Anticipating the future: Major risk clusters

November 2024

In a rapidly changing world, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has identified ten clusters of future risks that EU policymakers need to address. The report 'Risks on the Horizon (Abre numa nova janela)' underlines the need for proactive, ‘holistic’ strategies in face of complex, interconnected risks.

For its analysis, JRC has developed ten risk clusters, ranging from economic shifts to environmental challenges, which reflect potential threats that require careful consideration by policy makers. The idea is to provide policymakers with insights into potential futures and risks, helping them to make anticipatory decisions and build resilience to emerging challenges.

The ten clusters of future risks

A risk is the possibility of an undesirable effect associated with an event or activity. This encompasses potential negative outcomes of future events that can impact both society and policy.