Governing Environmental Risk in an Era of Geopolitical Instability

This article argues that environmental change is now an immediate driver of geopolitical instability and market disruption, not just a long-term risk. It highlights how climate change and nature loss interact with geopolitical rivalry, supply chain fragility, and financial risk, creating reinforcing feedback loops that are often overlooked due to siloed approaches to risk assessment . Emphasizing that a significant share of global economic value depends on nature, the article shows how environmental degradation can trigger cascading effects across food systems, conflict dynamics, and global markets. It calls for a fundamental shift in boardroom thinking, urging companies to treat climate and nature as core strategic risks, integrate them into decision-making and capital allocation, and adopt systems-based and forward-looking approaches to manage interconnected and long-term risks.