 2025, according to the WEF in its Global Risks Report 2025.
"We do live in a very complex geopolitical environment — we have a record number of conflicts, unfortunately, around the world, including humanitarian emergencies and the suffering that comes with it. There are, of course, aspects of the continued war in Ukraine that are unfortunately still ongoing as well as the very complex situation with the different conflicts in the Middle East," WEF managing director Mirek Dušek said during a virtual press conference held in conjunction with the launch of the report in Davos, Switzerland.
According to the report, misinformation and disinformation are also anticipated to remain significant risks, ranking as the top concern for the second consecutive year within the two-year horizon.
“The role of misinformation and disinformation in societal polarisation is significant, particularly in an age marked by rapid technological advancements,” Dušek said. Other leading short-term risks include extreme weather events, societal polarisation, cyber-espionage and warfare, he noted.
Overall, the report highlighted that there is an uptick in pessimism regarding the short-term global outlook, with 88% of respondents anticipating a “stormy, turbulent, or unsettled” period over the next two years.
The Global Risks Report 2025 includes the views of 900 global risks experts, policymakers and industry leaders who were surveyed between September and October of 2024.
Looking ahead to the next decade, the report showed that environmental challenges remain the predominant concern. “Extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem collapse are dominating the long-term horizon,” said Peter Giger, group chief risk officer at Zurich Insurance.
He noted that these risks have shown a consistent trajectory in global risk perception over the years while emphasizing the urgent need for actionable solutions, stating, “Without action by 2030, achieving net zero by 2050 will be much tougher, if not impossible. Everything we do now needs to be actionable.”