The Global Risks Report 2025 puts sustainable development to the test
Global Risks Report 2025 puts sustainable development to the real test
In the year 2025, the world will witness unprecedented transformations at all levels, as social, economic and environmental crises rapidly threaten our stability and hinder the achievement of sustainable development. International reports highlight these transformations and present disturbing scenarios for the world in the coming years.
Understanding these crises and identifying their future repercussions is crucial to being able to anticipate appropriate solutions. Between increasing global divisions and the rapid growth of technology that outstrips society's ability to adapt, the vital role we must play in building a sustainable future is highlighted.
Through a deeper analysis of the risks facing the world, we discover that there is a real opportunity to rethink development models and redirect them towards solutions that take into account the concept of sustainable development, and from hereEarth Guardsin this article reviews the Global Risks Report 2025 issued by the World Economic Forum, and discusses how it can contribute to forming clear visions about the future; So keep reading.
Global Risks Report 2025
With the beginning of 2025,The World Economic Forum issued the twentieth edition of the Global Risks Report, revealing a turbulent international scene in which political and environmental crises intersect with technological and economic challenges. Which portends an unprecedented period of uncertainty, and negatively affects sustainable development paths, as increasing crises may hinder the progress of many countries towards achieving their goals in this field.
The report opens two key windows into this confusing future: The first is through the Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS), where misinformation, conflicts, and internal divisions dominate the scene in 2025. The second is by looking at the period between 2027 and 2035, and the report presents possible scenarios for the future of the world, ranging from geopolitical stagnation to escalating division.
The world in 2025
The report indicates that this year will witness political and social division, in light of multiple crises related to security, sovereignty, resources and technology. This assessment is based on the results of the Global Risk Perception Survey (GRPS), in which more than half of the participants considered that the short term - between now and two years - will witness an escalation in unrest and threats, which may also affect sustainable development, as the challenge increases in achieving social, economic and environmental stability in light of the spread of information. Misleading.
Threats related to disinformation - including the use of artificial intelligence techniques to falsify facts - top the list of potential global risks, with “false and misleading information” at the top, along with “armed conflicts between countries” and “internal social unrest.”
Global division accelerates in 2027
The report expects that during the next three years the world will move towards greater complexity and division, with a clear absence of a collective vision or effective international cooperation. The report highlights three possible scenarios for the year 2027, all of which reflect the decline of global governance, the decline in the role of international organizations, and the escalation of national tendencies in the face of common crises. She is:
First Scenario
Called “stagnation,” it paints a picture of a stagnant world, in which governments fail to coordinate; Which leads to limited responses to important issues such as climate change and cybersecurity.
Second Scenario
Gloomier, as conflicts between major powers intensify, proxy wars and economic conflicts become widespread; This reshapes the global system into competing blocs suffering from scarcity of resources and stagnant development.
The final scenario
presents a vision of regional alliances cooperating on specific files, such as energy security and climate change, but it does not live up to the desired level of international cooperation. The common denominator between these perceptions is the absence of any horizon for comprehensive global cooperation, and this reflects a pessimistic view of the future of governance in the coming years.
Geopolitical recession and the return of the Cold War climate
The Global Risks Report indicates that the world is entering a phase of “geopolitical recession,” in which cooperation between the major powers is declining in a worrying manner, in light of the growth of competing blocs, and the return of an atmosphere of tension resembling theCold War.
In this atmosphere, countries are becoming more closed in their interests and strengthening their military and digital capabilities, while the ability of international institutions to mediate is decreasing, and regions such as Eastern Europe, the South China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula are emerging as potential hotspots for escalation.
In this tense context, technology has turned into a dual-effect weapon; The rapid development in the fields of artificial intelligence and cyberspace not only deepens competition between countries, but also contributes to spreading misinformation and fueling divisions within societies through social media platforms, which puts the stability of many governments at risk. Which exposes sustainable development to serious risks in the long term.
Economic tensions are obstacles to development
The Global Risks Report highlights the escalation of economic tensions in a world moving towards multipolarity, where protectionist policies are increasing and cross-border investments are declining, and with increasing restrictions on trade and sensitive technologies, global supply chains are disintegrating, which portends further economic isolation, and exacerbates the fragility of markets in developing countries.
The report warns that these dynamics will lead to the monopoly of technology and knowledge within limited economic blocs, and this will deepen the gap between rich and poor countries, and undermine efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Developing countries will be deprived of opportunities to access innovation, which will weaken their economic capabilities and threaten their financial stability, especially with the decline in international support.
At the same time, the Global Risks Report indicates that the global race for natural resources, such as energy, water and minerals, will intensify economic competition, and enhance the tendency of countries towards protecting their local industries through new restrictions.
At a time when developed countries are benefiting from the revolution of artificial intelligence and modern technologies, developing countries remain stuck in a knowledge gap that deepens inequality and puts their future at risk, which hinders the achievement of sustainable development.
Technology and internal division
The report believes that technology has become a tool for deepening polarization within societies instead of unifying them. With the rapid spread of artificial intelligence and advanced applications, opportunities to manipulate minds and direct public opinion, whether by governments or other institutions, increase.
The digital gap between developed and developing countries is widening; Which deepens social disparities, as elites benefit from technologies to improve their services and lives, while many in the weakest groups remain vulnerable to unemployment and marginalization. The report indicates that the pace of technical progress far exceeds the ability of public policies to keep pace with it. Which leads to a regulatory vacuum that may be exploited by some harmful parties.
Features of an unstable future in 2035
By 2035, the world will face a range of increasing challenges, such as environmental crises and geopolitical tensions, and according to the results of the Global Risk Perception Survey (GRPS), the risks assessed are expected to increase over the next decade.
The expansion of artificial intelligence and biotechnology technologies may open the way for innovative solutions, but it raises increasing concerns about enhancing social and economic gaps. These technologies may be a solution to some problems, but they may also lead to deepening divisions. Which makes it difficult to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
At the same time, climate change continues to have a significant impact on environmental and economic systems; Which threatens the environmental balance necessary to achieve sustainable development, as expectations indicate that many countries in which the population over 65 years of age exceeds 20% will face severe pressure on health care systems, while countries with young demographics are witnessing rapid growth, and this puts pressure on education and job opportunities.
Pollution at a crossroads
The Global Risks Report indicates that pollution - especially chemical pollution and microplastics - will become one of the most prominent intractable environmental crises in 2035 if it is not addressed effectively in the coming years, as international statistics indicate more than 9 million premature deaths recorded annually due to pollution, and these numbers are expected to continue to rise.
The report also indicates that microplastics are currently found in the air, water, and even in human blood, and if current trends in consumption and production continue, environmental pollution may become an uncontrollable element, especially with dwindling water resources, rising temperatures, and increasing use of chemicals in industry and agriculture.
In light of what was revealed by the “Global Risks Report 2025”, the world is facing a decade full of challenges that threaten stability and environmental and social balance, which hinders the achievement of sustainable development. From this standpoint,Earth Guards believes that this report should be an incentive for action; Environmental risks, geopolitical divisions, and widening economic and social inequalities are all outcomes that can be avoided if there is international will and real cooperation.
