Global Affairs: Key insights, data and solutions

Here’s Ipsos' best and freshest data and actionable intelligence on global issues for business leaders, policymakers and insights professionals

From climate change to economic and geopolitical instability, the 21st century has been defined by complex, interlocking trends at a planetary scale. Here's Ipsos' latest data on these global issues. 

Key takeaways:

  • Nearly eight in ten expect U.S. military involvement in Iran to continue for extended period
    • Amid the resumption of U.S. military strikes in Iran, 79% of Americans say they expect U.S. military involvement in Iran to go on for an extended period of time, according to a new Ipsos poll conducted July 10-12. The view that the U.S. will be involved in Iran for an extended period of time is up 14 percentage points since late March, when 65% said this. Back in March, an Ipsos poll found that 66% of Americans said the U.S. should work to end its involvement in the conflict quickly, even if it means we do not achieve all of our goals in Iran. 
  • Concern about military conflicts is on the rise globally
    • Concern about military conflict between nations is on the rise in 2026, according to the What Worries the World report.  The proportion mentioning military conflict between nations across 30 countries is up to 13%, which is 4pp higher than this time last year. North America has also seen increase levels of concern, albeit, not to the same degree: The U.S. (14%) is up 3pp and Canada (12%) has increased 5pp.
  • Around the world, optimism towards big issues is on the decline...
    • Global optimism has taken a hit in 2025 with a 7-point drop in citizens around the world feeling optimistic about themselves and about their community, according to the 9th edition of Ipsos Global Trends. Now just 59% say they are optimistic about themselves and their family and 45% are optimistic about the city or town where they live. This drop in optimism is striking and has broad implications for corporate and policy leaders alike.
  • ...But we think 2026 will be better than 2025
    • Two in three (66% on average globally) say 2025 was a bad year for their country. And after a year filled with political turmoil, 90% in France say it was a bad year for their country, the highest across 30 countries. 49% predict the global economy will be better in 2026 than it was in 2025.
  • People around the world name climate change, geopolitical instability as top emerging risks
    • The perception of living in a world facing multiple crises became more pronounced in 2025. Nearly all citizens surveyed believe that the number of crises has increased (93%, up 3% from 2024), according to the AXA Future Risks Report 2025. Among risk experts, this sentiment is even stronger, with 95% acknowledging it, including 60% who strongly agree, an increase of 10 ppts from 2024.

 

Americans are concerned about the environmental effect of AI data centers

Overall, AI data centers are not popular. Only 27% agree that AI data centers would significantly contribute to economic growth and job creation in their community. Only one in four say that the tech advancements outweigh the potential concerns. (Read more.)

As exhaustion sets in, expectations are shifting on climate change

Three of the last four years have been the hottest on record. Yet the individual desire to act on climate change has fallen over the same period. That tension sits at the heart of this report. What the data tells us is not a story of apathy. People still believe action is needed —in 28 of 31 countries, a majority say individuals must do more. But exhaustion is setting in, and expectations are shifting. Citizens are increasingly looking to governments and businesses to lead. In the U.S., this manifests as a shift toward pragmatic resilience. While extreme weather and the rising costs of energy, housing, and insurance are driving anxiety, they are also aligning Americans around shared values. (Read more.) 

WW3 is now Americans' top apocalyptic worry

It’s perhaps not surprising that the biggest change from the previous wave was a 5-point jump in those fearing World War III, and an equal jump in those fearing total economic collapse in the U.S. (putting those fears No. 2 and 1, respectively). Closely following that is a collapse of the U.S. democracy, which fell 8 points and dropped from the top worry to the third. (Read more.) 

Americans think the economy and foreign conflicts are the most pressing issues facing the nation  

The economy is seen as the most important problem by 16% of Americans, followed by war and foreign conflicts at 14%—a 13-point increase from February amid ongoing U.S. military strikes in Iran. When looking at other issues, there are notable partisan differences. (Read more.) 

Violence, inflation, and poverty top list of global worries

On the global stage, concern about inflation has gradually trended downward, according to Ipsos' What Worries the World report. On average across 30 countries, four in ten say their country’s current economic situation is good, rising to more than three in four in Singapore (78%), India (76%), and Malaysia (78%, which marks an all-time high good economy score). However, concern about crime & violence has steadily trended upwards. (Read more.) 

Americans have deep concerns over challenges facing future generations

Childhood tomorrow could look very different from growing up today. The nature and extent of that concern varies, however: 88% of Democrats worry that kids born today will have to deal with the effects of climate change, far more than Republicans (47%) and the general population (68%). (Read more.) 

Most Americans expect extreme weather events to become more frequent in the near future

According to the latest USA Today/Ipsos poll, a majority of Americans (58%) agree that extreme weather events will become more frequent in the near future. But while  84% of Democrats agree that extreme weather events will increase in the near future, only 38% of Republicans feel the same. Democrats are also much more likely than Republicans to say that weather events like extreme heat, wildfires, and hurricanes have gotten more intense in the past decade. (Read more.)

Consumers doubt brands' environmental claims

According to Ipsos' 2025 People and Climate Change report, only one in five (22%) across 32 countries trusts environmental claims made by companies about their products and services. (Read more.)

Consumers around the world say prices are the largest barrier to making more sustainable choices

Around the world, the perception of high prices continue to deter consumers from sustainable spending. (Read more.)

Global attitudes on the climate are converging

 

 

The macro environment for climate is changing rapidly as worldwide investment in renewables continues to rise and the impacts of global warming become more evident. Our data reflects this: globally, views on the importance of climate action are converging, and have increased in intensity over the past ten years. The key question now is how far — and how fast — people are willing to change their daily lives to reach shared goals. (Read more.)

Perspectives around the world on plastic pollution 

Strong majorities across 32 countries agree with a range of bans on plastics and byproducts, while there’s slightly lower support for putting more onus on governments and manufacturers. (Read more.)

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