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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Political Instability (1/8)

Protesters shout slogans in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan, marked by periods of political turmoil, now faces new threats due to failed nation-building in neighboring Afghanistan and the assasination of former primer minister Benazir Bhutto just ahead of scheduled elections. Such instability can stir international tensions and create save havens for terrorist groups. (Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Global Recession (2/8)

Last year's collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market in the United States exposed vulnerabilities in the global risk market. The fallout of the crisis even led to a recession in the U.S., affecting economies around the globe. (Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Food Security (3/8)

Mexicans protest against rising corn prices in Mexico City. Rising demand for ethanol fuel made from corn boosted corn prices to record levels in 2007. According to the World Economic Forum, global food reserves are at their lowest in 25 years, making global food security a major theme in 2008 and possibly for years to come. (Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Outsourcing Work, Integrating Risk (4/8)

An engineer waits for a call in a Delhi call center. Many companies have discovered the advantages of outsourcing services, but this has created new dependence on external suppliers, manufacturers, and workers. It also makes companies more vulnerable to pandemics, conflicts, or natural catastrophes. A 1999 earthquake in Taiwan, for example, caused global semiconductor prices to double. (Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

The Future of Energy (5/8)

One paramount economic concern is a possible supply-side energy crunch within the next decade, as growing global oil demand conincides with stalling production. Fears over climate change have added environmental concerns to the discussion about the future of energy. Reducing carbon emissions has to inform investment on energy infrastructure and long-term energy sources.(Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Disease in a Globalized World (6/8)

Infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, are on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa, Russia, and Southeast Asia. Health experts also worry about a "jump" of another deadly disease from animals over to humans - as the case with bird flu. A changing climate also aggravates declining public health in some areas, because it changes or widens natural range of many vector-borne diseases, like malaria. (Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Geopolitical Risks (7/8)

U.S. warships hold drills off Iran's coast in May 2007. The Straits of Hormuz, a narrow channel off Iran's coast, is a major artery for global oil shipments. A stand-off between American and Iranian forces in the Straits would disrupt one fifth of worldwide oil shipments. Other geopolitical risks include ongoing instability in Iraq and Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation, and disorder in the Horn of Africa. (Photo: Reuters)

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The Most Important Global Risks in 2008

Asian Growth (8/8)

Some Asian economies like China and India are growing at up to 11 percent per year. Much of the global growth is counting on this trend, but is such growth sustainable? Economists disagree about whether domestic Asian growth could continue to drive the global economy, but the U.S. recession will definitely slow down Asian growth. (Photo: Reuters)

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