Global risks ranked by severity, 2026

Data from the World Economic Forum Global Risks Perception Survey 2025–2026 identifies geoeconomic confrontation as the primary short-term threat. Within a two-year horizon, misinformation, societal polarisation, and extreme weather follow.

Other immediate concerns include armed conflict, cyber insecurity, and inequality.

Environmental threats dominate, with extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and critical Earth system changes ranking as the top three risks.

Misinformation remains a persistent fourth, followed by AI technology risks and resource shortages.

While pollution and inequality appear in both timeframes, the data underscores a transition from geopolitical friction toward urgent environmental stability challenges.