Failure to act on climate change has surpassed infectious diseases as the top concern of global experts, as Glasgow’s COP 26 and major protest movements put the issue in the spotlight.
The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual survey of global risks found that three environmental risks – failure of climate action, extreme weather and loss of biodiversity – are the top concerns among experts.
Before the pandemic hit, the world’s lack of efforts to tackle climate change had been a top concern in early 2020. It was also the biggest concern in 2016 in a survey conducted shortly after the important Paris Agreement negotiations.
transition
Weapons of mass destruction were the top concern for experts surveyed between 2017 and 2019, as North Korea ramped up its nuclear program. These concerns fell out of the top 10 entirely this year.
“The climate crisis remains the greatest long-term threat facing humanity,” said Peter Giger, chief risk officer at Zurich Insurance Group.
“Failure to act on climate change could reduce global GDP by a sixth, and the commitments made at Cop26 are still insufficient to meet the 1.5C target.
“It is not too late for governments and businesses to act on the risks they face and drive innovative, determined and inclusive transformations that protect economies and people.”
But UK experts are more concerned about cybersecurity failures, with climate change not making the top five most concerned about by UK respondents.
geopolitics
The annual report also showed signs of the pandemic. More than 84% of respondents said they were concerned or worried about the future of the world.
They said the social cohesion and livelihood crisis had worsened the most since the pandemic began, while also severely impacting climate action, mental health and extreme weather.
According to the report, only 3.7% of respondents are optimistic about the world outlook.
The World Economic Forum has postponed its annual Davos meeting until the summer because of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, saying the pandemic has widened the divide and technological divide between rich and poor countries.
It warned that “vaccine inequalities” were causing an uneven global economic recovery and risked sparking social and geopolitical tensions, while it added that 3.6 billion people still did not have adequate internet access.
economist
“Health and economic disruptions are fueling social divisions,” said Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the World Economic Forum.
“This is creating tensions at a time when cooperation within societies and among the international community is essential to ensure a more even and faster global recovery.
“Global leaders must come together and take a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach to address relentless global challenges and build resilience ahead of the next crisis.”
The survey was largely filled out by Europeans, with 44% of respondents from Europe. About 41% of respondents were from the business world, while the rest came from academia, government and charities, among others.
Of the respondents, 64% were male, with respondents most likely in their 40s or 50s. They represent several different areas of expertise, with economists representing the most.
this author
August Graham is a reporter from Pennsylvania City.
