 2016 was a remarkable year, with economic, social and political risks becoming increasingly interlinked. The Global Risks Report 2017 highlights five key risk areas where urgent action is needed. One, economic growth and reform. From the beginning of the 20th century to the 1980s, inequality had actually been declining in the industrialized world. However, between 2009 and 2012, the incomes of the top 1% in the US grew by more than 31%, compared with less than 0.5% for the remaining 99% of the population. Inequality is now seen as the most important global trend for the next 10 years. Two, rebuilding communities. Decades of rapid social and economic change have widened generational gaps and amplified issues of national identity and cultural values. The global politics is increasingly defined by a climate of post-truth, which means emotive political debate aimed at dividing public opinion. The challenge will be to find inclusive ways to bridge sharp cultural divides while preserving individual rights. Three, managing technological disruption. Technology is radically transforming our world and shaping the nature of the risks we face. An estimated 86% of manufacturing job losses in the US between 1997 and 2007 were due to automation, compared to less than 14% due to trade. With almost half of all jobs at risk due to rapid technological change, the nature of work itself is being transformed. We need new collaborative systems to minimize the risks of dramatic social disruption and increasing income disparity. Four, strengthening global cooperation. In 2016, we saw repeated signs of a fraying commitment to global cooperation and a renewed interest in building up national weapons capabilities. Progress towards multilateral trade agreements slowed down and prominent verdicts of international tribunals were rejected, reflecting a general loss of faith in collective security mechanisms. Five, accelerating action on climate change. While the Paris Agreement has been ratified by more than 110 countries, the situation remains critical. The last 16 years were among the 17 warmest on record. To limit the risk of catastrophic climate change, we need to keep global warming to within 2 degrees centigrade. To do this, emissions must be reduced by 40-70% by 2050 and eliminated altogether by 2100. As technological demographic and climate pressures intensify the danger of a global systems failure, it is now more important than ever to collaborate across all sectors of society to create an inclusive vision for the future.