The interplay between new wars, climate crisis, rising inequalities, and the COVID-19 pandemic have put the future of people and the planet high on the international political agenda. At the same time, however, a contested multilateral system and competing global strategies aggravate finding and defining policy solutions for the existential global challenges emerging for all humankind. The European Council sought to address some of these challenges in its meetings on 21 and 22 March.
In so doing, the European Council addressed aspects of the reform agenda, Our Common Agenda, put forward by the UN Secretary-General (SG). With this report issued in 2021, the SG responded to the request by the 75th session of the UN General Assembly to strengthen global governance and come up with innovative proposals to tackle the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, rising inequalities, regression or stagnation on most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as fast technological change carrying unprecedented threats and opportunities. The report thus includes actionable recommendations to renew the multilateral system to accelerate implementation of existing commitments, fill gaps in global governance that have emerged since 2015, and turbocharge action on the SDGs. This was followed by 11 policy briefs on the key issues raised in Our Common Agenda.
Furthermore, a Summit of the Future was proposed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take these steps. Upon the decision of the UN General Assembly at its 78th session, the Summit of the Future will take place on 22-23 September 2024. World leaders will gather to endorse an action-oriented Pact for the Future, comprising a chapeau and five chapters on sustainable development and financing for development; international peace and security; science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance.
To contribute to global reflections ahead of the Summit of the Future, FEPS and its partners presented a report, For a New Global Deal. Preparing the Summit of the Future, prepared by a high-level group of experts. The report aims to open a dialogue across Europe and between Europe and the other continents on the priorities of reforming global governance regarding policies and UN reforms to address the current global challenges, notably climate change, poverty, sustainable development, digital transformation, and finance.
Co-organized by the UN Office in Brussels, the FES EU Office in Brussels, and FEPS, including its partners, the event “Beyond the poly-crisis: Towards a global pact for a better future for people and planet” gatherered policymakers, experts, civil society, youth and a diverse range of participants to reflect on the key findings from the FEPS report and discuss the opportunities presented by the Summit of the Future to address today and tomorrow’s global challenges.
