World Entering an Age of Competition
According to the World Economic Forum Global Risk Report 2026, the world is entering an Age of Competition. The report highlights that 50% of 1700 world experts surveyed predict, based on data trends, a “turbulent” or “stormy” environment over the next two years. Global stability and trust will be eroded by geoeconomic confrontation and rapid technological shifts.
The report which explores risks in the current or immediate term (in 2026), the short-to-medium term (to 2028) and in the long term (to 2036) details these five critical findings:
The multilateral system is under pressure. Declining trust, diminishing transparency and respect for the rule of law, along with heightened protectionism, are threatening longstanding international relations, trade and investment and increasing the propensity for conflict. Top of mind for respondents is geoeconomic confrontation and this was selected as the top risk most likely to trigger a material global crisis in 2026 and provide a continued threat which will increase during the next 10 years.
Geoeconomic confrontation is ranked as the single biggest threat over the short-term (2-year) horizon, surpassing armed conflict and extreme weather threats. This means that there will be rising protectionism and weakened alliances that are fracturing the global economy.
Second, there is declining Trust and multilateralism. Multilateral frameworks are in retreat. These frameworks are structured systems of cooperation involving three or more countries united by shared rules, goals, or agreements. They provide a diplomatic and legal foundation that allows nations to collectively address complex global challenges. Misinformation, disinformation, and deepening societal polarization are continually undermining structural trust, leaving the international community less capable of collective action.
This trend toward isolationism leads to the third threat: economic volatility. Economic risks saw the sharpest rise in rankings. Leaders are increasingly concerned about potential downturns, rising inflation, and asset bubbles amidst high global debt burdens.
Artificial Intelligence and cybersecurity now pose systemic structural threats. Technological acceleration, AI-driven labor displacement, and ethical challenges are shifting into major long-term concerns, which could incite broader social unrest.
Lastly, are the long-term environmental threats. While sometimes deprioritized in the immediate term, extreme weather remains the defining risk over the next 10-year (2036) horizon, threatening supply chains and physical infrastructure.
Countries that have not examined and planned for stormy, turbulent times in the economic and social programs will face increased fragility. Already fragile emerging economies will be set back due to lack of multilateral agreements that have addressed economic, social and technological co-operations that have benefited individual countries and regional intergovernmental political and economic unions. For decades such unions have provided for economic integration; human and social development, foreign policy coordination and security.
Acknowledging this global research, countries must strengthen their global stability and build trust within their societies and with their regional neighbors so that they can withstand geoeconomic confrontation and rapid technological shifts.
