Managing Asymmetrical Risk

At the 2025 S2G Summit, S2G’s Kate Danaher spoke about the connections between the ocean and global volatility and a convergence of climate and geopolitics. Below are the key highlights from her presentation. 

The Ocean Is a Frontline Risk Zone for Global Volatility

The maritime and seafood sectors are experiencing mounting pressure from climate change, overfishing, trade disruptions, and layered international regulations. As the backbone of global commerce and protein supply, these ocean-dependent systems are highly exposed to geopolitical conflict, decarbonization mandates, and ecological instability, making them critical risk vectors in the global economy.

Ocean Currents Drive Global Climate and They’re Destabilizing

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a key ocean current regulating climate across the Northern Hemisphere, is weakening due to accelerated ice melt. If the AMOC collapses, it could invert global weather patterns, disrupt food systems in Europe, and open up new, contested resource frontiers in the Arctic. These are not future hypotheticals — early impacts are already being observed.

Climate and Geopolitical Shocks Are Converging Into a New Strategic Reality

Climate-driven disasters, uninsured economic losses, mass migration, and the rise of alternative power blocs like BRICS are creating a fragmented, multipolar world. With growing protectionism, resource nationalism, and Arctic militarization, we believe leaders must prepare for a landscape where volatility is the norm. Strategic resilience — built through climate adaptation, diversification, and anticipatory planning — is now essential.