Group 1 - Economic conflicts between major powers are identified as the greatest risk facing the world over the next two years, with "geoeconomic confrontation" cited by 18% of surveyed experts [1][2] - The second most common risk is "state-based armed conflict," mentioned by 14% of respondents, followed by "extreme weather events" at 8% [2] - Economic sanctions have become a prevalent tool, exemplified by the freezing of billions of dollars of Russian assets post-invasion of Ukraine [3] Group 2 - Concerns are rising regarding access to critical economic resources, particularly rare earth metals, which are essential for technology products and largely controlled by China [3][4] - The G7 finance ministers are actively discussing strategies to diversify the supply of these critical minerals due to their concentrated supply chains [4] - Over a longer horizon of 10 years, the most severe risks identified relate to climate emergencies, with "extreme weather events" being the top concern [4][5] Group 3 - The World Economic Forum (WEF) warns that traditional rules and institutions that have maintained stability are now under threat, as trade, finance, and technology are increasingly used as tools of influence [7] - The upcoming Davos meeting will gather numerous senior figures from politics, business, and civil society to discuss the global economy, highlighting the importance of dialogue amidst current tensions [5][6]

Water Scarcity & Consumption - The UK is currently facing water scarcity issues [10] - By 2055, the water deficit in England is projected to reach 5 billion liters per day, exceeding one-third of the current daily water usage [12] - Since 1971, the UK population has increased by 12 million, leading to greater water demand [14] - Individual daily water consumption has almost doubled compared to six decades ago [15] - A medium-sized data center consumes the same amount of water as three average-sized hospitals [5] - Producing an average-sized chocolate bar requires 1,000 liters of water [5] - Sprinklers can waste 1,000 liters of water per hour [19] Impact & Solutions - Climate change, driven by human behavior, exacerbates water scarcity through extreme weather events like floods and droughts [15][16] - Most of England is officially categorized as seriously water-stressed [16] - Reducing shower time by one minute can save 15 liters of water per shower [19] - Collective small actions, such as reducing shower time, can significantly contribute to bridging the 5 billion liter daily water gap [20][21]