Global Risks to the Business Environment

Global risks pose unprecedented challenges for businesses today. As risks become more interconnected and volatile, they can disrupt markets worldwide nearly instantly. This report identifies 36 global risks across economic, geopolitical, societal and environmental categories. The 10 risks most likely to greatly impact business are: instability in Iraq, terrorism, emerging fiscal crises, disruption in oil supplies, radical Islam, a sudden decline in China's growth, pandemics, climate change, weapons of mass destruction, and unrestrained migration. Addressing global risks requires understanding interconnected systems and considering long-term impacts, rather than just reacting to short-term events. However, global risks also provide new opportunities for businesses that can anticipate changes and position themselves advantageously.