Global security addresses the protection of people and assets from threats that transcend national borders. This includes economic concerns, terrorism, natural disasters, and environmental issues that affect the entire planet. Global security also addresses the need for international cooperation to tackle these challenges.
The need for greater global security is growing as a result of rapid shifts in demographics, technological advancements and shifting climate patterns. These changes can lead to unpredictable risks and challenges for businesses, families, governments and individuals.
As a result of rising global interdependence, security concerns that were once local have the potential to destabilize entire regions and create significant worldwide impacts. This dynamic has expanded the focus of security professionals from primarily dealing with border conflicts and territorial disputes to addressing more global issues.
To be effective, security leaders must adopt a broader definition of security. The 2025 edition of our Global Risk Map explains how we’re entering the age of the polycrisis—a world where multiple global and local crises interact to create escalating threats and complex risk landscapes.
The concept of human security is a critical element of this new reality. It recognizes that the well-being of a person is dependent on several different pillars of safety: economic, food, health, environment, personal and community. This is a far more holistic view of security than the one that still prevails in many countries, which prioritizes a military-based approach to national security. In this context, Louis Beres’ observation that states continue to act as if the security of their own citizens depends on their national military strength is more relevant than ever.