GeoStrategy Initiative Analysis and Events

Read and watch the GeoStrategy’s timely reports, issue briefs, articles, events, and videos to assess the world’s biggest strategic issues. The GeoStrategy Initiative develop 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.

Analysis

Event Recap

Dec 4, 2012

Pre-Briefing of the Global Trends 2030 Report

By Jason Harmala

On Tuesday, December 4, the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative, of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, hosted Dr. Mathew J. Burrows, counselor, US National Intelligence Council (NIC) for a talk about the soon-to-be released Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds report.

Event Recap

Dec 3, 2012

Agenda | Global Trends 2030

By Rachel Weatherly

US Leadership in a Post-Western World Click on each panel for a summary, full video, and trancript

FutureSource

Nov 29, 2012

Bureaucrats in Space

By Hanna Camp

Recent advancements in space technology and commercial space industry promise to spur a dramatic surge in space tourism and research in the coming decades. While space enthusiasts might celebrate the news by calculating whether their retirement funds can be made over as space-jump funds, the bureaucratically-inclined have a good reason to worry: the current system […]

FutureSource

Nov 20, 2012

The Rise of Commercial Outer Space

By Hanna Camp

Faced with deep cuts in its operating budget, NASA has undertaken efforts to broaden international cooperation and establish a domestic commercial space industry. With the space shuttle now retired, NASA needs a way to get large amounts of cargo and personnel into space, and private companies are the only ticket up. 

Space Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Nov 6, 2012

Election Day 2012: Another UNIVAC Moment!

By Paul Saffo

On election night 60 years ago, CBS News used a UNIVAC I computer to predict that Eisenhower would win the 1952 presidential election by a landslide.

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Nov 5, 2012

What Can Hurricane Sandy Tell Us About Climate Change?

By Paul Saffo

Linking a single storm to climate change is perilous at best for the simple reason that anything less than a decade or two of data isn’t climate,  it’s just weather. But Sandy may yet prove the exception owing to its sheer anomalousness.

Energy & Environment

Event Recap

Oct 9, 2012

The New Energy World of 2030

By Jason Harmala

On October 9, the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative hosted Dr. Daniel Yergin for a discussion with Atlantic Council President & CEO Frederick Kempe to discuss his new book The Quest.

Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Sep 11, 2012

Looking Back: The Wonders We Didn’t Expect

By Paul Saffo

It has been a wild ride of a century full of expected wonders. Molecular manufacturing became a reality well before 2050, turning all sorts of once-valuable materials into commodities, and yes, we even eventually got flying cars.

FutureSource

Jun 22, 2012

How Government Thinks – and How it Should

By Josh Kerbel

It is common knowledge that increasing societal complexity (i.e., interdependence and interconnectedness) is challenging the fundamental business models of an ever-growing range of industries. Thus, the entertainment, technology, manufacturing, information—the list could go on and on—industries are all under pressure to change the ways they think.

Event Recap

Jun 12, 2012

Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds Red Team Exercise

The Strategic Foresight Initiative and the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) held a joint Red Team Exercise on June 12 to inform and improve the NIC’s Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds report. The exercise explored whether the report identified the correct trends, how these trends were applied to different countries and regions, and whether the […]

Globe

Event Recap

May 9, 2012

The Future of Europe in an Interconnected and Polycentric World

By Jason Harmala

The Atlantic Council and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) hosted a lunch debate and presentation of the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS) report.

European Union International Organizations

Issue Brief

Mar 1, 2012

The United States and the Global Future

By Uri Dadush, Banning Garrett, David Ignatius, and James B. Steinberg

This piece is co-authored by Uri Dadush, senior associate and director of the Carnegie Endowment’s International Economics Program; Banning Garrett, director of the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative; David Ignatius, associate editor and twice-weekly columnist for the Washington Post; James B. Steinberg, dean and professor at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University.

Economy & Business United States and Canada

Event Recap

Feb 1, 2012

Pandemics and the End of Globalization

By Adrienne Chuck

The Strategic Foresight Initiative and the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) held a joint workshop, “Pandemics and the End of Globalization” on February 1 to inform the NIC’s Global Trends 2030 report.

Event Recap

Jan 25, 2012

Global Trends 2030: Urbanization Nexus

The Strategic Foresight Initiative and the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) held a joint workshop, “Urbanization Nexus” on January 25 to inform the NIC’s Global Trends 2030 report. What do urbanization trends mean for the world of 2030? Which will be the impact of resource constraints and demographic realities on urban and rural populations? What […]

FutureSource

Jan 23, 2012

In Search of Sand Piles and Butterflies

By Banning Garrett

“Disruptive change” that produces “strategic shocks” has become an increasing concern for policymakers, shaken by momentous events of the last couple of decades that were not on their radar screens – from the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 9/11 terrorist attacks to the 2008 financial crisis and the “Arab Spring.”

A New World of Global Migration 2030

Event Recap

Jan 11, 2012

A New World of Global Migration 2030

By Jason Harmala

What will be the drivers of global migration in 2030? What will be the reactions – political, economic, and social – of countries that receive migrants? The Strategic Foresight Initiative and the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) January 11th hosted the workshop “A New World of Global Migration” to inform the NICs global trends 2030 […]

New Atlanticist

Dec 5, 2011

The Gulf Cooperation Council Must Rethink the Arab Awakening

By Rena Zuabi

Through a deal brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi Arabia on November 27, vice-president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi recently named opposition leader Mohammed Basindwa as Yemen’s new interim prime minister.

Event Recap

Dec 2, 2011

Impulses: Trends That Will Shape India’s World

By Adrienne Chuck

On December 2, the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative and South Asia Center hosted a discussion on the global trends shaping India’s future towards 2030.

India

Event Recap

Dec 2, 2011

The United States and the Global Future

By Adrienne Chuck

On December 2, the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative and the US National Intelligence Council hosted a workshop entitled “The United States and the Global Future” to inform the upcoming Global Trends 2030 report.

The Changing Significance of Geography: from Cyber Space to Outer Space, and the Spaces in Between

Event Recap

Nov 14, 2011

The Changing Significance of Geography: from Cyber Space to Outer Space, and the Spaces in Between

By Adrienne Chuck

On Monday November 14th, the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Foresight Initiative and the US National Intelligence Council hosted an all-day roundtable workshop entitled “The Changing Significance of Geography: from Cyber Space to Outer Space, and the Spaces in Between”.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense
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Events

Public Event Mon, April 13, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Philanthropy and the future of food security
Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment Resilience & Society
Public Event Wed, March 4, 2026 • 9:30 am ET

War with Iran and its geopolitical implications
Conflict Iran Middle East National Security
Public Event Tue, February 10, 2026 • 12:00 pm ET

Global Foresight 2036: What will the next decade bring?
China Economy & Business Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia
Online Event Tue, December 9, 2025 • 11:30 am ET

Making sense of the National Security Strategy
Americas Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific National Security
Online Event Tue, November 11, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET

From risk to resilience: The future of food security in the Americas
Americas Brazil Climate Change & Climate Action Economy & Business
Online Event Fri, June 20, 2025 • 4:00 pm ET

Sweden’s foreign minister on the 2025 NATO Summit agenda
Europe & Eurasia NATO Northern Europe Politics & Diplomacy
Online Event Tue, October 29, 2024 • 6:00 pm ET

Elections 2024: Congressman Mike Turner on geopolitics and the next US president

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Congressman Mike Turner, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, lays out his expectations of the foreign policy challenges facing the next administration and what lies ahead for the 119th Congress.
Economy & Business Elections Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Thu, October 10, 2024 • 3:15 am ET

Elections 2024: Sen. Mark Warner on the global risks facing the next president

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—The Virginia lawmaker outlines how a future administration can prepare for and respond to geopolitical challenges.
Economy & Business Elections Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Mon, September 9, 2024 • 11:30 am ET

Elections 2024: Senator Chris Murphy on the future of Democratic foreign policy

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Senator Chris Murphy discusses the future of Democratic foreign policy ahead of the 2024 US presidential election.
Economy & Business Elections Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society
Public Event Wed, June 26, 2024 • 8:00 am ET

Reporters at risk: Latin America and the Caribbean
Americas Caribbean Civil Society Conflict
Public Event Wed, June 12, 2024 • 2:00 pm ET

The art of diplomacy: Historic agreements that changed the world
Crisis Management International Organizations Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense
Public Event Fri, April 26, 2024 • 1:00 pm ET

Report launch: The sixth domain and the role of the private sector
Conflict Cybersecurity Infrastructure Protection National Security
Public Event Thu, March 14, 2024 • 2:00 am ET

Reporters at risk: On the frontlines in Ukraine and Gaza
Civil Society Conflict Europe & Eurasia Middle East
Public Event Mon, February 26, 2024 • 5:00 pm ET

Redefining US strategy with Latin America and the Caribbean for a new era
Americas Brazil Caribbean Central America
Public Event Mon, February 12, 2024 • 2:00 pm ET

Countering China and Russia in Latin America and the Caribbean
Caribbean China Freedom and Prosperity Latin America
Public Event Wed, October 18, 2023 • 6:00 am ET

Combating food insecurity and malnutrition: A national security imperative
Civil Society National Security Politics & Diplomacy Resilience
Public Event Wed, March 8, 2023 • 4:00 pm ET

A conversation with Stephen J. Hadley | Hand-Off: The foreign policy George W. Bush passed to Barack Obama
China Europe & Eurasia Iran Iraq
Online Event Tue, February 8, 2022 • 9:00 am ET

Report launch | Global Strategy 2022: Thwarting Kremlin aggression today for constructive relations tomorrow
Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Geopolitics & Energy Security NATO Rule of Law
Flagship Event Mon, December 6, 2021 • 11:00 pm ET

Is it time for an Alliance of Democracies?
Australia European Union France Germany
Public Event Fri, October 23, 2020 • 12:00 pm ET

Report Launch – States on the cusp: Tackling global illicit trade’s threat to society and governance
Africa Corruption Economy & Business Latin America
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The GeoStrategy Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, leverages strategy development and long-range foresight to serve as the preeminent thought-leader and convener for policy-relevant analysis and solutions 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.

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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.

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