2022 Emerging Issues Bracket Challenge
What emerging issues keep you up at night?
While 2022 hasn’t (yet) brought us a reprieve from COVID-19, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that there are still plenty of other emerging issues that may demand our attention.
The 2022 Emerging Issues Bracket Challenge highlights some of these, including some new ones (hello NFTs), narrowing a field of 32 topics in a tournament-style matchup until only one remains.
And the top emerging issue is…
What were some of the trends behind this year’s top issues? What did Verisk’s resident bracketologist make of this year’s competition?
Bracket Chat: 2022 Challenge Recap
Bracket Chat: 2022 Challenge Recap
Listen to Christopher Sirota and Travis Decaminada from the Emerging Issues team recap the top issues from this year’s challenge.
Looking back: Emerging Issues Bracket Challenge archives
2021: Pandemic
For the second year in a row, pandemic was selected as the top issue in the 2021 Emerging Issues Bracket Challenge, passing through a final four that included tough competition from climate change, ransomware, and autonomous vehicles.
2020: Pandemic
As the 2020 tournament progressed, the ongoing spread of novel coronavirus seemingly made pandemic the only viable option to be selected as the top emerging issue.
2019: Data Breach and Security
Data breach and security wins its fifth Emerging Issues title in six years over semi-finalists opioids, marijuana, and climate change.
2018: Data Breach Liability
Perhaps because of high-profile data breaches, including the reported Equifax breach, cybersecurity-related issues were back on top in the 2018 Emerging Issues Bracket Challenge.
2017: Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous vehicles defeated distracted driving in the final round to become the winner of the 2017 Emerging Issues Bracket Challenge. Cyber-related topics made a strong showing, with data breach liability making it to the semifinals.
2016: Cybersecurity
With the growing frequency and severity of cyber attacks continuing to keep insurance professionals on the defensive, cybersecurity came out ahead of social media, drones, and the Internet of Things in the final rounds.
2022 Bracket Challenge topics in focus
Alternative Energy
Energy storage systems play an increasingly critical role in energy infrastructure. But are they a major fire hazard waiting to happen?
Cannabis
Industrial hemp farmers and marijuana farmers may be botanically at odds if their fields are located too close to each other.
Climate Crisis
Changing Arctic weather patterns are beginning to produce tangible results beyond the Arctic that could eventually reverberate throughout the world.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Edge computing may be around the corner, delivering with it a host of associated risks and benefits. Could edge computing have a significant impact on emerging technologies, as well as many others?
Supply Chain
How come some U.S. farmers are being compelled to waste so many food products when hundreds of millions of people—both at home and abroad—are dealing with crisis levels of hunger?
Cryptocurrency
The computing power required to mine cryptocurrency requires tremendous amounts of energy and, as a result, poses a risk to the environment in the form of greenhouse gas emissions.