Have you ever wondered what keeps world leaders up at night? According to the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Global Risks Report, it’s a tough mix of 🔥 geoeconomic showdowns and 🌀 social divides.
The report, released this Wednesday (Jan 14) just days ahead of the WEF’s annual Davos meeting (Jan 19–23), ranks geoeconomic confrontation as 2026’s #1 short-term threat. That’s followed by interstate conflict, extreme weather events, societal polarization, and the spread of misinformation.
“We have entered a new age of competition, and that competition is shaping every other global risk,” says Saadia Zahidi, WEF managing director. And the numbers back her up: economic risks like downturns, inflation and debt spikes are intensifying as trade tensions heat up.
But wait, there’s more! 🌱 Environmental risks still top the charts over a ten-year horizon—extreme weather, biodiversity loss and big shifts in Earth systems make up three-quarters of respondents’ worries about a turbulent green outlook.
On the tech front, AI-related dangers have shot up in the ten-year outlook, jumping from #30 to #5. Experts fear impacts on jobs, society and security as artificial intelligence becomes more powerful.
For this 21st edition, WEF surveyed over 1,300 experts, policymakers and industry leaders. If these insights are anything to go by, the conversations in Davos next week will be all about navigating competition, bridging divides and fighting climate & tech threats. Ready for the future? 🌐
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
