Those dealing with hazards know that our global economy, social connections, and climate woes are resulting in more complex disasters with more far-reaching impacts.

This is concerning, so the World Economic Forum has created a process that maps the concerns of nearly 500 industry, government, academic, and civil society leaders. What the WEF learned through surveys and workshops has been consolidated into Global Risks 2012, the seventh edition of a report that aims to take the pulse of global uncertainty.

The report examines the 10-year outlook for 50 global risks having “global geographic scope, cross-industry relevance, uncertainty as to how and when they may occur, and high levels of economic and/or social impact requiring a multi-stakeholder approach to response.” Among these 50 items, five were found to have a “center of gravity”— chronic fiscal imbalances, greenhouse gas emissions, global governance failure, unsustainable population growth, and critical systems failure. According to the WEF, by focusing on these gravity centers, risk managers and emergency planners can more accurately foresee trends and better prepare for the unexpected.

Also included in this edition is a special report on leadership, communication, and business resilience in the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, and “X Factors,” such as volcanic winter, epigenetics (the idea that our lifestyle can have harmful effects on our genes), and mega-accidents. Interactive report elements can be found on the World Economic Forum website.