Global Peace Index 2026

TMS PEACE JOURNALISM, 15 Jun 2026

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA | reliefweb - TRANSCEND Media Service

Download Report (PDF | 10.38 MB | Full report)

Download Report (PDF | 865.24 KB | Briefing)

*********************

GLOBAL PEACE INDEX BRIEFING 2026

Measuring peace in a complex world

9 Jun 2026 – The 2026 Global Peace Index reveals a world struggling with the economic consequences of a record-high number of conflicts that are increasingly interconnected and difficult to resolve. Global peacefulness deteriorated for the 12th consecutive year, driven by a profound geopolitical shift, known as the ‘Great Fragmentation’, characterised by the rising influence of middle powers and the waning strength of traditional European powers.

This is also accompanied by a rapid technological revolution in warfare that is leaving international law and diplomacy far behind. For the first time in history, machines are making life-and-death combat decisions faster than any human can review them, and the international frameworks meant to govern them lack global commitment.

2026 Key Findings

• There are now 119 countries in the world that are less peaceful now than they were in 2008. Conflict has been the primary driver of the deterioration.
• The three indicators with the largest deterioration since 2008 are violent demonstrations, internal conflicts fought, and external conflicts fought.
• Expenditure on peacebuilding and peacekeeping was US$49.2 billion in 2025, just 0.5 per cent of total military spending in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. While this has increased from US$37.3 billion in 2008, peacebuilding and peacekeeping continue to receive only a small share of total violence containment expenditure.
• The number of conflicts is at its highest point since the end of World War II, with 61 active state-based conflicts in 2024, with the number having doubled in the last 15 years. The expansion has been driven almost entirely by internationalised intrastate conflicts, which have increased by more than 175 per cent since 2010.
• Drones have become the defining weapon of modern warfare, spreading faster than any government can keep up with. Drone attacks rose roughly 11,500 per cent between 2018 and 2025, and 565 different armed groups carried out at least one attack in that period.
• AI’s physical footprint is rapidly reshaping global energy systems. Data centre electricity use is projected to reach 945 terawatthours by 2030, a doubling from 2024. Ireland’s data centres already consume 22 per cent of national metered electricity. 2026

_______________________________________________

ReliefWeb is the leading humanitarian information service provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). We deliver fast, reliable updates from 4,000+ sources, including NGOs, governments and research centers to the humanitarian community. Our platform combines expert editorial review with AI-powered tagging and automated content import to curate essential content—reports, maps, infographics and more. Access real-time updates on the ReliefWeb website, through custom email alerts, or via our robust API for seamless integration into your tools and workflows. As part of our commitment to user support, ReliefWeb will respond to requests within one business day. Stay informed. Stay connected. Use ReliefWeb to power your humanitarian decisions.

(Read about our history here) – Need more info? Want to give us feedback? Contact us at feedback@reliefweb.int. You will receive a response within one business day.

Go to Original – reliefweb.int

Share this article: email mastodon facebook 🔗 copy link

DISCLAIMER: The statements, views and opinions expressed in pieces republished here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of TMS. In accordance with title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. TMS has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is TMS endorsed or sponsored by the originator. “GO TO ORIGINAL” links are provided as a convenience to our readers and allow for verification of authenticity. However, as originating pages are often updated by their originating host sites, the versions posted may not match the versions our readers view when clicking the “GO TO ORIGINAL” links. This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

There are no comments so far.