Global Agenda Council on Geopolitical Risk 2012-2014

The world is increasingly interconnected yet borders still matter in a globalized world. Geopolitics has become increasingly important, not just because of shifting power dynamics, but also because issues of security have become intertwined with those of trade, migration, employment and other forms of international relations. Traditional superpowers can no longer be confident of their positions and strength on the international stage, and this dispersion of power has changed the dynamics of geopolitics: countries like China and Brazil command more negotiating power than before; some like Tunisia and Egypt have gained democracy albeit violently; and others like Syria and North Korea have rigidly stayed the same and even receded in terms of the freedom they provide to their citizens.