Peace, Nuclear Disarmament
and the UN Summit of the Future
UNFOLD Zero & Basel Peace Office

The UN Summit of the Future, taking place in New York from September 22-23, provides an important opportunity to enhance the peaceful resolution of international conflicts, strengthen the rule of law and advance nuclear disarmament to help protect the lives and wellbeing of current and future generations.

But this opportunity could be be thwarted by powerful countries with vested interest in power and privilege, militarism and war. (See Peace, nuclear disarmament and the Summit of the Future: Breakdown or Breakthrough?).

On Thursday last week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a rallying call to governments to use the Summit to “build international collaboration for a safer, more sustainable and more equitable world.”

Joining him in the call were the two co-facilitators of the UN Summit of the Future preparatory process Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba who said that “The summit should be a platform for bold ideas and concrete commitments that will reinvigorate the UN and multilateralism for the 21st century,” and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said that “We stand at the crossroads between breakdown and breakthrough. I’m sure that we will make the right choice.” (See Peace, nuclear disarmament and the Summit of the Future: Breakdown or Breakthrough?)

The goals of the Summit are indeed bold, including to adopt three ground-breaking global agreements: a Pact for the Future on multilateralism for a better tomorrow, a Global Digital Compact which will be an inclusive global framework to overcome digital, data and innovation divides, and a Declaration on Future Generations to ensure the rights and wellbeing of future generations are protected.

Unfortunately, governments remain divided on the key issues. Civil society organizations, in cooperation with ‘like-minded’ progressive countries, are advancing innovative and forward-looking proposals, such as those in the Peoples Pact for the Future (Chapter 2 of which is on Peace and Security), Earth Governance ImPACT Coalition and the ImPACT Coalition on Just Institutions and the International Court of Justice. However, many of these proposals are being blocked by powerful, authoritarian/repressive governments. Further advocacy is vital to build success.

 

UN Adopts Groundbreaking PACT for the Future
on Opening Day of the UN Summit for the Future
UNFOLD ZERO Newsletter

(September 23, 2024) — On the opening day of the UN Summit of the Future yesterday, world leaders adopted a ground-breaking Pact for the Future that also includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations (See UN adopts ground-breaking Pact for the Future to transform global governance, UN press release, September 22).

Following an unsuccessful effort by Russia and its allies yesterday morning to render the PACT toothless in national jurisdictions, it was adopted without vote, i.e. by consensus.

This Pact is the culmination of an inclusive, years-long process to adapt international cooperation to the realities of today and the challenges of tomorrow.  As the Secretary-General has said, “we cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents.”

While innovative and ground-breaking, the PACT is not as ambitious as hoped by many like-minded governments and civil society networks who had advanced a range of even stronger proposals for better global governance to ensure peace, environmental protection, human rights, democracy and sustainability for current and future generations. See, for example, the Peoples Pact for the Future.

Join civil society leaders from World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy (WFM) and Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance (MEGA) online today for an update on the Summit of the Future, the adoption of the PACT and where-to-from here.

UNFOLD ZERO is a platform for United Nations (UN) focused initiatives and actions for the achievement of a nuclear weapons free world. It’s an affiliated network of Abolition 2000 and a joint project of Basel Peace Office, Mayors for Peace 2020 Vision Campaign, PNND, PragueVision, Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace and Global Security Institute.

The People’s Pact for the Future
Coalition for the UN We Need

The People’s Pact for the Future represents the culmination of nearly two years of work to articulate a set of recommendations, based on numerous civil society-led online, regional, and global consultations, to determine what participants agree is necessary for the United Nations to meet the needs of humanity and the planet today. It was widely agreed that governments need civil society to fully leverage the Summit of the Future to realize the future we want and the UN we need for present and future generations.

This Pact builds on the Interim People’s Pact which was developed in March of 2023. The content from that process was augmented by additional reports as well as online and in-person consultations, including the 9-10 May 2024 United Nations Civil Society Conference. The dozens of co- authors representing communities and constituencies from around the world ensured the People’s Pact reflects the highest aspirations from Civil Society for the intergovernmental outcome document.

Recognizing that civil society organizations are independent, we sought to objectively prioritize the common good first, rather than considerations of political expediency, vested interests, or short-term demands. The result is a forward-leaning set of bold proposals that will require political courage to take forward but, if implemented, will benefit all. It is our hope that this People’s Pact will open opportunities for the kind of visionary leadership required in these challenging times.

We resolve always to strive to build a better, more fair and just future for all people, including the millions who have been denied the chance to lead decent, dignified, and rewarding lives and to achieve their full human potential. Without nature, there is no future. Without peace, there is no life. Without democracy, there is no freedom. Without human rights, there is no justice. We will continue our efforts to end poverty and save the planet, most urgently through the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals and the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

We will do this because we know that building a better world is possible, and that its foundation must be laid at the Summit of the Future.

Contents
Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and Financing for Development
Chapter 2: International Peace and Security
Chapter 3: Science, Technology, and Innovation and Digital Cooperation Chapter 4: Children, Youth and Future Generations
Chapter 5: Transforming Global Governance
Conclusion

Chapeau
“We the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war… and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
— United Nations Charter, Preamble

In 1945, the nations of the world recognized the need for international collective action. Humanity was reeling from a catastrophic war, and the time was ripe to take a meaningful step towards a new system to better ensure global peace and security. Today, the polycrisis we face demands that we not merely respond, but proactively refine the international order to secure humanity’s well-being and avert more catastrophic events on the horizon.

Humanity finds itself at a crossroads of intersecting risks, none of which are or were inevitable. The scourge of war, while never gone, has deepened in recent years, with the potential to escalate further. Planetary boundaries are being breached with devastating consequences, including the destabilization of the life-supporting Earth system. Hundreds of millions have died from avoidable poverty-related causes. Prejudices of gender, race, disability, class and countless others have oppressed multitudes and fractured societies. Questions of cyber warfare, disinformation, and the unforeseen impacts of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence extend existential threats to the digital sphere. Suffering has been tolerated and aspirational words have, time and again, been left unmatched by commensurate deeds leading to the need to save the legitimacy of multilateralism itself. All these challenges are mutually reinforcing, each holding the potential of exacerbating others. So long as meaningful action is not taken, such crises will only deepen.

The time to act is now. Numerous potential solutions, commonly recognized as practical and beneficial, are at hand. In recent years, a multitude of global processes, with Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals at the forefront, have endeavored to address these pressing realities. They have sought to establish societies where every individual lives with dignity, has their rights met, and assumes responsibility as stewards of the environment. However, the pervasive lack of trust between nations, the short term nature of governance, and a shortage of courage to implement innovative ideas for achieving a fair and equitable future, impede significant progress. This moment in history therefore demands concerted effort to advance institutional shifts and reforms at various levels of depth and scale of change — along with building the confidence and trust necessary to undertake coordinated action in our interdependent world.

This People’s Pact for the Future serves as a call to world leaders and decision makers to take the necessary steps both to protect current and succeeding generations from the interconnected threats now and in the future, and to create an enabling environment for diverse, flourishing societies. This document presents concrete recommendations on the five thematic chapters of the Pact for the Future, as a contribution toward meaningful institutional reform and the construction of a more effective UN system. We do so knowing that delivering on promises made and securing the wellbeing of people and planet is the surest way to earn the trust of the world’s people and bolster the legitimacy of international institutions. Given the gravity of the current international situation, transforming and strengthening our global institutions is no longer a mere hope, it is a pragmatic necessity for the survival of our societies.

At the Summit of the Future, Member States must first recommit to the universal aspirations enshrined in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other international instruments and agreements, including the outcomes of relevant major UN conferences and summits. Effective and accountable multilateralism cannot be attained without centering principles such as solidarity, integrity, justice, inclusivity, equity, cooperation, trustworthiness, and regard for the human spirit and the natural world. At the most basic level, this is a mere reaffirmation of what birthed this institution in the first place.

Second, the international community must strengthen and reform existing institutions. Politically feasible and globally beneficial reforms do exist, and enacting them would be a means of both building trust and improving the effectiveness and relevance of the system we have. This is a matter of courageous leadership and we look forward to learning who will take the bold steps necessary.

Third, the root causes and underlying drivers of persistent challenges must be addressed head-on. The assumptions upon which the international order is based are showing their flaws. New approaches requiring a more radical unlearning and rethinking of current conceptions can no longer be delayed for when ‘the time is right’. The crisis is too deep to wait. Conceptions of success and progress, for example, will need to be redefined. Accountability, transparency, inclusivity, and representation will need to be prioritized above expediency and advantage.

To facilitate movement along these lines, we call for the tangible shifts needed in the global order. Among these, the international community must shift models of governance:

• from defending state-centrism, to rebalancing decision-making to the local, national, regional, and global levels, under the principle of subsidiarity. In a world of climate change, pandemics, global supply chains, and digital technology, all nations rely upon one another. What is needed now is a model of true solidarity in action for the entire human family.
• from pursuing material and economic acquisition, to establishing sufficiency for all. Policy and behavior cannot continue to value profit maximization to the detriment of planetary boundaries and human rights.
• from confining care and concern to limited constituencies alone, to fostering loyalty to the well-being of all humanity, in full appreciation of the richness of diverse backgrounds and identities. At the heart of countless challenges of collective action and organization in the world today are questions of identity and belonging. The simple assertion that “we” must be fully taken care of before “they” are given consideration ensures a world incapable of realizing the universal good of the whole.
• from reinforcing structures that continue to perpetuate gender-based inequalities, discrimination, and violence, to understanding that we are yet to witness a truly gender-equal society. Unbalanced gender dynamics have a deleterious effect on all dimensions of human existence for all people.
• from treating youth and rising generations as challenges to be solved to recognizing their tremendous potential and ensuring their meaningful participation in the processes of decision making.
• from seeking security solely through deterrence and the avoidance of war, to promoting an affirmative conception of peace. Establishing lasting security is not simply a matter of signing treaties and protocols; it is a complex task requiring a new level of commitment to resolving a range of social and economic issues that are often the root causes of the conflicts we see.
• from rewarding the short-term extraction of resources, to incentivizing long-term stewardship and responsibility. If time horizons are extended far enough, the interest of the individual, the state, and the planet are aligned. History is replete with examples of redefining national interest on the basis of the need for greater collective action and shared responsibility, including in the very establishment of the UN. These examples must be repeated.
• from organizing global systems around assumptions of self-interest, hostility, and zero-sum competition, to carrying out the shared responsibility for jointly managing a planet. Our goal is to create enabling conditions for peaceful and prosperous societies, based on the equal dignity and rights of all human beings, in harmony with nature.

Our increasingly interdependent and interconnected world demands that human experience, aspirations, and values be the basis for decision-making. This, in turn, requires the full and meaningful input of all segments of society, representing different knowledge bases, experience, and cultural values. The vast potential and contributions of women and girls, to take just one example among many, has long been not only ignored but all too often actively repressed. A key role of governance in rectifying such ills is its power to convene and learn, drawing on diverse stakeholders with diverse vision and experience.

The drafting of the United Nations Charter, eighty years ago, was a bold act of imagination that has propelled humanity since. Yet the apex of global arrangements is still to come. Now is the time for a new act of courage – as foreseen in the Charter itself – which can galvanize all of humanity. What future do the nations of the world aspire to in 50 or 100 years? The Summit of the Future represents a critical opportunity to begin this exploration and leave a legacy for future generations to honor and build on. To this end, a successful Summit would:

• boost political will and courage around global agendas and established priorities, as a means to facilitate coherence and action at all levels;
• build greater trust in the evolving multilateral system, grounded in shared values through an inclusive and rights-based process; set in motion a rigorous and systematic process of learning and the generation of knowledge about construction of a vibrant, prospering, sustainable, and peaceful global civilization;
• recognize that all segments of society, together with Member States, have the capacity to play a significant role in the advancement of humanity and our planet;
• contribute to the evolution of the UN system and its relationship to the Bretton Woods institutions and the World Trade Organization, building on 80 years of lessons learned, to more effectively serve the whole of humanity, for present and future generations; and
• establish a clear roadmap for a time-bound comprehensive reform process of the United Nations, as envisioned in Article 109 of the Charter itself.

Brief Summary of the Recommendations
in the People’s Pact Chapters

Chapter 1: Sustainable Development and Financing for Development

1. Establish a biennial UN G20+ Summit on the Global Economy.
2. Adopt higher-quality, action-oriented development processes through the integration of Sustainable Development principles, evidence-based decision-making, and rethinking of development measurement.
   3. Improve global liquidity management and introduce innovative forms of global taxation and financial re-allocation to finance the SDGs.
   4. Establish an International Court for the Environment.

Chapter 2: International Peace and Security

1. Advance efforts to comprehensively reform the UN Security Council and boost the role of the UN General Assembly as a mechanism for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
2. Strengthen existing judicial institutions, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), through the expansion of its jurisdiction and Member-State accession.

• Enhance efforts to reduce nuclear risk and promote disarmament by employing international instruments, such as the UN charter, to augment non-proliferation and allocate funds for peaceful means.

1. Lay the groundwork to equip the UN with a dedicated deployment capacity to help prevent and quell armed conflict.

Chapter 3: Science, Technology and Innovation and Digital Cooperation

1. Produce transparent and holistic scientific mechanisms to mitigate environmental disasters by tracing breaches of Planetary Boundaries and international environmental commitments.
2. Ensure the provision of transparent global data, including the dissemination of indigenous knowledge and local action.

• Employ technology to empower individuals through the development of gender-transformative, disability-responsive, and accessibility-assuring policies in technology governance.

1. Establish policies governing technology to protect individuals and ensure universal access by creating proactive and fair digitization regulations and realizing human rights in the digital sphere.

Chapter 4: Children, Young People and Future Generations

1. Strengthen the meaningful engagement of young people in intergovernmental processes by expanding the UN Youth Delegates program, developing an intergenerational Town Hall, and further resourcing the UN Youth Office.
2. Increase financing and resourcing for children and youth inclusion by transforming education and social protection systems and engaging youth in peace and security.

• Educate children and decision-makers on the rights of the child to inform the development of a UN system-wide standard on children’s meaningful engagement.

1. Codify the rights of future generations and create UN Mechanisms on Future Generations: a Special Envoy, a Council for Future Generations, and a Future Generations Fund.
2. Encourage strategic foresight, future-back approaches and a long-term vision in all multilateral efforts.

Chapter 5: Transforming Global Governance

1. Reform and enhance the core UN bodies, including the UNSC and UNGA and their relationship.
2. Enhance global governance legitimacy and expand participation by establishing a UNPA that gives elected representatives, who reflect a broad political and societal spectrum, a voice and role at the UN.

• Reform and strengthen the global judicial, financial, and environmental architectures by establishing new institutions such as an International Anti-Corruption Court.