Global Risks 2012
Based on a survey of 469 experts and industry leaders, the report finds that chronic fiscal imbalances and severe income disparity are the risks that are rated most likely to occur over the next 10 years, while a systemic financial crisis and food and water shortages are seen to have the highest potential impact over the same period. Compared with a year ago, the results show a shift of concern from environmental risks to socio-economic ones.
IN FOCUS
Risk Landscape 2012:
Based on a survey of 469 experts and industry leaders, the report finds that chronic fiscal imbalances and severe income disparity are the risks that are rated most likely to occur over the next 10 years, while a systemic financial crisis and food and water shortages are seen to have the highest potential impact over the same period. Compared with a year ago, the results show a shift of concern from environmental risks to socio-economic ones.
The report examines three major risk cases of concern:
- The Seeds of Dystopia — Bulging populations of young people with few prospects, growing numbers of retirees depending on debt-saddled states, and the expanding gap between rich and poor are all fuelling resentment.
- Unsafe Safeguards — As the world grows ever more complex and interdependent, traditional policies, norms and institutions that serve as a protective system are failing to keep up.
- The Dark Side of Connectivity — Our daily lives are almost entirely dependent on connected online systems, making us susceptible to malicious individuals, institutions, and nations that increasingly have the ability to unleash devastating cyber attacks remotely and anonymously.
Progress in society in one area could be undermining society in other ways
John Drzik
CEO
Oliver Wyman
