ISLAMABAD: The `Global Risks Report 2025` released on Wednesday reveals an increasingly fractured global landscape, where escalating geopolitical, environmental, societal and technological challenges threaten stability and progress.

While economic risks have less immediate prominence in this year`s survey, they remain a concern, interconnected with societal and geopolitical tensions, says the report released by the Davos-based World Economic Forum. Statebased armed conflict is identified as the most pressing immediate global risk for 2025, with nearly one-quarter of respondents ranking it as the most severe concern for the year ahead.

Optimism is limited as the danger of miscalculation or misjudgment by political and military actors is high. `We seem to be living in one of the most divided times since the Cold War, and this is reflected in the results of the Global Risks Perception Survey 20242025 (GRPS), which reveal a bleak outlook across all three time horizons current, shortterm and long-term.

In a world that has seen an increasing number of armed conflicts over the last decade, national security considerations are starting to dominate government agendas.

Geopolitical recession dives deep into the dangers of unilateralism taking hold in national security considerations and highlights the worsening humanitarian impacts of the ongoing conflicts.

`The world has changed profoundly over the last 20 years and will continue to do so in unpredictable ways. But foresight based on informed, expert views remains critical for better planning and preparation, in both the short and long term,` observes WEF Mana-ging Director Saadia Zahid.

Misinformation and disinformation remain top shortterm risks for the second consecutive year, underlining their persistent threat to societal cohesion and governance by eroding trust and exacerbating divisions within and between nations. Other leading short-term risks include extreme weather events, societal polarisation, cyber-espionage and warfare.

Environmental risks dominate the longer-term outlook, with extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, critical change to Earth systems and natural resources shortages leading the 10-year risk rankings. The fifth environmental risk in the top 10 is pollution, which is also perceived as a leading risk in the short term.

The outlook for environmental risks over the next decade is alarming while all 33 risks in the GRPS are expected to worsen in severity from the two-year to the 10-year time horizon, environmental risks present the most significant deterioration, report says.

Its sixth-place ranking in the short term reflects a growing recognition of the serious health and ecosystem impacts of a wide range of pollutants across air, water and land.

Overall, extreme weather events were identified prominently as immediate, shortterm and long-term risks.

The long-term landscape is also clouded by technological risks related to misinformation, disinformation and adverse outcomes of AI technologies. The report, which draws on the views of over 900 global risks experts, policymakers and industry leaders surveyedin Sep and Oct2024, paints a stark picture of the decade ahead.

Respondents are far less optimistic about the outlook for the world over the longer term than the short term.

Nearly two-thirds of respond-ents anticipate a turbulent or stormy global landscape by 2035, driven in particular by intensifying environmental, technological and societal challenges.

Societal risks such as inequality and societal polarisation feature prominently in both shortand long-term risk rankings. Rising concerns about illicit economic activity, mounting debt burdens and the concentration of strategic resources highlight vulnerabilities that could destabilise the global economy in the coming years.

All these issues risk exacerbating domestic instability and eroding trust in governance, further complicating efforts to address global challenges. All 33 risks in the ranking increase in severity score over the longer term, renecting respondents` concerns about the heightened frequency or intensity of these risks as the next decade unfolds, says the World Economic Forum`s flagship publication on global risk.

As divisions deepen and fragmentation reshapes geopolitical and economic landscapes, the need for effective global cooperation has never been more urgent. Yet, with 64 per cent of experts anticipating a fragmented global order marked by competition among middle and great powers, multilateralism faces significant strain.

However, turning inward is not a viable solution. The decade ahead presents a pivotal moment for leaders to navigate complex, interconnected risks and address the limitations of existing governance structures. To prevent a downward spiral of instability and instead rebuild trust, enhance resilience, and secure a sustainable and inclusive future for all nations should prioritise dialogue, strengthen international ties and foster conditions for renewed collaboration.