Scenarios 2027 / Matrix

Likelihood × impact

Matrix

All 24 scenarios in the Library, rated at Standard Severe. The ten ranked in 2027 are drawn solid; the others are hollow. Upside scenarios are marked ↗: for them, impact measures the scale of change, not loss. Use the horizon and impact toggles to change the axes, and the filters to dim what does not match.

Horizon
Impact scale
1Limited2Moderate3Significant4Severe5Catastrophic1Remoteunder 0.2 per cent2Unlikely0.2 to 1 per cent3Possible1 to 5 per cent4Likely5 to 25 per cent5Highly likelyover 25 per centLikelihood, two years (to end-2028) →Systemic impact →Global financial crisisChokepoint closureGeoeconomic confrontationEnergy supply shockSingle-supplier cut-offLegitimacy crisisHybrid campaignDigital state leapfrog ↗AI diffusion shock100-day pandemic defence ↗PandemicSuperintelligence takeoff ↗Food and water shockEnergy abundance ↗Biomedical breakthroughs ↗Great-power détente ↗Emerging-market breakout ↗Sovereign funding crisisDisaster in the coreMass displacementInfrastructure collapseSovereign debt reset ↗Middle East settlement ↗Yield revolution ↗
1Limited2Moderate3Significant4Severe5Catastrophic1Remoteunder 0.2 per cent2Unlikely0.2 to 1 per cent3Possible1 to 5 per cent4Likely5 to 25 per cent5Highly likelyover 25 per centLikelihood, two years (to end-2028) →National impact →Global financial crisisChokepoint closureLegitimacy crisisSingle-supplier cut-offGeoeconomic confrontationEnergy supply shockDigital state leapfrog ↗AI diffusion shockMass displacementInfrastructure collapseBiomedical breakthroughs ↗Great-power détente ↗Emerging-market breakout ↗100-day pandemic defence ↗PandemicFood and water shockSovereign funding crisisDisaster in the coreSuperintelligence takeoff ↗Energy abundance ↗Hybrid campaignSovereign debt reset ↗Middle East settlement ↗Yield revolution ↗
1Limited2Moderate3Significant4Severe5Catastrophic1Remoteunder 0.2 per cent2Unlikely0.2 to 1 per cent3Possible1 to 5 per cent4Likely5 to 25 per cent5Highly likelyover 25 per centLikelihood, ten years (to end-2036) →Systemic impact →Global financial crisisChokepoint closureGeoeconomic confrontationEnergy supply shockAI diffusion shockSingle-supplier cut-offLegitimacy crisisHybrid campaignDigital state leapfrog ↗PandemicSuperintelligence takeoff ↗Food and water shockEnergy abundance ↗Biomedical breakthroughs ↗Great-power détente ↗Emerging-market breakout ↗Yield revolution ↗Sovereign funding crisisDisaster in the coreMass displacementInfrastructure collapseSovereign debt reset ↗Middle East settlement ↗100-day pandemic defence ↗
1Limited2Moderate3Significant4Severe5Catastrophic1Remoteunder 0.2 per cent2Unlikely0.2 to 1 per cent3Possible1 to 5 per cent4Likely5 to 25 per cent5Highly likelyover 25 per centLikelihood, ten years (to end-2036) →National impact →Global financial crisisChokepoint closureLegitimacy crisisSingle-supplier cut-offGeoeconomic confrontationEnergy supply shockAI diffusion shockDigital state leapfrog ↗PandemicFood and water shockSovereign funding crisisDisaster in the coreSuperintelligence takeoff ↗Energy abundance ↗Hybrid campaignMass displacementInfrastructure collapseBiomedical breakthroughs ↗Great-power détente ↗Emerging-market breakout ↗Yield revolution ↗100-day pandemic defence ↗Sovereign debt reset ↗Middle East settlement ↗
A Economic and tradeB Geopolitical and securityC Energy, climate and resourcesD Technology and infrastructureE HealthHollow marker: in Library, not ranked in 2027 Upside scenario

Table equivalent

The same ratings as a sortable table. Hover a band or level for its range. Typical highly exposed nation, same five labels. The score is the highest dimension reached, not an average.

Movement
1Global financial crisis S03A Economic and trade4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely5CatastrophicCatastrophic5CatastrophicCatastrophicmedium20 Tier Inew
2Chokepoint closure S05B Geopolitical and security4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely4SevereSevere5CatastrophicCatastrophichigh20 Tier Inew
3Single-supplier cut-off S02A Economic and trade5Highly likelyHighly likely5Highly likelyHighly likely3SignificantSignificant4SevereSeverehigh20 Tier Inew
4Legitimacy crisis S07B Geopolitical and security4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely2ModerateModerate5CatastrophicCatastrophicmedium20 Tier Inew
5Geoeconomic confrontation S01A Economic and trade4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely4SevereSevere4SevereSeverehigh16 Tier Inew
6Energy supply shock S09C Energy, climate and resources4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely4SevereSevere4SevereSeverehigh16 Tier Inew
7AI diffusion shock S13D Technology and infrastructure3PossiblePossible5Highly likelyHighly likely4SevereSevere4SevereSeverelow12 Tier IInew
8Pandemic S14E Health3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely5CatastrophicCatastrophic5CatastrophicCatastrophicmedium15 Tier Inew
9Food and water shock S11C Energy, climate and resources3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely3SignificantSignificant5CatastrophicCatastrophicmedium15 Tier Inew
10Sovereign funding crisis S04A Economic and trade3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely2ModerateModerate5CatastrophicCatastrophichigh15 Tier Inew
—Disaster in the core S10C Energy, climate and resources3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely2ModerateModerate5CatastrophicCatastrophichigh15 Tier ILibrary
—Hybrid campaign S06B Geopolitical and security4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely2ModerateModerate3SignificantSignificantmedium12 Tier IILibrary
—Mass displacement S08B Geopolitical and security3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely2ModerateModerate4SevereSeveremedium12 Tier IILibrary
—Infrastructure collapse S12D Technology and infrastructure3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely2ModerateModerate4SevereSeverelow12 Tier IILibrary
—Superintelligence takeoff S15 ↗D Technology and infrastructure3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely5TransformativeTransformative5TransformativeTransformativevery low15 Tier IUpside
—Energy abundance S16 ↗C Energy, climate and resources3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely3SignificantSignificant5TransformativeTransformativemedium15 Tier IUpside
—Biomedical breakthroughs S17 ↗E Health3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely3SignificantSignificant4MajorMajorlow12 Tier IIUpside
—Great-power détente S18 ↗B Geopolitical and security3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely3SignificantSignificant4MajorMajorlow12 Tier IIUpside
—Sovereign debt reset S19 ↗A Economic and trade2UnlikelyUnlikely3PossiblePossible2ModerateModerate4MajorMajormedium8 Tier IIIUpside
—Emerging-market breakout S20 ↗A Economic and trade3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely3SignificantSignificant4MajorMajormedium12 Tier IIUpside
—Middle East settlement S21 ↗B Geopolitical and security2UnlikelyUnlikely3PossiblePossible3SignificantSignificant4MajorMajorlow8 Tier IIIUpside
—Yield revolution S22 ↗C Energy, climate and resources2UnlikelyUnlikely4LikelyLikely3SignificantSignificant4MajorMajormedium8 Tier IIIUpside
—Digital state leapfrog S23 ↗D Technology and infrastructure4LikelyLikely5Highly likelyHighly likely2ModerateModerate4MajorMajormedium16 Tier IUpside
—100-day pandemic defence S24 ↗E Health3PossiblePossible4LikelyLikely4MajorMajor4MajorMajorlow12 Tier IIUpside