The Cooperative Society Newsletter
October 2024, Issue 49
By E.G. Nadeau, Ph.D.
I recently finished reading the Pact for the Future, agreed to by all 193 UN member countries at their late September “Summit of the Future.” The UN hyped the event as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reimagine the multilateral system and steer humanity on a new course to meet existing commitments and solve long-term challenges.”
Translating from “UN-speak,” the UN members agreed on a somewhat vague path toward improving sustainable development; increasing international peace and security; better coordinating science and technology; addressing the needs of youth and future generations; and transforming global governance. They agreed on 56 actions to implement the five goals set forth in the pact.
The pact stated that “We are confident that, through the implementation of these actions, we will be well on course towards the better and more sustainable future we want for ourselves, our children and all the generations who will come after us” by the fall of 2028.
A daunting commitment. Or, is it just another collection of hot air balloons being floated by UN members?
Let’s take a closer look at the challenges the UN members are planning to take on over the next four years.
I. Sustainable development and financing for development
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Program contains 17 goals to be achieved between 2016 and 2030. Nine years into the program, the world is not on track to achieve any of its lofty goals for eliminating extreme poverty and hunger, dramatically improving health, and a range of other accomplishments related to enhancing quality of life in the world. On the positive side, the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Program, which ran from 2000 to 2015, was far more successful in making dramatic progress on a set of similar goals.
Evaluation: It is extremely unlikely that the SDG program will be able to achieve its goals given the deficit it needs to make up in the next six years. On the other hand, there is no reason why the United Nations can’t improve its performance and launch a more successful development goals program beginning in 2031.
II. International peace and security
The world is currently experiencing several interrelated conflicts in the Middle East, an invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the presence of terrorist groups and violent drug cartels in a number of developing countries, and political instability in other parts of the world.
Evaluation: It is theoretically possible that the above threats to world peace and security could be resolved by 2030, but it’s highly unlikely. The related UN actions described in the pact sound more like unrealistic goals than realistic action items. Take, for example, “Action 18. We will build and sustain peace.”
III. Science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation
There is evidence that some countries in the Global South are more effectively supporting their access to international cooperation in science, technology and innovation.
Evaluation: During the next six years, this increased pressure from the Global South could result in a fairer distribution of this knowledge and these resources. This may be particularly true in issues related to clean energy and adaptation to the consequences of global warming (such as drought-resistant agricultural innovations).
IV. Youth and future generations
Young people in both the Global South and Global North are asserting their rights and responsibilities related to actions that affect the world they will be living in as adults. The median age of countries in the Global South, especially in Africa, is far lower than in Europe and North America, and the gap is increasing.
Evaluation: Independent of the actions presented in the UN Pact for the Future, young people themselves will be having increasing impacts that challenge both economic and political dynamics on the world stage.
V. Transforming global governance
For the first time in its 79 year history, the structure of the United Nation’s Security Council is under serious review. One possible change would be the inclusion of one or two permanent members from the Global South.
Evaluation: Such a change could significantly alter the decisions that the Security Council votes on and makes, particularly as they affect developing countries. However, it may be very difficult to change the composition of such an established decision-making body.
Conclusion
The UN General Assembly has a mixed record when it comes to bloviation versus realistic, world-changing plans. An example of the latter is the development and delivery of an effective Millennium Development Goals Program.
My take on the Pact for the Future is that it contains some proposed actions with promise for a new and better course for humanity and others that are clichés without the potential for realistic improvements.
The UN can make plans and goals all they want but I am beginning to think that it has lost most of its effectiveness and purpose over the years. Do we still need an organization like UN when the member countries do not comply with the rules or co-operate?