The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 reveals a dramatic shift in the global risk landscape, with geoeconomic confrontation emerging as the top threat for the year ahead. Published on January 14, 2026, the report highlights how economic risks are rising faster than ever in the short term, while half of global experts anticipate a turbulent or stormy outlook for the next two years.
Geoeconomic Confrontation and Economic Risks Surge
The Global Risks Report 2026 identifies geoeconomic confrontation as the most pressing risk, climbing eight positions in the two-year outlook. This dramatic rise reflects growing concerns about economic weaponization and supply chain vulnerabilities as major powers seek to secure their spheres of interest. Interstate conflict follows in second position for 2026, while extreme weather, societal polarization, and misinformation round out the top five risks.
Economic risks show the largest collective increase across all categories. Economic downturn and inflation risks both surged eight positions year-on-year, reaching 11th and 21st positions respectively in the two-year outlook. Asset bubble burst rose seven positions to 18th, signaling mounting concerns about financial stability amid geoeconomic tensions. These interconnected economic threats could trigger a new phase of global volatility, particularly as 68% of respondents expect a multipolar or fragmented world order over the next decade.
“A new competitive order is taking shape as major powers seek to secure their spheres of interest. This shifting landscape, where cooperation looks markedly different than it did yesterday, reflects a pragmatic reality: collaborative approaches and the spirit of dialogue remain essential.”
Børge Brende, President and CEO, World Economic Forum
Technology Anxiety and Environmental Concerns
Artificial intelligence anxiety shows the starkest trajectory in the report, with adverse outcomes of AI climbing from 30th position in the two-year horizon to 5th in the 10-year outlook. This dramatic shift reflects growing concerns about AI’s implications for labor markets, societies, and security. Misinformation and disinformation ranks second in the two-year outlook, while cyber insecurity holds the sixth position, underscoring the interconnected nature of technological risks.
Interestingly, environmental risks declined in ranking in the short term as immediate concerns overtake long-term objectives. Extreme weather dropped from second to fourth position, while pollution fell from sixth to ninth. However, over the 10-year period, environmental risks remain the most severe, with extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and critical change to Earth systems occupying the top three positions. Three-quarters of respondents expect a turbulent or stormy environmental outlook, the most negative assessment of any category.
“The Global Risks Report offers an early warning system as the age of competition compounds global risks – from geoeconomic confrontation to unchecked technology to rising debt – and changes our collective capacity to address them. But none of these risks are a foregone conclusion.”
Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum
Societal Polarization and Inequality Interconnections
Societal polarization ranks fourth in 2026 and third by 2028, while inequality holds seventh position in both the two-year and 10-year outlooks. Significantly, inequality was selected as the most interconnected risk for the second consecutive year, fueling other risks as social mobility falters. Economic downturn emerged as the second-most interconnected risk, with underlying concerns about cost-of-living pressures and K-shaped economies becoming entrenched across global societies.
The report’s findings are based on insights from over 1,300 global leaders and experts from academia, business, government, international organizations, and civil society. Only 1% of respondents anticipate calm conditions in the near term, while half expect turbulent or stormy conditions over the next two years—a 14 percentage point increase from last year. These sobering statistics underscore the urgent need for collaborative approaches to address the complex, interconnected challenges facing the global community.
