Growing Digital Dependence Giving Rise To Cyber Threats: WEF Report

Widespread youth disillusionment, digital inequality and fracture of inter-state relations are key risks for Indian economy, says a WEF survey

Growing dependence on digital processes in the last two years of Coronavirus pandemic has given rise to the risks posed by cybersecurity threats globally, while at the same time widespread youth disillusionment, digital inequality and fracture of inter-state relations are some of the key risks for the Indian economy, according to a survey released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday.

The Global Risks Report 2022, released by the WEF ahead of its online Davos Agenda meeting next week, said climate-related risks are among the biggest concerns in terms of impact, most notably in the long-term - where incidentally five of the top 10 global risks are all climate or environment-related.

The top five risks identified in the report are climate crisis, growing social divides, heightened cyber risks and uneven global recovery, as the pandemic lingers on. A global survey of experts found that only one in six are optimistic and only one in ten believe the global recovery will accelerate.

The report warned that the risks of growing social cleavages will continue to be exacerbated by the pandemic and experts are cautioning that the global economic recovery will likely be uneven and potentially volatile over the coming years.