Trend Political risks moving to the centre of global risk perceptions

Summary

The UN Global Risk Report 2026 finds that political risks have moved to the middle of the global risk landscape since the first survey in 2024. In the 2026 survey every risk in the political group gained perceived importance over 2024, and respondents rated political risks highest on both likelihood and severity. Large-scale war, the collapse of the rule of law and geopolitical tensions in particular were judged more probable than in the past. The shift also shows up by region, as the environmental risks that led the 2024 rankings slipped below political risks in many regions. Climate change inaction kept the top position overall, but the other environmental risks were overtaken by political ones. The report calls this the most concerning shift in its results.