Council on Geostrategy

The Council on Geostrategy is a non-profit think tank based in Westminster, London, England. It was founded in March 2021 by James Rogers,^[1] the director of research, and Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė,^[2] the director of strategy. The Council on Geostrategy focuses shaping HM Government's foreign and defence policy in an "international environment characterised by geopolitical competition and environmental crisis".^[3] The organisation has research projects spanning the Euro-Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and Polar regions and has a particular focus on naval power.^[4][5][6]

Aims and Research

The Council on Geostrategy's stated aims are to:

• Explore strategies related to Britain's resilience, industrial base, diplomatic, and military capabilities.^[7]
• Create proposals aimed at supporting a free and open international order, in league with the UK's allies and partners.
• Develop new solutions to environmental degradation which improve Britain's economy through the spread of green technologies.

The Council on Geostrategy has 5 research programmes.

Phones4U founder and philanthropist John Caudwell sponsors the Caudwell Strong Britain research project which focuses on the UK's science and technology base and progression towards Net Zero.^{[8] [9]} In June 2024, a CoG report discussed how Britain can adapt its science and technology infrastructure to respond to the challenges  posed by climate change.^[10]

The Indo-Pacific Project, launched in December 2023, publishes on the UK engagement with the region after the Indo-Pacific ‘tilt’ in British foreign policy from the 2021 Integrated Review.^[11]

The Strategic Advantage Cell, launched in November 2023, focuses on Britain's naval power,^{[12] [13]} space capabilities, alliances and technological developments like hypersonic weapons.^[14]

The Sea Power Laboratory, established in November 2024, publishes research on UK maritime security and industry. ^[15]

The Council also established a trilateral commission in February 2023, publishing on the British-Polish-Ukrainian relationship. In 2024, Secretary of State's Office of Net Assessment and Challenge commissioned a Point Paper with the Council on Geostrategy ‘calling on the British government to collaborate with allies in providing Ukraine with long-range and advanced weapons’ ^[16] for the use against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Funding

The Council receives funding from defence industry companies BAE Systems, Boeing, Leonardo UK, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Thales. It receives funding from the UK government through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, UK Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy.^[17]

First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference

The Council on Geostrategy hosted the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference in 2023 and 2024, with keynote addresses from:

• The Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP, former Secretary of State for Defence.^[18]
• Rt. Hon. Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific.^[19]
• Adm. Sir Ben Key KCB CBE ADC, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff ^[20]
• Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organisation Vice Admiral
• Andrew Paul Burns, CB, OBE, Fleet Commander  
• V. Adm. Martin Connell, Second Sea Lord, Royal Navy
• R. Adm. James Parkin CBE, Director of Development, Royal Navy

Events

The Council on Geostrategy hosts events to facilitate the debate on key geostrategy issues.^[21] The Geostrategy Forum and Whitehall Briefing series are round-table discussions that feature presentations by a Whitehall official, senior parliamentarians, and naval officers, followed by a question-and-answer session.^[22]

Other

The Council on Geostrategy published a Defence Pledge in April 2024 calling on all political parties to pledge 2.5% spending on defence in their manifesto.^[23] The Pledge received 30 signatures from senior Parliamentarians, Committee Chairs, former Defence Secretaries, and former leaders of the British Armed Forces.^[24]