The growing geopolitical, environmental, social and technological challenges reveal an increasingly fractured global panorama for 2025 because they threaten stability and progress, and although economic risks have less immediate importance, they continue to be a cause for concern, interconnected with social and geopolitical tensions, indicated the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report.
According to the document, the increasingly deep divisions between countries and regions, and the consequent fragmentation, are reconfiguring international relations, making collective action difficult in the face of global challenges.
Unlike in 2024, when emphasis was placed on economic and environmental issues, for this year the greatest challenge is represented by the war conflicts in Ukraine-Russia, the Middle East and Sudan.
In the case of Mexico, the greatest risk is the trade war that the president of the United States maintains with the threat of imposing tariffs.
It should be recalled that the report collects the results of the Global Risk Perception Survey, which is based on the opinions of more than 900 world leaders from business, government, academia and civil society.
The most urgent and immediate global risk for 2025
Armed conflicts between countries are considered the most urgent and immediate global risk for this year, with almost a quarter of respondents pointing to them as the most serious concern.
Main short-term risks
Disinformation and misinformation remain the main short-term risks for the second consecutive year, underlining their persistent threat to social cohesion and governance by eroding trust and exacerbating divisions both within and between nations.
Other important short-term risks include extreme weather events, social polarization, cyber espionage and war.
Long-term risks
The environmental issue dominates the long-term outlook, with extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, critical changes in land systems and natural resource scarcity topping the 10-year risk rankings.
The fifth environmental risk in the top 10 is pollution, which is also perceived as a prominent short-term risk. Looking to the short term, in sixth place, the report reflects growing concern about the serious health and ecosystem impacts of a wide range of pollutants in air, water and land.
Overall, extreme weather events have been highlighted as immediate, short-term and long-term risks.
The long-term outlook is also overshadowed by technological risks related to disinformation and misinformation, as well as adverse outcomes from Artificial Intelligence.
“Rising geopolitical tensions, fracturing global trust and the climate crisis are straining the balance of the global system like never before,” said Mirek Dušek, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.
“In a world marked by deepening divisions and increasing risks, world leaders must choose: foster collaboration and resilience or face increasing instability. The stakes have never been higher,” he said.
The main risks identified for Mexico 2025
The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (Imco), local partner of the WEF in Mexico, collected essential data that contributed to the preparation of this report.
In Mexico, Mexican respondents highlight water supply shortages, crime and illicit economic activity, and energy supply shortages as the country’s three main problems. These are followed by two social risks; poverty and inequality and insufficient public services and social protections.
Categories of the most relevant risks in the global context:
Geopolitical risks: The risk of armed conflict has increased significantly in the last 20 years. Events such as the civil war in Syria in 2011 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine have increased the importance of this category. In addition, the increase in geopolitical instability is increasingly recognized as a global concern in both the short and long term.
Environmental concerns: Environmental risks such as pollution and extreme weather events have increased in importance. These risks are considered the main threat to the world in ten years.
Technological risks: These risks have proven to be among the most volatile in terms of risk perception. From concerns about nanotechnology and computing in 2006, to current concerns such as disinformation, artificial intelligence and cyber threats.
Social risks: Inequality, lack of economic opportunity and social polarization have been consistently rated high. The weakening of the multilateral system and humanitarian crises in various regions of the world have led to an increase in the perception of these risks and the impact they could have globally.
Economic changes: While economic risks such as asset bubbles and corporate debt were prominent concerns during the 2007-2008 financial crisis, their threat level has changed. Today, it is seen as less critical, demonstrating a shift in focus from economic challenges to more structural and social threats.
The report calls on world leaders and decision-makers to foster dialogue and create strategies to reach a sustainable, secure and inclusive future. We also need to foster new partnerships and reflections to shape a more sustainable and inclusive future in an era of rapid technological advances, focusing on five key areas:
Rethinking growth
Economic sectors in the smart era
Investing in people
Protecting the planet
Restoring trust
Source: eleconomista
