The Global Risks Index
NXS-GRX · 47 entries · 2026-10

The risk index landscape

What the world's risk indices measure, how, and where they stop, so NXS-GRX can interoperate with them and close the gaps between them. Source series are read where licences admit and never re-weighted.

Page GRX-LNDEdition Baseline Edition 2026Evidence close 2026-09-30Values not yet publishedSnapshot 31a753f76
47
indices read
8
families
17
gaps addressed
9
standards followed
01Gaps

What no index does yet

Established risk and resilience indices, read for interoperability and validity checks. Names are those of their stewards and are cited for reference only; no text of any index is reproduced and no endorsement is implied. Commercial providers are described by category. Indicator counts change between editions; the current methodology note of each index governs. NXS-GRX (canonical data, provenance and risk) relation: SOURCE (a published series NXS-GRX may read as a source where its licence admits, never re-weighted), CROSSWALK (used for validity checks and mapping), COMPLEMENT (a different object NXS-GRX does not reproduce).

GapNXS-GRX design
No index unifies hazard, vulnerability, conflict, macro-finance, cyber, health, food, nature and technology in one structureTwenty index domain indices in four pillars, one grammar
Systemic and cascading risk is described, not modelledCoupling instrument: typed dependency networks, contagion models, coupled beside standalone composite
Subnational coverage is thin and not comparableADM1, ADM2 and one H3 fabric for hazard, exposure and capacity
Uncertainty is rarely reported; ranks are over-read90% intervals, class probabilities and Sobol sensitivity on every value; no league tables
Data lags one to three yearsPulse instrument: weekly nowcast over admitted event streams
Few indices forecast or are back-testedOutlook instrument with published verification scorecards
Scenario projections are rare and macro-onlyPathways instrument: SSP × warming level and transition families to 2030, 2050 and 2100
Perceived and measured risk are blurredPerception instrument kept separate, with a published gap
Values rarely trace to sources, versions and licencesRecord-level provenance, licence gate, public correction log
Machine access is weak (PDF and spreadsheet releases)API, SDMX keys, vector tiles, bulk files and versioned releases
Licence restrictions block derived reusePer-source licence gate; withheld values counted
Coverage gaps cluster in fragile and small-island statesCoverage vector per country; imputation flagged and capped
Capacity on paper is mistaken for performanceCapability ladder from listed to demonstrated in real events
Methods change and break comparabilitySemantic versions, back-cast series, digests per release
Neglected domains: AI, space weather, biosecurity, minerals, digital infrastructure, tail riskExponential technology and strategic systems series; Tail instrument
No shared taxonomy across indiceshazards with HIPs crosswalks; indicators with 501 crosswalks to source code lists
Means hide fat tailsExceedance curves, return-period losses and expected shortfall where loss can be modelled
02Family

Multi-hazard disaster and humanitarian risk

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
INFORM RiskEU Joint Research Centre with the IASC reference group191 countriesAnnual with mid-year update3 dimensions, about 15 components, roughly 74 to 80 indicators. Arithmetic means to component level, geometric mean of hazard and exposure, vulnerability and lack of coping capacity; 0–10Source seriesNo financial, cyber or systemic risk; no intervals; one to three year data lag
INFORM Severity, Climate Change, Warning and subnational modelsEU Joint Research Centre and partnersCrises, projections, admin levelsMonthly to irregularINFORM grammar applied to severity, projections and subnational units. INFORM methodCrosswalkSubnational models are not mutually comparable and share no grid
WorldRiskIndexNGO alliance with a university institute193 countriesAnnualExposure × vulnerability (susceptibility, coping, adaptation); more than 100 indicators. Geometric mean; 0–100CrosswalkPopulation-driven exposure; no conflict hazard
Global Assessment Report and Global Risk Assessment FrameworkUNDRRGlobalAbout biennialThematic assessment; earlier probabilistic global risk model. Probabilistic loss modelling and narrativeComplementNo standing index or API; systemic risk described rather than measured
GDACS alertsUN OCHA with the EU Joint Research CentreGlobal eventsNear real timeHazard-specific alert models. Rule and model based; green, orange, redSource seriesSingle events; no cumulative or compound view
ThinkHazard!World Bank GFDRRAdmin-2, globalOccasional11 hazards by intensity and frequency. Classification in four classesCrosswalkHazard only; no vulnerability
Climate Risk IndexGermanwatch (NGO)About 170 to 190 countriesAnnual6 loss indicators. Weighted rank sum; single-year and 30-year windowsCrosswalkBackward-looking; inherits loss-database reporting bias
ND-GAINUniversity of Notre DameAbout 185 countriesAnnualVulnerability and readiness; 45 indicators. Arithmetic means; 0–100CrosswalkCountry level only; readiness bias toward high-income countries
States of FragilityOECD170+ contexts screenedAbout biennial6 dimensions, about 50 indicators. Principal components and clustering into classesCrosswalkClassifies rather than measures; not predictive
Global Conflict Risk IndexEU Joint Research CentreAbout 130 to 190 countriesAnnual or semi-annualAbout 24 structural variables. Logit models of conflict probability; 0–10CrosswalkStructural only; no event nowcast
03Family

Conflict, peace, fragility and governance

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Fragile States IndexFund for Peace (NGO)179 countriesAnnual12 indicators in 4 groups. Content analysis, quantitative data and review; 0–120CrosswalkMedia-volume bias; reuse restricted
Global Peace Index and Global Terrorism IndexInstitute for Economics and Peace (NGO)About 163 countriesAnnual23 indicators; 4 terrorism indicators. Banded weighted means; log-banded scoresCrosswalkContested weights; source-dataset dependency
ACLED Conflict IndexACLED (NGO)About 240 countries and territoriesAnnual and weeklyDeadliness, danger, diffusion, fragmentation. Rank-based severity categoriesSource seriesLicence limits redistribution
UCDPUppsala UniversityGlobal, geocoded eventsAnnual and monthlyEvent data with best, low and high fatality estimates. Event coding; no compositeSource seriesThreshold of 25 battle deaths for conflicts
V-DemUniversity of Gothenburg202 countriesAnnualMore than 500 indicators, 5 high-level indices. Bayesian measurement model with credible intervals; 0–1CrosswalkExpert subjectivity; one-year lag
Worldwide Governance IndicatorsWorld BankAbout 214 economiesAnnual6 dimensions from about 35 sources. Unobserved components with standard errorsSource seriesPerception-based; correlated source errors
Corruption Perceptions IndexTransparency International (NGO)180 countriesAnnual13 expert and business sources. Standardised mean with confidence intervals; 0–100CrosswalkNo-derivatives licence constrains reuse
Global Organized Crime IndexGI-TOC (NGO)193 countriesBiennialCriminal markets, actors and resilience. Expert assessment; 1–10CrosswalkExpert-driven
Basel AML IndexBasel Institute on Governance (NGO)About 160 to 200 jurisdictionsAnnual17 to 18 indicators in 5 domains. Weighted mean; 0–10CrosswalkDepends on evaluation cycles
Bertelsmann Transformation Index and Ibrahim Index of African GovernanceFoundations137 and 54 countriesBiennialExpert criteria; about 96 indicators. Expert scores; arithmetic meansCrosswalkPartial coverage
04Family

Economic, sovereign and financial risk

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Country Risk ClassificationOECD (export credits arrangement)About 200 countriesThree times a yearModel plus expert adjustment. Classes 0–7CrosswalkTransfer and convertibility risk only; model unpublished
Debt sustainability frameworks (LIC-DSF, SRDSF)IMF and World BankLow-income and market-access countriesPer reviewThresholds, stress tests, fan charts. Mechanical signals plus judgementSource seriesPer-country, not a comparable index; NXS-GRX never reproduces the published signals
Sovereign credit ratingsCommercial rating agencies (category)About 130 to 150 sovereignsOngoingCommittee scorecards. Letter gradesComplementPaywalled; NXS-GRX is not a rating and uses no rating scale
Early-warning indicators and financial stress indicesBIS and central banks40+ economiesDaily to quarterlyCredit gaps, debt service, stress composites. Gaps, thresholds, portfolio weightsSource seriesAdvanced economies mostly
Global Supply Chain Pressure IndexFederal Reserve Bank of New YorkGlobalMonthly27 variables. Principal components; standard deviationsCrosswalkNo country decomposition
Logistics Performance IndexWorld Bank139 countriesEvery 3 to 5 years6 dimensions plus tracking KPIs. Survey; 1–5CrosswalkInfrequent; perception-based
Economic complexityUniversity research centresAbout 130 to 145 countriesAnnualExport diversity and ubiquity. Eigenvector methodCrosswalkStructural signal, not risk
05Family

Climate, environment and nature

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Environmental Performance IndexYale and Columbia universities180 countriesAbout biennial58 indicators, 11 issue categories. Weighted mean; 0–100CrosswalkPerformance, not risk
Central-bank network climate scenariosNetwork of central banks and supervisorsGlobal, regional, countryAbout annual6 to 7 scenario families. Integrated assessment and macro modelsSource seriesPathways, not an index; physical risk understated
Aqueduct water riskWorld Resources Institute (NGO)Global sub-basinsOccasional13 indicators. Weighted; 0–5 with projectionsSource seriesCoarse units; ageing layers
Biodiversity intactness, ENCORE and the Ocean Health IndexMuseums, UNEP-WCMC, universitiesGlobal grid, sectors, EEZsVariesModels, dependency matrices, goals. Statistical models; materiality ratings; 0–100CrosswalkWeak link to local ground truth
06Family

Health and food

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Global Health Security IndexNGO and university partnership195 countries2019 and 20216 categories, 37 indicators. Weighted mean; 0–100CrosswalkMeasured capacity on paper; not updated since 2021
IHR self-assessment (SPAR) and Joint External EvaluationWHO196 States PartiesAnnual and ad hoc15 capacities; 19 technical areas. Self and external scoring; 1–5Source seriesSelf-reporting bias
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification and Cadre HarmoniséMulti-agency technical partnershipAssessed areasPer country cyclePhases 1–5, current and projected. Evidence convergence by technical working groupsSource seriesLimited to assessed areas
Global Hunger Index and Global Report on Food CrisesNGOs; FAO, WFP and EU networkAbout 50 to 136 countriesAnnual4 indicators; headcounts. Standardised sum; aggregationCrosswalkThree-year lag; aggregation rather than scoring
07Family

Technology, cyber and frontier risk

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Global Cybersecurity IndexITU194 countriesAbout biennial5 pillars. Questionnaire; 5 tiers since 2024Source seriesMeasures commitment, not threat or incidents
National Cyber Security IndexGovernment-backed academy170+ countriesRolling12 capacities, 46 indicators. Evidence-checked; 0–100CrosswalkCapacity only
AI indices and incident monitorsUniversities, OECD and NGOsVariesAnnual or continuousDescriptive indicators, responsible-AI scores, incident data. MixedCrosswalkNo probabilistic national AI-risk index exists
Global catastrophic risk assessmentsUniversity centres and foundationsGlobalIrregularNarrative and elicited probabilities. Expert elicitationComplementNo standardised country index
08Family

Perception and foresight

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Global Risks ReportWorld Economic Forum (not-for-profit foundation)GlobalAnnualSurvey of experts rating about 33 global risks over 2- and 10-year horizons. Perception surveyCrosswalkPerception only; no probabilities; respondent pool skewed
World Risk PollLloyd's Register Foundation (charity)About 142 countriesBiennialExperienced and perceived risk. Household pollCrosswalkSurvey cadence
Corporate risk barometers and reinsurer researchCommercial insurers and reinsurers (category)GlobalAnnualSurveys and loss databases. Perception and proprietary loss dataComplementProprietary inputs
09Family

Development and resilience

IndexStewardCoverageCadenceStructure and methodRelationLimitation
Human Development Index and Multidimensional Poverty IndexUNDP with OPHI193 and about 110 countriesAnnual3 dimensions; 10 indicators. Geometric mean; Alkire–FosterSource seriesSurvey lags
SDG Index and Social Progress IndexUN SDSN; a non-profitAbout 167 to 170 countriesAnnual17 goals; 12 components. Arithmetic means; PCA weightsCrosswalkOutcome dashboards, not risk
Sendai Framework MonitorUNDRRReporting countriesAnnual38 indicators under 7 targets. National self-reportingSource seriesUneven reporting
Global Innovation IndexWIPOAbout 133 countriesAnnual7 pillars, about 80 indicators. Arithmetic means with a published statistical auditCrosswalkInnovation, not risk; a model of audit transparency
Business Ready (B-READY)World Bank101 economies (2025), expandingAnnual3 pillars over 10 topics. Expert questionnaires and firm surveys; 0–100Source seriesCoverage still expanding

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