On 2 February 2026, former European leader Mario Draghi spoke at KU Leuven, one of Europe’s oldest and most respected universities, and made a striking point: the post–World War II economic and geopolitical order is “effectively dead”. Rising competition between the United States and China, disagreements within Europe and territorial disputes like Greenland show just how fractured global governance has become. Across Europe, leaders are wrestling with how to balance alliances and autonomy in defence, industry and foreign policy.
These big-picture shifts are reflected in people’s everyday realities around the world. Pro-democracy protests in Iran – driven by economic hardship and state suppression – are spreading both inside the country and across the diaspora, leading to what has been called an unprecedented level of violent response from the governemt, resulting in a reported up to 10,000 deaths, with plans for a “global day of action” in mid-February. Pakistan’s decision to boycott a major cricket match against India shows how geopolitics even reaches international sports. In Gaza, the Rafah crossing with Egypt reopened in early February after more than 20 months, allowing some medical evacuations – but humanitarian challenges remain severe amid ongoing military strikes and limited aid.
Climate change is adding another layer of uncertainty. Floods in southern Africa, ‘bomb’ cyclones in the US bringing lowest temperatures since 1989 and heatwaves in Australia illustrate how extreme weather is intensifying, particularly in regions already affected by conflict.
All of this is reflected in the Doomsday Clock, now at just 85 seconds to midnight – the closest it has ever been. Scientists point to rising nuclear tensions, climate inaction, rapid technological advances like AI and declining international cooperation as reasons for this warning. It’s a reminder that these risks are connected, urgent and global.
We invite you to join GRF 410 and GRF 411 for this conversation. And if anything else caught your attention this week, bring it along—we’d love to hear your perspective.
- Global Risk Forum 410
- Thursday, 5th February at 17:00 GMT / 12:00 EDT
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- Global Risk Forum 411
- Friday, 6th February at 10:00 GMT
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