AXA Future Risks Report 2022: Climate change is becoming the number one concern around the world

• Climate change becomes the number one risk in all geographies
• Geopolitical risks come in second, overtaking cyber and pandemic risks
• Sense of vulnerability to certain risks increases and confidence wanes
  

AXA today released the ninth edition of its Future Risks Report. This global survey measures and ranks the evolution of perceptions of emerging risks. It is based on responses from a panel of 4,500 risk experts from 58 countries and a representative sample of 20,000 people from 15 countries. This report is produced in partnership with the IPSOS research institute and the geopolitical analysis consultancy Eurasia Group.

For the first time, climate risk tops the list of experts' concerns in all regions of the world and becomes the main concern of the general public in the United States. Last year, US experts ranked cyber risk first and Asian experts ranked pandemic risk second.

Geopolitical risks come in second place, overtaking cyber and pandemic risks. 95% of the experts surveyed expect geopolitical tensions to persist and spread throughout the world. As an indirect consequence, energy-related risks are now in fourth place, up from 17th place last year.

Economic risks are increasing and fuelling social tensions. For the first time, experts rank three economic risks in their top 10: financial instability, macroeconomic deterioration and monetary and fiscal stress. Inflation is becoming an important concern for both experts and the general public.

In the general population, the feeling of vulnerability remains at a very high level (80% of respondents consider themselves more vulnerable than five years ago), and is even increasing in the face of certain risks such as climate change and the energy crisis. Furthermore, confidence in certain categories of decision-makers to find solutions is worsening, particularly regarding public authorities (58% vs. 62% in 2021), private companies (45% vs. 47% in 2021) and even scientists (66% vs. 75% in 2021). This general trend can be explained by the fact that the public believes that the level of preparation of public authorities for certain risks - such as climate change, cyber or geopolitical tensions - is insufficient.