Rising inequality and social polarization are set to shape world developments for the next decade after contributing to Britain's decision to leave the European Union and the ballot-box success of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the World Economic Forum said.

Climate change was underlined as the third major global trend in the WEF's annual assessment of global risks, released Wednesday in London. It said world leaders must work together to avoid “further hardship and volatility in the coming decade.”

“There's a wide array of potential threats; growing social and political turmoil, potential business interruptions which could stem from inter-state conflict, from social instability, terrorist attacks,” John Drzik, president of global risk at Marsh USA Inc., which contributed to the study, said in an interview. “This whole social and political context creates the potential for disruption.”