About the program

The GeoStrategy Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, utilizes long-range foresight and strategy development to understand 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.

Core pillars

  • Develop sustainable, nonpartisan, forward-leaning strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners through the Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series, Strategy Consortium, and So What’s The Strategy?
  • Map global security landscapes, identifying challenges and opportunities for strengthening alliances and partnerships with like-minded democracies and deterring authoritarian influence from China and Russia.
  • Assess global trends and drivers of change impacting the complex and unpredictable future for years to come through Global Foresight.
  • Improve human security for a more collaborative, peaceful, prosperous, and free world, pioneering work on food, water, and climate security.

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Explore the program

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

New Atlanticist

Nov 4, 2024

US absence in the world is as dangerous as US weakness

By John Teichert

Just as the perception of US weakness can erode deterrence, so too would the perception that the United States is absent on the world stage.

Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense

Strategic Insights Memo

Oct 18, 2024

Toward a coherent framework for US-China tech competition in the Global South

By Peter Engelke, Samantha Wong

This memo provides strategists and policymakers in the United States and elsewhere with a coherent framework for understanding the competition between the United States and China for technological dominance with respect to the Global South.

China Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Oct 11, 2024

Senator Mark Warner on the top five risks for the next administration to watch

By Katherine Golden

At an Atlantic Council Front Page event, the senator outlined those risks, ranging from competition with China to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela.

Artificial Intelligence China
Earth view from a balloon in the stratosphere on 19 June 2013. Photo: Patrick Cullis, NOAA / CIRES

Issue Brief

Oct 4, 2024

Accelerating climate intervention research to improve climate security

By Kelly Wanser and Ira Straus

With many experts concerned that efforts to mitigate climate change will be inadequate, what are the potential risks and benefits of solar radiation modification and how can research, international cooperation, and governance be advanced?

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

In the News

Oct 3, 2024

Michta for Le Figaro on the United States’ interest in protecting Europe from authoritarian influence

On September 27, Andrew Michta, director and senior fellow in the Scowcroft Strategy Initiative, was quoted in a Le Figaro article titled “It is in America’s vital interest not to let an aggressive power dominate Europe.” He argues that is critical for the United States to support European security architecture to prevent the alliance of […]

China Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Oct 2, 2024

Michta for Atlantic Council on the United States supporting NATO allies meeting and exceeding defense spending levels

On October 1, Andrew Michta, director and senior fellow in the Scowcroft Strategy Initiative published a New Atlanticist piece for the Atlantic Council titled “The US should help NATO allies that help themselves.” It argued that the United States should work more closely with and reward allies that spend more money on defense, shoulder the risk […]

Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Oct 1, 2024

Michta in RealClearDefense on rebuilding the United States’ reputation as a global power

On September 27, Andrew Michta, director and senior fellow in the Scowcroft Strategy Initiative, published an article in RealClearDefense titled “A Crisis of Competence.” He discussed the Global War on Terror (GWOT) post 9/11 and various conflicts post-Cold War in which the United States has invested resources. He argued that the United States must rebuild […]

Conflict Middle East

New Atlanticist

Oct 1, 2024

The US should help NATO allies that help themselves

By Andrew A. Michta

Washington should prioritize its defense cooperation with member states that are doing the most to bolster their own defenses, especially the Northeast corridor allies.

Defense Industry NATO

Future of DHS

Sep 26, 2024

The Secret Service needs a budget increase—but so does the rest of the Department of Homeland Security

By Thomas S. Warrick

On Wednesday, Congress passed a bill to increase Secret Service funding in response to threats, after two assassination attempts against Donald Trump. The same logic should apply to the overall DHS budget.

Migration National Security

New Atlanticist

Sep 25, 2024

Solutions to the world’s biggest challenges, according to more than 30 leaders, innovators, and democracy defenders

By Daniel Hojnacki, Katherine Golden

At the Atlantic Council's Global Future Forum, influential and innovative leaders discussed the type of work that needs to be done to address today’s most pressing challenges

Economy & Business Freedom and Prosperity