News: The World Economic Forum released the Global Risks Perception Survey 2026, highlighting shifting global risks and rising geoeconomic confrontation.
About Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) 2026
- The GRPS 2026 assesses major global risks across immediate, short-to-medium, and long-term time horizons.
- Released by: The survey is released by the World Economic Forum and draws responses from over 1,300 global leaders and experts.
Key Findings
- Overall global outlook
- Immediate and short-term outlook (2026 to 2028):
- Geo-economic confrontation is ranked as the top global risk and the most likely trigger of a material global crisis in 2026.
- State-based armed conflict ranks second and is increasingly linked with economic instability.
- Extreme weather events remain a major concern but have slipped in ranking in the short-to-medium term.
- Societal polarisation and misinformation and disinformation are identified as serious risks affecting democratic systems and social cohesion.
- Economic downturn shows one of the sharpest rises in perceived severity over the two-year period.
- Long-term outlook (10-year period up to 2036):
- Environmental risks such as extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and changes to earth systems rank among the top long-term concerns.
- Adverse outcomes of artificial intelligence rise sharply as a long-term risk due to insufficient governance and potential harm to jobs and society.
- Immediate and short-term outlook (2026 to 2028):
India-Specific Findings
- For India, the top risks identified include cyber insecurity, income and wealth inequality, insufficient public services, economic downturn, and state-based armed conflict.
- The report notes that the strategic use of natural resources could create future tensions in the India–Pakistan context.
- India’s 2024 general elections are highlighted as an example of how misinformation and disinformation are undermining democratic processes worldwide.
