Understanding IEP: The Impact of Global Fragmentation on Conflict and World Peace

The 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI), launched by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), reveals a continuous decline in global tranquility, with critical conflict metrics hitting unparalleled heights since World War II. Heightened casualties from conflicts, increasing geopolitical tensions, and assertive actions from middle powers epitomize 'The Great Fragmentation,' marking a transformational shift in the international arena and signaling the dawn of a new geopolitical era. The intensified rivalry among major powers, the evolution of asymmetric warfare technologies, and swelling debt in at-risk economies all heighten the chances of renewed conflicts. Significant findings illustrate global peace at its most fragile since the index's establishment, with conflict precursor conditions deteriorating to their worst in decades. In 2024, state-based conflicts surged to a post-WWII zenith, resulting in around 152,000 deaths attributable to violence. Although certain indicators, such as crime rates, showed improvement, the extensive economic impacts of conflict are staggering, with the global cost of violence nearing $20 trillion. As geopolitical dynamics evolve, reevaluating defense strategies, particularly in North America and Europe, is increasingly paramount.