Geo-Economics, Climate Resilience, and AI
US International Development Finance Corporation Reauthorization
US International Development Finance Corporation Reauthorization
The Geo-Economics Initiative (GEO) helps government, businesses, and community leaders navigate a new era of economic and policy disruption within the areas of climate adaptation, supply chain resilience, and navigating emerging technologies. GEO develops and implements solutions through conducting innovative research, convening key stakeholders, and mobilizing capital.
Download Information on Our Advanced Technologies Initiative
Initiative Areas
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Climate ResilienceThe race to decarbonize the global economy depends on the success of efforts to unlock and mobilize trillions of dollars to finance climate mitigation and adaptation, especially for the countries and populations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This initiative is partnering with stakeholders at the local, national, and global levels to build innovative mechanisms to accelerate public, private, and philanthropic climate investment at scale. -
Rewiring Supply ChainsIn an era of increasing geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and evolving labor and environmental standards, businesses and policy leaders are without clear guidance on how to create long-term supply chain resilience in a way that minimizes the impact of these disruptions. The Geo-Economics Initiative creates solutions to this complex global issue by providing a new supply chain resilience framework to help business leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders navigate the rapidly evolving intersection between international trade, local economic needs, and national and global regulatory landscapes. -
Tech and InnovationEmerging technology promises enormous disruptions and opportunities for government leaders, NGOs, companies, and the public overall. The potential for technology to unlock societal advancement provides hope for its uses, while its ability to further inequality and polarization creates fear. Many business leaders and stakeholders feel stuck when trying to navigate this tension and struggle to make strategic, long-term decisions around technology. The Milken Institute provides strategic guidance on navigating technology disruptions through thought leadership, convening stakeholders, and bolstering resilient solutions that foster innovations in technology.
Geo-Economics, Climate Resilience, and AI
Most Recent Content
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In the Hot Seat: Financing Asia's Heat Resilience
By 2050, nearly 1.2 billion people in Asia are projected to be exposed to lethal heat waves. Without action, heat-related productivity losses alone could reduce regional GDP by 25–30 percent by 2048, threatening competitiveness, food...Read ReportImage
Ella Tan
Associate Director, Asia, Milken Institute InternationalElla Tan is an associate director, Milken Institute International in Singapore. Her current research focuses on vaccination access and delivery, the opportunities and challenges for technology to transform mental health care in Asia, and the role of cloud technology to enhance resilience and advance the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) goals of the financial sector. -
The New Investor Narrative: Discussion Document
In an era marked by geopolitical volatility, rapid technological change, rising energy demand, and intensifying extreme weather, investor interest in climate resilience remains strong. For investors, climate mitigation, adaptation, and...Read ReportIn an era marked by geopolitical volatility, rapid technological change, rising energy demand, and intensifying extreme weather, investor interest in climate resilience remains strong. For investors...
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As COP30 Convenes, New Research Shows Path for Climate Investor Action: Lead with Economic Benefits, Not Crisis
Milken Institute-Harris Poll research of 7,000+ people globally finds investment appetite remains strong but requires reframing around local solutions and economic opportunity Belém, Brazil (November 9, 2025)—A new global study released...Read ArticleBelém, Brazil (November 9, 2025)—A new global study released today ahead of COP30 by the Milken Institute and The Harris Poll reveals that while 95 percent of people worldwide believe climate change...
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Unintended Consequences: Trade and Supply Chain Leaders Respond to Recent Turmoil
The global economy has entered a new, more volatile era, defined by compounding disruptions in technology, climate resilience, and global trade. In response, the Milken Institute launched the Geo-Economics Initiative in 2024 to help...Read ReportThe global economy has entered a new, more volatile era, defined by compounding disruptions in technology, climate resilience, and global trade.
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The Impact of Mining on Local Communities
Global mining demand from clean energy technologies is projected to double—or more—by 2040. Meeting this demand through increased mining activity is crucial to addressing climate change, but it will also significantly and disparately impact...Read ReportImage
Brock Smith
Director, ResearchBrock Smith, PhD, is a director on the research team at the Milken Institute. His research has focused on environmental economics and natural resource economics, particularly the economic and social effects of natural resource booms. -
After the Fires, the Fires Still Burn
On January 7, 2025, the Los Angeles metropolitan area experienced something unprecedented in modern American history. Two simultaneous urban fires broke out in Los Angeles County, fueled by a nine-month drought and hurricane-strength winds...Read Article -
Debt and Climate Change: The New Playbook
By now, we all know the story—the world is going through a disruptive, transitional phase at historical levels. The dislocating effects of globalization have eroded support for the existing multilateral system, while exposing deficiencies...Read ArticleImage
Matthew Aleshire
Director, Geo-EconomicsMatthew Aleshire is director on the Milken Institute’s Geo-Economics Initiative and helps to lead the work around the topics of climate change, the global financial architecture, and international political economy. Aleshire previously focused on global policy and government engagement for the Milken Institute, overseeing efforts to advance policy solutions across the Institute’s research and convenings. -
Cross-Sector Collaboration for Global Financing Solution to Address Deforestation
The preservation of the world’s tropical forests is a critical challenge. Globally, deforestation continues to rise, driven by socioeconomic factors and the compounding effects of climate change, driving biodiversity loss and water...Read Essay -
Improving Small Business Disaster Response and Recovery
The Disaster’s Next Wave When a natural disaster strikes, the physical destruction and its costs typically dominate the headlines. Less attention is paid to the secondary effects disasters have on a community—especially its small businesses...Read ArticleImage
Kristen Fanarakis
Associate Director, Small Business Policy and InnovationKristen Fanarakis leads the small business policy, entrepreneurship, and innovation initiative within the Milken Institute’s Finance pillar. She focuses on the macroeconomic and systemic trends affecting American small businesses and startups, and the implications for the economy and innovation.
Milken Institute Review Article, "Needed: A Mid-Course Correction for the Paris Agreement"
It’s no secret that this year’s COP is struggling to find a path that that balances the needs of developing nations to stay afloat and fosters new pathways to close the global capital deployment gap. Pivoting the Paris Agreement to focus more on resilience and adaptation would catalyze positive momentum and deal more effectively with growing despair that we are falling far short of the mark. This is decidedly not about abandoning the goal of keeping global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It’s all about finding the money to meet the Paris goals in a newly adaptive way.
Our Team
Matthew Aleshire
Victoria Barbary
Dan Carol
Aimée Christensen
Rachel Fox Smothermon
Karen Kornbluh
For More Information
To learn more about our GEO work, please contact Rachel Fox Smothermon at [email protected].