As usual, analyses of top risks of the year have been published by various institutes. “G-Zero world”, coined by Eurasia Group in 2011 is becoming more real, observing conflicts and rivalry among authoritaritan and democratic nations, Islam, Christianity and so on.

Here is the top risks of the year picked up by Eurasia Group and a Japanese think tank as food for thought.

Euraisa Group:

  1. 46*
  2. Long Covid
  3. Climate: net zero meets G-Zero
  4. US-China tensions broaden
  5. Global data reckoning
  6. Cyber tipping point
  7. (Out in the) cold Turkey
  8. Middle East: Low oil takes a toll
  9. Europe after Merkel
  10. Latin America Disappoints
    Red Herrings
    • Trump’s friends in trouble
    • Techlash in the US
    • Iran-US confrontation

PHP Research Institute:

  1. 「気候変動」で始まる新たな戦略的競争
  2. コロナ禍対応の出口がもたらす経済「弱者」の危機
  3. パンデミックが惹起する暴動・テロの「熱波」
  4. 国家の戦略手段になるサイバー攻撃
  5. 「内なる敵」に迫力削がれるバイデン協調外交
  6. 皇帝化する習近平が引き起こす対立の先鋭化
  7. 「新冷戦」に活路の北朝鮮・混迷の韓国・地歩を失う日本
  8. 安定装置を失い動揺するタイ政治体制
  9. 「トランプ圧」抜けた中東「力の真空」で高まる衝突リスク
  10. 指導力を欠き漂流するメルケル・ロスの欧州

Tech War among authoritaritan and democratic nations may also have a big impact this year. Here is the top technology developments expected in 2021 from IEEE.

  • Peering Into the Pandemic End Game
  • Deep Learning at the Speed of Light
  • This Is How to Vaccinate the World
  • Supersonic Travel Returns
  • Look Out for Apple’s AR Glasses
  • Momentum Builds for Lithium-ion Battery Recycling
  • Three Ways to the Moon
  • Where No One Has Seen Before
  • The Ups and Downs of Gravity Energy Storage
  • Robot Trucks Overtake Robot Cars
  • The Carbon-Sucking Fans of West Texas
  • A Small Island Waits On Big Data Rates
  • 10 Exciting Engineering Milestones to Look for in 2021