From pandemics to cyber warfare, and from geopolitical instability to AI disruption, the world’s risk landscape has changed dramatically over the last five years. A new global risk outlook highlights a striking shift: climate change has now emerged as the single biggest threat to humanity, overtaking pandemics, economic shocks, and terrorism.
According to global risk experts surveyed across 57 countries, climate change has steadily climbed to the top of the risk rankings from 2021 onwards and continues to dominate projections through 2025. What began as an environmental concern has now evolved into a multidimensional crisis, influencing food security, energy supply, migration, economic stability, and geopolitical tensions.
How Global Risks Have Shifted Over Time
2020 was dominated by pandemics and infectious diseases, as COVID-19 reshaped societies and economies.
2021–2022 saw cybersecurity threats surge alongside climate change, driven by digital dependence and rising cyberattacks.
2023 onwards, geopolitical instability became a major concern due to wars, supply chain disruptions, and global power realignments.
By 2024–2025, climate change firmly holds the top position, while AI & Big Data risks, energy insecurity, and financial instability gain prominence.
Why Climate Change Tops the List
Experts point to extreme weather events, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and climate-driven conflicts as key reasons behind climate change ranking above all other risks. Its ripple effects worsen social tensions, strain national budgets, and intensify migration pressures, making it a catalyst for multiple global crises.
Other Key Risks to Watch
◆Cybersecurity: Rising cyber warfare, data breaches, and digital espionage
◆Geopolitical instability: Conflicts, trade wars, and regional power struggles
◆AI & Big Data: Ethical risks, job displacement, and misuse of advanced technologies
◆Energy risks: Supply shocks and transition challenges
Financial stability & macroeconomics: Debt stress and global economic uncertainty
A Warning for Governments and Businesses
The global risk outlook sends a clear message: future crises will be interconnected. Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it is an economic, political, and security challenge that demands coordinated global action.
As nations plan for the future, experts stress that ignoring climate resilience, digital security, and social stability could make the next decade far more volatile than the last.
