WIREDGOV

On the surface, climate took a backseat at this year's World Economic Forum summit in Davos. Compared to previous years, the Global Risks Report 2026 indicated that environmental concerns have been deprioritised by leaders in the short-term, with geopolitical, societal and technological risks dominating the outlook;  conference sessions focused on "dealing with" climate impacts within "planetary boundaries", rather than preventing them; and renewables were subject to direct attack in one well-covered conference speech.

Nevertheless, half of the most severe long-term risks identified in the report are environmental – with "extreme weather events", "biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse" and "critical change to Earth systems" topping the list – indicating that perhaps the climate conversation has evolved, rather than disappeared completely. Digging into the content reveals that capacity-building and resilience, underpinned by nature and biodiversity, were hot topics, and global standards and treaties continue to tick along in the background as all sectors slowly shift towards viewing nature-positive solutions and reporting as "business as usual".

Interestingly, the UK government also chose last week to publish its Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security. Developed in partnership between Defra and UK intelligence agencies, the report frames biodiversity loss as a national security issue, citing risks to food systems, geopolitical stability and crime – all which cascade into market volatility and infrastructure vulnerability. What's more, many of the pressure points – including the Amazon rainforest and Great Barrier reef – are outside of the UK's direct control, meaning that our national security is reliant upon international cooperation and action.

For tech, the need to monitor and understand the impact of these risks is especially acute. Growth in AI and digital technologies demands a recalibration of energy and resource use, and long, complex supply chains dependent upon climate-challenged regions increases uncertainty for business. The Global Value Chains Outlook 2026 stresses that volatility is now structural, not cyclical, and that competitive advantage will hinge on “foresight, optionality and ecosystem coordination” – principles that explicitly link supply chain resilience with environmental stewardship.

The concept of "climate change" may be taboo for the moment, but investment in renewables, circularity, nature-positive solutions and technological innovation will ultimately still be key to ensuring long-term resilience and security for all nations across the globe.

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