by Citizens for Global Solutions | Feb 22, 2023 | Climate Justice
When it comes to the climate crisis, we are running out of time.
In 1994, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change established the Conference of the Parties (COP) to encourage UN member states to meet annually to discuss scientific data and technological advances related to climate change and implement international environmental agreements. Despite the global interest in addressing climate change, the next 29 years would be characterized by lukewarm international efforts to divert a climate catastrophe. In line with this record, the recent COP27 hosted by Egypt failed to secure cooperation on key issues and induce the necessary commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the earliest international environmental treaties was the Montreal Protocol of 1987. The Montreal Protocol was a success because all 197 UN member states ratified the treaty and it effectively coordinated international efforts to eradicate about 99 percent of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). One major reason behind its success was that it established a “Multilateral Fund” to provide financial backing to countries, especially those who were not meeting their goals. It also prioritized the concept of “common but differentiated responsibilities” by giving developing countries more time to eliminate their production of ODS.
The Kyoto Protocol, which entered into force in 2005, was the first “legally binding” climate treaty that aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, it was not successful because the United States never ratified it and China was not required to commit to stringent emissions reduction targets. As this treaty required real economic sacrifices from industrialized countries, it was unable to effectively coordinate international efforts.
The most comprehensive environmental treaty to date was the Paris Agreement of 2015. The Paris Accords required all UN member states to commit to containing average global temperature increases to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial temperatures through setting nationally determined contributions (NDCs). However, this unenforceable agreement was vulnerable to the vicissitudes of domestic politics that led countries to renege on their climate commitments or abandon the treaty altogether, as the United States did under President Donald Trump. Consequently, most climate change experts say that countries’ emissions reduction plans are not sufficient and will not be executed quickly enough to contain temperature increases to 1.5°C.
What lies behind the failure of international climate treaties to secure meaningful action?
One factor is the disagreement between industrialized and developing nations over which should bear most of the burden for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wealthy countries like the United States and Britain have contributed the most to cumulative emissions by normalizing environmentally unsustainable overconsumption. Beginning with the Industrial Revolutions, emissions stemming from the manufacturing of goods in European countries, supplied with raw materials from their colonies in Africa, South America, and Asia, skyrocketed. Industrializing countries like China and formerly colonized nations like India argue that, given the economic wealth and technological advancements acquired by others through industrialization and colonization, the wealthiest countries are the best equipped financially and technologically to lead efforts to address the climate crisis. They insist that demands to cut back on their own emissions are unreasonable, given their minor role in causing the current crisis, and that reducing their emissions will temporarily stifle the economic growth that wealthier countries have enjoyed.
Furthermore, the lack of global institutions that enact, interpret, and enforce international environmental laws and treaties seriously hinders coordinated international action. This “global governance deficit” lies at the root of international environmental treaties’ inability to catalyze collective action and hold countries to their climate commitments. A world order based on absolute national sovereignty therefore sacrifices a sustainable world future at the altar of national sovereignty and national political considerations.
To address these challenges, the world urgently needs international legal action that goes beyond the nation-state status quo. The UN General Assembly could be reformed to pass legally binding and enforceable resolutions through a voting process that also takes into account factors like population. The General Assembly could then pass binding resolutions requiring industrialized and high emitting countries like the United States and China to spearhead emissions reduction efforts and establish ecocide law to make environmental destruction an international criminal act, prosecuted by the International Criminal Court. Building an enforcement mechanism into international environmental treaties would mitigate our current climate crisis.
Promoting meaningful international climate action may also require creating new global governance institutions, such as an International Court for the Environment. Experts have proposed a “Climate Club” that would establish a single international target carbon price and sanction noncompliant countries and countries that do not participate.
In today’s warming world, the stakes have never been higher. To prevent an irreversible chain reaction of climate catastrophe, we must marshal our scientific acumen, political will, and technological prowess on a global scale to contain global temperature rise. Doing so will require addressing the politics of climate change policy within and among countries and the current ineffective system of global environmental governance, including its unenforceable international treaties.
The path forward will not be easy, for it will require unprecedented grassroots mobilization and political courage. But the task isn’t impossible. The far-sighted individuals who gathered in San Francisco to create the United Nations knew the difficulties that awaited them, but never surrendered to pessimism, hopelessness, or cowardice. They appreciated that the survival of humankind largely depended on their determination to forge a new path forward for international governance. We must do the same now with respect to the climate crisis, embracing effective global environmental governance and cooperation. The survival of 8 billion humans and all other species on our beloved Earth hinges on our success.
by Citizens for Global Solutions | Feb 20, 2023 | Organizational Statement
Social Justice: The Foundation of Building a Sustainable Future
Washington, DC– On February 20, Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) joins the United Nations and civil society throughout the world in celebrating the World Day of Social Justice. In November of 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution declaring February 20 to be the World Day of Social Justice in recognition of the vital role that social development and social justice play in ensuring a more peaceful and secure world. The decision to establish a World Day of Social Justice built off of the International Labour Organization’s efforts to promote fair labor standards rooted in a respect for human rights and socially inclusive globalization, a priority that is apparent in the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of 1998.
Social justice is a key element of the “Our Common Agenda” report published by UN Secretary-General Guterres. Specifically, “Our Common Agenda” prioritizes solidarity as a guiding principle as we build a more just and peaceful world. UN General Assembly Resolution 57/213- “Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order”- defines solidarity as “the virtue of which global challenges must be managed in a way that distributes the costs and burdens fairly.” To ensure an equitable and just globalization, those who benefit the most from globalization must actively support those who do not enjoy the benefits of globalization and whose livelihoods are threatened by global challenges like climate change.
“Our Common Agenda” identifies intergenerational unity as a key aspect of solidarity; we must center the interests and priorities of young people as we build a more inclusive and just world for all. Furthermore, other marginalized groups including women, indigenous communities, and the poor must play a key role in fostering global dialogue and spearheading international efforts to address shared global challenges. These critical considerations are also strongly connected to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal #5 (gender equality) and Goal #10 (reducing inequality).
We at Citizens for Global Solutions and Young World Federalists firmly believe that achieving a socially just and equitable globalization can be best achieved through strengthening global governance. We strongly support the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, which seeks to create a popularly elected United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA). By empowering the citizens of the world to actively participate in global decision making, the UNPA could enhance gender equity and social and economic inclusion in the UN system. Eventually, such a Parliamentary Assembly could collaborate with the UN General Assembly to pass an internationally binding resolution ensuring universal commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Furthermore, to ensure intergenerational equity, we strongly support UN actions like the “Special Envoy for Future Generations” and the Declaration on Future Generations. We are also committed to civil society-led initiatives like the upcoming Global Futures Forum in March of 2023 in advance of the UN Summit of the Future, in the hope that consultations like these will enhance the participation of youth, women, and civil society groups from the Global South in global governance.
As “Our Common Agenda” succinctly states, “no one is safe until everyone is safe.” Effectively addressing the defining global challenges of today and fostering a more peaceful society will require the active input of all of humankind. Let us work together to realize our collective vision for a more inclusive, equitable, and socially just world.
About Citizens for Global Solutions & Young World Federalists
Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-partisan membership-based organization that for more than 75 years has brought together a diverse collective of individuals and organizations with a common goal of a unified world predicated upon peace, human rights, and the rule of law. From championing ratification of the UN Charter upon our establishment in 1947 to supporting creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) 25 years ago to advocating for global instruments to confront today’s enduring challenges of war and climate degradation, CGS recognizes that true progress is a generational enterprise. We invite like-minded individuals and organizations to join us in this mission.
The Young World Federalists are a global movement fighting to give humanity a voice. We envision a sustainable, just, and peaceful world through a democratic world federation. A world run by humanity, for humanity, providing equal opportunity to all on a thriving planet.
Contact:
Donna Park dpark@globalsolutions.org
by Citizens for Global Solutions | Feb 11, 2023 | Past Event
Our opening session discussing the book, Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century with the authors, Augusto Lopez-Claros, Arthur Dahl, and Maja Groff focuses on Part 1: Background, a history of global governance, and European Integration.
by Citizens for Global Solutions | Jan 14, 2023 | Past Event
The final session discussions focused on Chapters 11-13. Streit urges the world’s democracies to create an initial world federation that would be so powerful that other countries would follow.
by Citizens for Global Solutions | Dec 14, 2022 | Human Rights
Citizens for Global Solutions is honored to present Pope Francis with our Global Citizen Award for 2022. This award is presented once a year to an individual who is recognized as a Global Citizen by the general public for their commitment to one or more of the following areas:
- An end to war and violence in the resolution of international disputes
- The elimination of nuclear weapons
- Democratic global governance
- Protection of universal human rights and freedoms
- Care of the global environment
- Embracing loyalty to our world in addition to loyalty to any one nation
Pope Francis has demonstrated to the whole world his commitment to all these areas.
As the leader of the Catholic Church, he is truly catholic/universal in his concern for the entire human family and the planet we all share.
His work to protect the global environment is inspiring. “Laudato Si” was instrumental in helping the people and the leaders of the world recognize the seriousness of the environmental crisis facing our common home.
We are inspired by his teaching in “Fratelli Tutti” about a love capable of transcending borders so that the human family can live together in harmony and peace, without expecting everyone to be or look the same. We also agree with his advice in this document that we need new structures to solve global problems that affect us all. Indeed Pope Francis is a great world citizen and a model for all of us.
Citizens for Global Solutions promotes the ideal of “world peace through world law” and democratic world federation, which is consistent with the Catholic Church’s teachings on a public authority for the world community, subsidiarity, solidarity, and the protection of human rights.
We are grateful to Bishop John Stowe, who is a member of the CGS National Advisory Council, who hand carried this award from the US to the Vatican for Pope Francis. Bishop Stowe presented the award to Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, Prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.
Thank you, Pope Francis, for all you do to make our world a better, safer, healthier, more loving place for all humanity.
