1 High Noon: The urgent Need for New Global Problem-solving Approaches 2003

2 The Urgent Need for New Approaches to Global Problem-Solving Key Messages 1.Two big forces of change are running ahead of our ability to respond to them 2.In that context, there are about 20 urgent global issues 3. The current global problem-solving setup has not been up to the task 4. There are several families of ideas on alternative global problem-solving approaches 5. Time has come for starting an international discussion on the methodology of global problem-solving 6. The events of September 11 have made all this even more urgent

3 A Beleaguered Planet Population increaseNew economy

4 New Economy Population Increase Human Institutions A Dangerous Gap...

5 Inherently Global Issues Deforestation Greenhouse gas emissions Fisheries depletion Biodiversity loss Poverty Information age taxation Water shortages Financial stability …mostly failures A few examples... Exception that proves the rule: The Montreal Protocol

6 Sharing our Planet: Issues involving the global commons Global warming Biodiversity and ecosystem losses Fisheries depletion Deforestation Water deficits Maritime safety and pollution Sharing our humanity: Issues whose size and urgency requires a global commitment Massive step-up in the fight against poverty Peace-keeping, conflict prevention, combating terrorism Education for all Global infectious diseases Digital divide Natural disaster prevention and mitigation Sharing our rulebook: Issues needing a global regulatory approach Reinventing taxation for the 21st century Biotechnology rules Global financial architecture Illegal drugs Trade, investment and competition rules Intellectual property rights E-commerce rules International labor and migration rules 20 years, 20 issues

7 The current international set up for solving Inherently Global Issues (IGIs) is essentially not up to the task... n Treaties and conventions Too slow for burning IGIs n Intergovernmental conferences Too short on follow-up mechanisms n G7/8, G-X type mechanisms Four limitations: 1. Methodology 2. Exclusiveness 3. Knowledge limitations 4. Distance to the people n Global multilateral institutions Not able to handle IGIs alone

8 Two major tracks... Current Setup World Government Alternative Approaches Covering all issues One global issue at a time

9 A world government ? EU A case study... …not functioning at world level In the next 20 years, there is not a chance that we will see a «world government» concept emerging as a solution.

10 Alternative approaches: three families of ideas G20-type Groupings Global Issues Networks (GINs) New Diplomacy and Expanded aid concepts Inter-governmental Not permanent New diplomacy New sources of funds Tripartite: public sector, business, civil society Permanent World Bank and other experiments: forestry, dams Recent development in the field of aid (global public goods + UNDP ideas) Recent G7 experiments Main features: Main ideas originating in:

11 Global Issues Networks (GINs) Permanent Networks for various global issues - launched by a multilateral as facilitator - tripartite (public, private, civil society) Three phases - Startup - Norm Production - Rating, naming-and-shaming GINs don’t legislate, but put pressure on countries to enact conforming legislation (reputation effects) Partial examples: Dams, Forestry

12 Phase 1 - The constitutional phase Parties in each GIN: Government International civil society organizations Business Facilitators/conveners: One global multilateral (as lead facilitator) One from civil society One from the business world Global Issues Networks (GINs) 1 year

13 Modus operandi: Discipline and substance, no posturing Deliberative polling through Electronic Town Meetings (ETM) Rough consensus Structured work on a specific IGI: What is the problem? How much time do we have? Where do we want to be 20 years from now? How do we get there? What are the options? What should the norms be? Global Issues Networks (GINs) Phase 2 - The norm-producing phase 1 year 2-3 years1 year Detailed norm packages Other recommendations

14 New tasks: Rating countries and players against norms, creating reputation effects Observatory and knowledge exchange roles 1 year 2-3 years 1 year 2-3 years  10 years? Global Issues Networks (GINs) Phase 3 - The implementation phase

15 Global Issues Networks (GINs) GIN 1 year 2-3 years  10 years? Membership : ETM Electronic Town Meeting IEP Independent Expert Panel

16 Country 123…200  Horizontal cross border legitimacy  Issue-by-issue  Vertical legitimacy  All issues Governments Elected Representatives People Global Issue Network 1 Global Issue Network 2 … …Global Issue Network 20 Vertical and Horizontal: A new interplay

17 G20-type Mechanisms Example: G20, FATF, Financial Stability Forum Create one G20 group for each global issue Membership would depend on the issue G20s’ work would feed into: G7/8 Treaties and conventions National legislation

18 National issues experts also become diplomats National sector ministries with 2 budgets: - Domestic budget - Global action budget ODA (C) and ODA (G) Global Participation Fund to help poor countries - Participate - Implement Expanded Concepts of Aid and Diplomacy

19 A possible outcome New Diplomacy and Expanded Aid Concepts G20s Current International Setup Treaties Intergovernmental conferences G7/8 type groups Global Multilaterals + GINs

20 There is an urgent need for leadership in getting these methodological questions discussed. A new “Bretton Woods conference”? Special heads-of-state brainstorming? Other venues? The point is...

21 Basic Books New York, 2002