According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), global leaders have identified escalating armed conflict as the most immediate threat in 2025, with concerns over the climate emergency growing significantly over the next decade. A survey conducted by WEF, ahead of its annual gathering in the Swiss ski resort of Davos next week, revealed that 23% of more than 900 leaders from business, politics, and academia feared state-based armed conflict, largely due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, along with other violent clashes in regions like Sudan and Gaza.
With devastating wildfires continuing to rage in Los Angeles, the second-most common risk highlighted for 2025 was “extreme weather events”, singled out by 14% of respondents.
Last year saw catastrophic floods, droughts, and fires, underscoring the impact of the climate crisis. Scientists have linked these extreme events to global warming, which continues to make such occurrences more frequent and intense.
Looking ahead to the next decade, four out of the top 10 global risks were related to climate change. These included extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, critical changes to Earth’s systems, and natural resource shortages.
WEF’s managing director, Gim Huay Neo, stressed the urgency of addressing the climate crisis, noting that global warming in 2024 reached a record 1.54°C above pre-industrial levels.
Additionally, technology-related concerns such as ”misinformation and disinformation” and the ”adverse outcomes of AI technologies” were highlighted, with growing anxiety over the potential risks of AI surpassing human intelligence.
As the Davos meeting approaches, these pressing global challenges will be at the forefront of discussions among leaders and stakeholders. This year’s week-long Davos meeting will take place in the shadow of Trump’s inauguration – with the new president set to address the gathering virtually next Thursday.
Organisers are expecting 60 heads of state and government to attend, alongside chief executives and campaigners.