Economic imbalances and social inequality risk reversing the
gains of globalization, warns the World Economic Forum in its
report Global Risks 2012.
These are the findings of a survey of 469 experts and industry
leaders, indicating a shift of concern from environmental risks to
socioeconomic risks compared to a year ago.
Respondents worry that further economic shocks and social upheaval
could roll back the progress globalization has brought, and feel
that the world's institutions are ill-equipped to cope with today's
interconnected, rapidly evolving risks.
The report analyses the top 10 risks in five categories - economic,
environmental, geopolitical, societal and technological - and also
highlights "X Factor" risks, the wild card threats which warrant
more research, including a volcanic winter, cyber neotribalism and
epigenetics, the risk that the way we live could have harmful,
inheritable effects on our genes.
Key crisis management lessons from Japan's earthquake, tsunami and
nuclear disasters are highlighted in a special chapter.
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