Denmark
Third illustrative run, on the second-pass scenario set. The capability scores are candidate ratings and the test settings were drafted with the scenario records in the second pass; neither has been adopted. Scores are from the GINC National Capability Index 2026, which describes them as candidate ratings. Exposure is set nation by nation from the CIA World Factbook 2025 and the scenario’s regional exposure. Results show the method working on real scores; they are not findings about any nation. How the tests work.
Vulnerability and opportunity
Archetype: Anchors. Absorb most shocks and take most of the upside. One of 27 nations with a similar pattern of results.
Well placed over 10 years: lower vulnerability, higher opportunity than the median nation.
- Vulnerability · 10 years
- 7.2
- rank 180 of 197 · 3 years: 7.1
- Opportunity · 10 years
- +28.0
- rank 16 of 197 · 3 years: +28.2
- Shock absorbed
- 56%
- by its own buffers, across downside scenarios
- Policy dividend
- +0.05
- expected index points from best practice
- Breadth
- 10of 10
- scenarios in which a domain falls a band
- Weakest link
- Information Environment & Strategic Communication
- weakest point in 2 scenarios
Main drivers of vulnerability over 10 years: Hybrid coercion, Regional war spillover, AI labour shock. Highest exposure indicators: internet users as a share of population; urban share of population; share of population aged 65 and over; trade in goods and services relative to gdp; little renewable water per head; refugees hosted per head of population.
Downside scenarios: load test
Change in Denmark’s capability index under each scenario at Standard Severe and current plans, largest fall first.
ScenarioChange in index, points
| Scenario | Exposure | Change | No response | Best practice | Rank shift | Bands lost | Weakest point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe pandemic S10 | High 0.90 | −0.58 | −1.40 | −0.56 | 0 | 14 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 10.9 · Transitional |
| Cryptographic trust break S09 | High 0.91 | −0.57 | −1.16 | −0.48 | 0 | 18 | Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations 9 · Foundational |
| Regional war spillover S03 | High 0.70 | −0.52 | −1.02 | −0.43 | ▲ 1 | 17 | Strategic Strike & Missile Defence 3.9 · Nascent |
| AI labour shock S08 | High 0.86 | −0.51 | −1.27 | −0.48 | ▲ 1 | 15 | Artificial Intelligence 10 · Transitional |
| Trade bloc rupture S01 | High 0.68 | −0.48 | −1.01 | −0.43 | ▲ 1 | 14 | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 4.2 · Nascent |
| Hybrid coercion S04 | High 0.78 | −0.46 | −0.87 | −0.37 | 0 | 13 | Maritime Power 8.8 · Foundational |
| Global funding seizure S02 | High 0.63 | −0.32 | −0.78 | −0.31 | 0 | 12 | Economic Output & Productivity 13.7 · Established |
| Breadbasket failure S06 | Medium 0.41 | −0.27 | −0.65 | −0.26 | 0 | 10 | Energy Infrastructure 10 · Transitional |
| Core disaster S07 | Medium 0.46 | −0.24 | −0.64 | −0.24 | ▲ 1 | 9 | Energy Infrastructure 10 · Transitional |
| Legitimacy rupture S05 | Medium 0.40 | −0.20 | −0.52 | −0.19 | 0 | 9 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 11.5 · Transitional |
Where each scenario lands
Change in each of the nine capability domains, in points. Darker is a larger fall.
| Scenario | CT Critical Technology | SI Strategic Infrastructure | NS National Security | HC Human Capital | II Information & Influence | GI Governance & Integrity | FS Financial Strength | PI Production & Innovation | TI Trade & Investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe pandemic | −0.62 | −0.31 | −0.25 | −0.75 | −0.66 | −0.70 | −0.66 | −0.64 | −0.64 |
| Cryptographic trust break | −0.74 | −0.40 | −0.74 | · | −0.89 | −0.84 | −0.78 | −0.34 | −0.38 |
| Regional war spillover | −0.29 | −0.70 | −0.64 | −0.27 | −0.27 | −0.67 | −0.62 | −0.53 | −0.69 |
| AI labour shock | −0.57 | −0.26 | · | −0.69 | −0.60 | −0.71 | −0.60 | −0.59 | −0.59 |
| Trade bloc rupture | −0.62 | −0.24 | −0.22 | −0.24 | −0.56 | −0.54 | −0.56 | −0.55 | −0.75 |
| Hybrid coercion | −0.34 | −0.74 | −0.74 | · | −0.82 | −0.85 | · | −0.31 | −0.31 |
| Global funding seizure | −0.19 | −0.21 | · | −0.22 | −0.19 | −0.44 | −0.71 | −0.50 | −0.44 |
| Breadbasket failure | −0.14 | −0.33 | −0.12 | −0.31 | −0.30 | −0.32 | −0.34 | −0.26 | −0.29 |
| Core disaster | −0.01 | −0.36 | −0.11 | −0.28 | −0.13 | −0.32 | −0.34 | −0.29 | −0.29 |
| Legitimacy rupture | −0.12 | −0.13 | −0.24 | −0.12 | −0.28 | −0.38 | −0.31 | −0.12 | −0.13 |
Columns: CT Critical Technology · SI Strategic Infrastructure · NS National Security · HC Human Capital · II Information & Influence · GI Governance & Integrity · FS Financial Strength · PI Production & Innovation · TI Trade & Investment.
Upside scenarios: capture test
Net position in each upside scenario: what Denmark is ready to capture, less what it stands to lose.
| Scenario | Position | Net | Capture | Loss | Readiness | Rank | Binding capability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outbreak defence succeeds S20 ↗ | Gainer | +59.9 | 60.9 | 0.9 | 70 | 9 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 · Established |
| Chronic disease advance S19 ↗ | Gainer | +42.9 | 52.7 | 9.8 | 79 | 11 | Biotechnology & Health Technologies 15 · Advanced |
| Clean power threshold S15 ↗ | Gainer | +33.8 | 36.2 | 2.4 | 59 | 26 | Energy Technologies 9.4 · Transitional |
| Automated discovery step S17 ↗ | Gainer | +32.4 | 40.8 | 8.4 | 46 | 21 | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 5.2 · Nascent |
| Middle East settlement S14 ↗ | Gainer | +24.0 | 26.1 | 2.1 | 63 | 29 | Energy Infrastructure 10.5 · Transitional |
| Market access opening S12 ↗ | Gainer | +21.8 | 32.8 | 10.9 | 65 | 14 | Energy Infrastructure 10.5 · Transitional |
| Great-power détente S13 ↗ | Gainer | +19.5 | 26.9 | 7.4 | 48 | 19 | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 5.2 · Nascent |
| Public service leap S18 ↗ | Gainer | +13.4 | 15.6 | 2.2 | 70 | 20 | Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies 11.8 · Transitional |
| Water-efficient food leap S16 ↗ | Gainer | +12.5 | 18.1 | 5.6 | 78 | 32 | Transport Infrastructure 14.9 · Established |
| Debt service reset S11 ↗ | Mixed | −3.9 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 67 | 152 | Energy Infrastructure 10.5 · Transitional |
Reverse stress test
Working backwards from an outcome to the conditions most likely to produce it for Denmark, over 10 years. Headroom is how many times Standard Severe the nearest single scenario would have to be. The lever is the capability where a change would move the result most.How to read it.
| Routes to failure | Basket | Likelihood | Most likely route | Headroom | Lever |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakdown of state function | 17.0 Advanced → Established | 1.9% Possible · rank 137 | Regional war spillover Major + Hybrid coercion Severeplans fail | ×2.8 | Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations 10.3 |
| Strategic awareness failure | 10.8 Transitional → Foundational | 1.2% Possible · rank 39 | Hybrid coercion Major + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×2.7 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Broad fall in governance and integrity | 17.0 Advanced → Established | 1.0% Possible · rank 124 | Hybrid coercion Severe + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×3.5 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Loss of financial stability | 16.1 Advanced → Established | 0.9% Unlikely · rank 157 | Global funding seizure Extremeplans fail | ×3.6 | Sovereign Capital & External Financial Power 13.2 |
| Breakdown of information trust | 14.0 Established → Transitional | 0.8% Unlikely · rank 62 | Hybrid coercion Severe + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×3.4 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Broad fall in information and influence | 13.1 Established → Transitional | 0.7% Unlikely · rank 51 | Hybrid coercion Severe + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×3.4 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Diplomatic isolation | 14.8 Established → Transitional | 0.6% Unlikely · rank 54 | Hybrid coercion Severe + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×3.4 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Failure of digital lifelines | 14.5 Established → Transitional | 0.6% Unlikely · rank 30 | Hybrid coercion Severe + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×3.4 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Health system failure | 16.7 Advanced → Established | 0.5% Unlikely · rank 99 | Regional war spillover Major + Severe pandemic Severeplans fail | ×2.7 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad fall in financial strength | 15.6 Advanced → Established | 0.5% Unlikely · rank 155 | Global funding seizure Severe + Cryptographic trust break Severeplans fail | ×3.8 | Sovereign Capital & External Financial Power 13.2 |
| Collapse in energy security | 9.9 Transitional → Foundational | 0.5% Unlikely · rank 67 | Regional war spillover Severe + Hybrid coercion Severeplans fail | ×3.4 | Resource Infrastructure 9.8 |
| Broad fall in trade and investment | 15.1 Advanced → Transitional | 0.5% Unlikely · rank 81 | Trade bloc rupture Severe + Severe pandemic Severeplans fail | ×4.0 | Advanced Manufacturing 13.2 |
| Rupture in trade and supply | 15.0 Advanced → Transitional | 0.4% Unlikely · rank 137 | Trade bloc rupture Severe + Regional war spillover Severeplans fail | ×3.2 | Resource Infrastructure 9.8 |
| Broad fall in national security | 8.7 Foundational → Nascent | 0.3% Unlikely · rank 41 | Regional war spillover Major + Hybrid coercion Extremeplans fail | ×4.1 | Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations 10.3 |
| Rule of law failure | 17.2 Advanced → Established | 0.3% Unlikely · rank 159 | Hybrid coercion Major + Cryptographic trust break Extremeplans fail | ×3.4 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Loss of advanced technology base | 7.6 Foundational → Nascent | 0.3% Unlikely · rank 8 | Trade bloc rupture Major + Cryptographic trust break Extremeplans fail | ×4.2 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Broad fall in critical technology | 9.9 Transitional → Foundational | 0.3% Unlikely · rank 16 | Trade bloc rupture Major + Cryptographic trust break Extremeplans fail | ×4.1 | Quantum Technologies 10 |
| Defence readiness failure | 10.8 Transitional → Foundational | 0.3% Unlikely · rank 52 | Regional war spillover Major + Hybrid coercion Extremeplans fail | ×3.9 | Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations 10.3 |
| Broad fall in strategic infrastructure | 13.4 Established → Transitional | 0.3% Unlikely · rank 88 | Regional war spillover Major + Hybrid coercion Extremeplans fail | ×4.1 | Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations 10.3 |
| Loss of industrial capacity | 15.2 Advanced → Established | 0.2% Unlikely · rank 104 | Regional war spillover Major + Severe pandemic Extremeplans fail | ×4.7 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad fall in production and innovation | 15.9 Advanced → Established | 0.2% Unlikely · rank 89 | Regional war spillover Major + Severe pandemic Extremeplans fail | ×4.7 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad fall in human capital | 16.8 Advanced → Established | 0.2% Remote · rank 50 | Regional war spillover Major + Severe pandemic Extremeplans fail | ×4.0 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Education pipeline failure | 17.0 Advanced → Established | 0.1% Remote · rank 52 | Regional war spillover Major + Severe pandemic Extremeplans fail | ×4.3 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Food and water failure | 15.2 Advanced → Established | under 0.1% Remote · rank 176 | Regional war spillover Severe + Breadbasket failure Extremeplans fail | ×4.9 | Sovereign Capital & External Financial Power 13.2 |
| Loss of strategic deterrence | 3.6 Nascent | — No route · rank 44 | No route found · closest 3.0 of 3 | ×5.6 | — |
| Routes to prosperity | Basket | Likelihood | Most likely route | Headroom | Lever |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stronger health and biotechnology | 16.1 Advanced → Advanced | 13% Likely · rank 17 | Chronic disease advance Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Major | ×1.0 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Frontier AI and compute | 8.1 Foundational → Transitional | 11% Likely · rank 18 | Automated discovery step Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.2 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Capable digital government | 16.8 Advanced → Frontier | 8.3% Likely · rank 21 | Automated discovery step Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.2 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 · reaches Frontier |
| Broad rise in governance and integrity | 17.0 Advanced → Frontier | 7.9% Likely · rank 20 | Chronic disease advance Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.2 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 · reaches Frontier |
| Trusted public institutions | 17.0 Advanced → Frontier | 7.7% Likely · rank 20 | Chronic disease advance Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.3 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 · reaches Frontier |
| Research translated into value | 16.4 Advanced → Advanced | 6.9% Likely · rank 17 | Automated discovery step Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.5 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad rise in critical technology | 9.9 Transitional → Transitional | 6.0% Likely · rank 19 | Automated discovery step Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.5 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad rise in human capital | 16.8 Advanced → Frontier | 5.3% Likely · rank 16 | Chronic disease advance Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.5 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 · reaches Frontier |
| Reliable low-cost energy | 9.9 Transitional → Transitional | 5.2% Likely · rank 18 | Clean power threshold Extreme | ×1.4 | Energy Technologies 9.4 |
| Broad rise in trade and investment | 15.1 Advanced → Advanced | 3.5% Possible · rank 18 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.4 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Higher-value manufacturing | 12.5 Established → Established | 3.0% Possible · rank 22 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.6 | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 5.2 |
| Sophisticated export strength | 15.2 Advanced → Advanced | 2.9% Possible · rank 20 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.6 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Higher-value international business | 15.4 Advanced → Advanced | 2.6% Possible · rank 19 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.6 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad rise in production and innovation | 15.9 Advanced → Advanced | 2.5% Possible · rank 19 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.6 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad rise in strategic infrastructure | 13.4 Established → Advanced | 2.1% Possible · rank 22 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.5 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Adaptable skilled workforce | 17.3 Advanced → Frontier | 2.0% Possible · rank 20 | Chronic disease advance Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.6 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 · reaches Frontier |
| Secure food and water supply | 15.2 Advanced → Advanced | 1.9% Possible · rank 20 | Automated discovery step Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.6 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Stronger information environment | 11.5 Transitional → Established | 1.5% Possible · rank 16 | Chronic disease advance Severe + Outbreak defence succeeds Severe | ×1.2 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Wider international influence | 14.8 Established → Advanced | 0.9% Unlikely · rank 20 | Chronic disease advance Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Extreme | ×1.6 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad rise in financial strength | 15.6 Advanced → Advanced | 0.8% Unlikely · rank 23 | Chronic disease advance Extreme + Outbreak defence succeeds Major | ×1.6 | Biotechnology & Health Technologies 15 |
| Assured space services | 6.9 Foundational → Foundational | 0.8% Unlikely · rank 21 | Automated discovery step Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Extreme | ×1.9 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Broad rise in information and influence | 13.1 Established → Advanced | 0.8% Unlikely · rank 23 | Chronic disease advance Major + Outbreak defence succeeds Extreme | ×1.4 | Information Environment & Strategic Communication 12 |
| Deeper long-term finance | 15.2 Advanced → Advanced | 0.7% Unlikely · rank 23 | Clean power threshold Major + Chronic disease advance Extreme | ×2.2 | Biotechnology & Health Technologies 15 |
| Broad rise in national security | 8.7 Foundational → Transitional | under 0.1% Remote · rank 23 | Automated discovery step Extreme + Outbreak defence succeeds Extreme | ×2.5 | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 5.2 |
| More deployable joint force | 11.0 Transitional → Established | under 0.1% Remote · rank 23 | Automated discovery step Extreme + Outbreak defence succeeds Extreme | ×2.5 | Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 5.2 |