Releasing three separate lists ranking the top ten “Risks by Likelihood,” “Risks by Impact,” and “Risks by Interconnections,” the WEF reflects the responses of leaders across the Forum’s business, government, civil society, and thought leadership networks. The third chart explores some of the interactions of the various risks and works to integrate them in an interesting and useful way.
The top ten “Risks by Likelihood” were comprised of (in order of ascending importance)
10) Asset bubbles in a major economy
9) Water crisis
8) Major biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse (terrestrial or marine)
7) Large-scle involuntary migration
6) Man-made environmental damage and disasters (e.g. oil spills, radioactive contamination, etc.)
5) Large-scale cyberattacks
4) Massive incident of data fraud/theft
3) Major natural disasters
2) Failure of climate-change mitigation and adaptation
1) Extreme weather events” in the number one position
The top tens “Risks by Impact” are:
10) Rapid and massive spread of infectious diseases
9) Man-made environmental damage and disasters
8) Breakdown of critical infrastructure and networks
7) Large-scale cyberattack
6) Major biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse
5) Major natural disaster
4) Water crises
3) Extreme weather events
2) Failure of climate-change mitigation and adaption
1) Weapons of mass destruction
Lastly, the top 10 “Risks by Interconnections” are:
10) Adverse consequences of technological advances + large-scale cyberattacks
9) Large-scale involuntary migration + interstate conflict with regional consequences
8) Failure of a major financial mechanism or institution + asset bubbles in a major economy
7) Extreme weather events + food crises
6) Failure of regional or global governance + interstate conflict with regional consequences
5) Massive incident of data fraud/theft + large-scale cyberattacks
4) High structural unemployment or underemployment + profound social instability
3) High structural unemployment or underemployment + adverse consequences of technological advances
2) Large-scale cyberattacks + breakdown of critical information infrastructure and networks
1) Extreme weather events + failure of climate-change mitigation and adaptation
Source: These are the biggest risks facing our world in 2019 | World Economic Forum
