Top 10 Risks That The World Might Face In The Next 10 Years

The report defines “global risks” as “the possibility of an event or condition that, if it occurs, would negatively impact a significant proportion of global GDP, population, or natural resources.” It ranks risks by immediate severity and over the short term (two years) and the long term (10 years). 

Economic downturns remain in the top 10 at the start of 2026 and have climbed eight spots to rank 11th in the short-term outlook and 19th over the next decade.

Furthermore, short term concerns lie in environmental and technological areas, and are increasing overshadowing long-term global objectives.

Technological treats are also on the rise, with misinformation ranked second in the short term and fourth in the long term. The report added that potential adverse outcomes from artificial intelligence have jumped from 30th to fifth in the 10-year outlook.

Here’s a look at the top ten risks, ranked by severity that are expected to shape the decade ahead.

Immediate Risks (2026)
- Geoeconomic confrontation
- State-based armed conflict
- Extreme weather events
- Societal polarization
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Economic downturn
- Erosion of human rights and/or civic freedoms
- Adverse outcomes of AI technologies
- Cyber Insecurity
- Inequality 

Short-Term Risks (2 Years)
- Geoeconomic confrontation
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Societal polarization
- Extreme weather events
- State-based armed conflicts
- Cyber insecurity
- Inequality
- Erosion of human rights and/or civic freedoms
- Pollution
- Involuntary migration or displacement 

Long Term Risks (10 Years)
- Extreme weather events
- Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse
- Critical change to Earth systems
- Misinformation and disinformation
- Adverse outcomes of AI technologies
- Natural resource shortage
- Inequality
- Cyber Insecurity
- Societal polarization
- Pollution