Global Worries, Local Priorities

The Munich Security Index 2026 has unveiled divergence in the most pressing risks perceived by populations across the globe. Based on a survey of around 1,000 adults per country conducted in November 2025, the report highlights how different nations prioritize threats, ranging from climate change to geopolitical tensions. The index scores obtained cover five dimensions of risks: overall impact, trajectory, severity, imminence and preparedness.

In Brazil, concerns about climate change (index score=78), extreme weather and forest fires (77) top the list, reflecting the country’s vulnerability to environmental crises. Similarly, India ranks climate change (53) and the destruction of natural habitats (51) as its primary worries, underscoring the growing urgency of ecological threats in the "Global South".

For Germany and the United Kingdom, cyberattacks (75 and 74, respectively) emerge as the foremost concern, signaling heightened anxieties over artificial intelligence and digital security. Meanwhile, economic and financial crises are a shared priority in Japan (70), the United Kingdom (70) and the United States (67), where political polarization (67) is also seen as a major risk.

In Canada, fears of trade wars (68), extreme weather and forest fires (65) dominate, reflecting both economic and environmental vulnerabilities. China, however, views the United States (38) and trade wars (31) as its top concerns, illustrating the geopolitical friction shaping its security outlook. The authors of the report nevertheless point out that "polling in autocracies is always challenging, as respondents may not feel that they can freely express their views - the results from China should therefore be interpreted with caution".