Global Risks 2011

The Global Risks 2011 report identifies economic disparity and global governance failures as the most interconnected risks, which exacerbate other threats and inhibit effective responses. It highlights three critical risk clusters: macroeconomic imbalances (fiscal crises and asset price collapse), the illegal economy (illicit trade and corruption), and the water-food-energy nexus. The report also identifies 'risks to watch,' including cyber security, demographic challenges, and weapons of mass destruction, while advocating for a long-term, multistakeholder approach to build global resilience.

• Economic disparity and global governance failures are identified as the two most highly connected risks, acting as catalysts that can increase the likelihood and impact of other global risks while hindering the capacity to respond to them.
• The 'macroeconomic imbalances' nexus consists of fiscal crises, asset price collapse, and currency volatility, driven by the tension between high debt in advanced economies and the increasing influence of emerging economies.
• Advanced economies face significant long-term threats to fiscal solvency due to unfunded liabilities, particularly those related to ageing populations, which may dwarf short-term costs like fiscal stimulus.
• The 'illegal economy' nexus, comprising illicit trade, organized crime, and corruption, is estimated to represent between 7% and 10% of the global economy and creates a feedback loop with economic disparity.
• The 'water-food-energy' nexus is under unsustainable pressure from population growth and prosperity; demand for these resources is projected to rise by 30-50% over the next two decades.
• Climate change is ranked as the risk with the highest combined likelihood and impact, despite being categorized as a chronic rather than event-driven risk.
• Cyber security is designated as a 'risk to watch' due to the potential for catastrophic consequences from cyber theft, espionage, cyber war, and cyber terrorism, as well as design flaws in 'smart' systems.
• Demographic shifts create divergent risks: advanced economies face fiscal stress from ageing populations, while some developing countries face 'population cluster bombs' where rapid growth combined with weak institutions threatens social stability.
• There is a risk of retrenchment from globalization driven by populist responses to economic disparities and a potential decline in the leadership capacity of the United States.
• The risk of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is primarily centered on nuclear proliferation among states and non-state actors, as well as the potential use of biological weapons.

APA

World Economic Forum (2011). Global Risks 2011. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2011.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Global Risks 2011. 2011. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2011.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Global Risks 2011 |date=2011 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2011.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2011global, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Global Risks 2011}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2011}, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2011.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }