World risks / Also watching
Food, climate & health
17 risks have this as their main hotspot, and 1 more is listed here. The strongest: The CDC or WHO confirms sustained human-to-human spread of H5N1 bird flu (Severe impact · unlikely).
This page answers: Which risks gather in this hotspot, and how strong is each one?
Using this page
- Read each circle: its size shows Impact, its colour shows this month's trend.
- Read Likelihood in words beside each risk in the list.
- Click a circle or a risk to open its own page.
- Lens
- Security
- This month
- ▲ rising
- Status
- Under way
- Reviewed
- 28 Oct 2026
Circle size · ImpactlowelevatedhighColour · this monthrisingsteadyfallingcrimson ring: under waymain lane, schematicchokepoint
A theme hotspot has no single place: the map hatches and names its main countries, and draws each risk on the country it starts in.
Source · Strature risk cards with this main hotspot · Map data: Natural Earth (public domain). · lanes schematic · places approximateData as of 31 Oct 2026
Risks in this hotspot Strongest first; Impact and Likelihood in words
- The CDC or WHO confirms sustained human-to-human spread of H5N1 bird fluSevere impact · unlikely · ▶ steady
- A strong El Niño through winter 2026-27 cuts harvests and water supplyElevated impact · under way · ▲ rising
- India, Indonesia or Russia bans exports of rice, palm oil or wheat in the El Niño yearElevated impact · possible · ▲ rising
- World food prices climb back to 2022 levels: the FAO Food Price Index tops 150Elevated impact · possible · ▲ rising
- El Niño forces programmed power cuts to homes in Bogotá's region or the CaribbeanElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- The EU moves to delay its carbon price on fuel and heating a second timeElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- El Niño's dry season forces the Panama Canal to cut drafts againElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- Peru opens no first anchovy season in 2027Elevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
9 more risks in this hotspot
- El Niño floods leave 100,000 people in Peru without home or livelihoodElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- The EU puts off its carbon border bill, or a big partner hits backElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- Indonesian fire haze returns to Singapore at unhealthy levels in 2027Elevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- Rotating power cuts return to Luzon in the El Niño dry seasonElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- Romania limits power to consumers in a supply crisisElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- Northern Vietnam runs short of power in the 2027 dry seasonElevated impact · possible · ▶ steady
- Drought cuts France's first wheat export outlook for 2027-28 by a fifthElevated impact · unlikely · ▶ steady
- River heat forces three or more French reactors to stop or cut output at once in summer 2027Low impact · possible · ▶ steady
- England's drought carries into 2027 with a ban on non-essential water useLow impact · possible · ▲ rising
Also listed here risks whose main hotspot is another
- Urea prices return to crisis levels for the 2027 spring plantingHigh impact · possible · ▶ steady