The GeoStrategy Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, serves to directly advance the Scowcroft Center’s core mission by developing sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners. Its competencies in long-range foresight and strategy development are vital assets to government and business leaders as they navigate a complex and unpredictable world. Through its work, the initiative strives to revitalize, adapt, and defend a rules-based international system in order to foster peace, prosperity, and freedom for decades to come.

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

Practice areas

Strategy

Flyer for So what's the strategy? with Matthew Kroenig

Foresight

The new decade is in rapid flux and is characterized by geopolitical turbulence, economic complexity, technological disruption, demographic shifts and social interconnectedness. In this changing environment, we focus on identifying the key trends and risks which will fundamentally shape the future of humanity and global affairs. Our work encompasses a wide range of issues, from demography and urbanization to migration, power transitions and global governance, but is always driven by the principle that foresight is a key mindset for decision-making.

Technology and innovation

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is already underway. Technological development will fundamentally alter the global geopolitical landscape by changing governance structures, challenging human ingenuity and demanding innovative policy responses. Our team analyzes the political, socioeconomic, ecological, and security implications of emerging technologies, maps the evolution of innovation ecosystems and distills blueprints for entrepreneurship, in the Unites States and globally.

Geopolitics

The global power shift towards Asia, the United States’ relative decline and the emergence of transnational threats such as climate change are pulling at the threads of the post-World War II international system. Our team’s research discerns the outline of the dawning multipolar order by exploring power transitions, geopolitical shifts, and civil society movements. At the same time, we seek to challenge the assumptions which have been underpinning US foreign policy for the last 70 years and adapt them for current times.

Non-traditional security challenges

In the 21st century, the definition of security and its global architecture are changing under the pressure of transnational, non-traditional threats such as migration, climate change and inequality, in an unresponsive global governance system. GSI is reframing security policy paradigms by bringing into the fold cutting-edge issues such as environmental security, peacebuilding, resilience and illicit trade, and providing policy solutions for the international community, states and citizens.

Team

Experts

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

Content

In the News

Mar 13, 2025

Bayoumi interviewed on ABC News Australia on tensions between the US and Canada

On March 12, Imran Bayoumi, associate director of the GeoStrategy Initiative in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, was interviewed on ABC New Australia on US President Donald Trump’s relationship with expected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney amid tariff disputes.

Politics & Diplomacy Trade

In the News

Mar 7, 2025

Michta quoted in Le Figaro on Washington’s shifting relationship with Europe  

On February 28, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, was quoted in Le Figaro on the Trump administration’s relationship with European allies. He argues that both US President Donald Trump and European leaders are responsible for the current fractures in transatlantic relations.

Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Mar 6, 2025

The real reason Russia invaded Ukraine (hint: it’s not NATO expansion)

By Andrew A. Michta

Russia invaded Ukraine not because of NATO expansion, but because the West failed to back up Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture with hard power.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Mar 3, 2025

Meyer interviewed in DW on the Trumps administration’s priorities for technology regulation and competition

On February 27, Joel Meyer, nonresident senior fellow in the Scowcroft Center’s GeoStrategy Initiative, was interviewed by DW after the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris. He argues that US Vice President JD Vance’s speech at the summit serves as a “wake-up-call” for European regulators to foster an “AI ecosystem that will allow Europe […]

Artificial Intelligence Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Feb 27, 2025

Michta in 19FortyFive and RealClearWorld on Washington’s evolving relationship with Europe 

On February 21, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, published an article in 19FortyFive on the so-called “transatlantic drift” as President Trump changes how the United States “traditionally engages with [European] allies.” This piece was featured in RealClearWorld.  

Europe & Eurasia NATO

In the News

Feb 26, 2025

Michta in 19FortyFive on the impact of EU climate policies on Europe’s economy  

On February 15, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, was published in 19FortyFive on the effect of the European Union’s climate policies on Europe’s economy. He argues that the European Union’s “overly-ambitious emissions reduction targets” and “rigid climate policy” have stagnated European economic growth and overly burdened its corporations.  

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Feb 19, 2025

Michta in 19FortyFive on the impact of EU climate policies on Europe’s economy  

On February 15, Andrew Michta, senior fellow in the GeoStrategy Initiative, was published in 19FortyFive on the effect of the European Union’s climate policies on Europe’s economy. He argues that the European Union’s “overly-ambitious emissions reduction targets” and “rigid climate policy” have stagnated European economic growth and overly burdened its corporations.  

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Testimony

Feb 18, 2025

Matthew Kroenig testifies to the House Committee on Homeland Security on China’s strategic port investments in the Western Hemisphere 

On February 11, 2025, Atlantic Council Vice President and Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Senior Director Matthew Kroenig testified before the US House Committee on Homeland Security on China’s strategic port investments in the Western Hemisphere, drawing on recommendations from the Atlantic Council Strategy Paper titled A Strategy to Counter Malign Chinese and Russian […]

China Infrastructure Protection

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Feb 12, 2025

Global Foresight 2025

In this year’s Global Foresight edition, our experts share findings from our survey of global strategists on how human affairs could unfold over the next decade. Our team of next-generation scholars spot “snow leopards” that could have major unexpected impacts in 2025 and beyond. And our foresight practitioners imagine three different scenarios for the next decade.

Civil Society Climate Change & Climate Action

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Feb 12, 2025

The Global Foresight 2025 survey: Full results

In the fall of 2024 after the outcome of the US presidential election, the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security surveyed the future, asking leading global strategists and foresight practitioners around the world to answer our most burning questions about the biggest drivers of change over the next ten years. Here are the full results.

Africa China