Summit of the Future

Why in News?

United Nations Summit of the Future was held at New York between 22-23 September 2024.

What is Summit of the Future?

• It is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on better future.
• Theme - ‘Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow’.
• Aim of the summit
  • Accelerate efforts to meet our existing international commitments.
  • Take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.
• Outcome - The Summit concluded with the adoption of an outcome document - A Pact for the Future, along with two annexes, Global Digital Compact and A Declaration on Future Generations.
• Pact for the Future – It is an inter-governmentally negotiated, action-oriented Pact covering both new areas and issues on which agreement has not been possible in decades.
• GLOBAL DIGITAL COMPACT – It is the first comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation.
• It explicitly includes human rights and concrete commitments to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda and puts emphasis on the role of non-state stakeholders.
• Commitment to Digital public goods, Digital public infrastructure, Open-source data, Models and standards and Data governance.
• Aiming at Global AI Governance, establishment of
  • AI Scientific Panel
  • Global policy dialogue on AI
  • Global Fund for AI capacity building.
• Make the digital space safer for all through greater accountability of tech companies and social media platforms and actions to tackle disinformation and online harms.
• DECLARATION ON FUTURE GENERATIONS – It put forward concrete proposals and processes to help Member States better consider future generations and inspire long-term anticipatory governance at the international level.
• Follow up events
  • High-level review for the Global Digital Compact in 2027
  • High-level plenary meeting in 2028 for the Declaration on Future Generations
  • Heads of State and Government meeting at the beginning of the 83rd session of the General Assembly in 2028 for a comprehensive review of the Pact for the Future.
  • 4^th International Conference on Financing for Development
  • 2^nd World Summit for Social Development.

What are provisions of the pact on sustainable development and financing?

• 2030 Agenda - Accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and 2023 SDG Summit Political Declaration.
• Advance sustainable development beyond 2030.
• Finance for the SDGs and close the SDG financing gap, including through an SDG Stimulus.
• Tax Cooperation - Inclusive and effective international tax cooperation
• Global minimum level of taxation on high-net-worth individuals.
• Climate Change – Endorsed the need to keep global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
• Transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050.
• Promote disaster risk-informed approaches to sustainable development.
• Environment - Promotion of sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Conclusion of a legally-binding agreement on plastic pollution
• Reversing biodiversity loss and protecting ecosystems
• Increased adequate, predictable and sustainable funding for the UN Resident Coordinator System.

What are provisions of the pact on international peace and security?

• Sustaining peace - Ensure National whole-of-society sustaining peace efforts through the development and implementation of voluntary national prevention strategies.
• Protecting civilians - Pledged to refrain from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
• Strengthen accountability for serious crimes and gross violations such as gender-based violence and starvation as a weapon of war.
• Humanitarian assistance - Increase the use of innovative and anticipatory financing mechanisms to eliminate famine.
• Accelerate the implementation of commitments on Women and Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security.
• Review of United Nations peace operations to recommend how they can adapt to new and emerging challenges
• Counter Terrorism - Address all drivers and enablers of terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, including in the digital sphere.
• Prevent and combat transnational organized crime, including cybercrime.
• Nuclear Disarmament - Recommitment to nuclear disarmament in nearly 15 years, through a clear commitment to the goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
• Avoid weaponization of emerging technologies - Commitment to prevent an arms race in outer space
• Discussions on an instrument to govern the use and development lethal autonomous weapon systems
• Continued assessment of risks around the military applications of AI.

What are provisions of the pact on science, technology and innovation (STI) and digital cooperation?

• Reduce global disparities in STI - Addresses barriers to the access, participation and leadership of women and girls in these areas.
• Ensure human rights and ethical principles in the development and use of new technologies.
• Increased use of science in policy-making to address complex challenges.
• Provide more funding for SDG-related research and innovation.
• Youth - Expand and strengthen youth participation in global decision-making, including in UN intergovernmental bodies and processes.
• Participation of youth from developing countries, facilitated through the UN Youth Fund.

What are provisions of the pact on transforming global governance?

•  The Pact resolved to make the multilateral system more effective, fit for the future, just and representative, inclusive and networked, and financially stable
• UN Security Council Reform - Commitment to increase the representation of developing countries, recognizing the special case of Africa.
• Gender equality - Revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women.
• Human Rights - Ensure the enjoyment by all of all human rights, including through UN human rights mechanisms and protect human rights defenders.
• International financial architecture - Stronger participation of developing countries in international economic decision-making.
• Mobilization of more financing from multilateral development banks to help developing countries turbocharge their development needs.
• Review the sovereign debt architecture to ensure that developing countries can borrow sustainably to invest in their future.
• Strengthen global financial safety net to support countries in the event of financial and economic shocks, using special drawing rights.
• Delivering more finance to help countries address climate change and invest in adaptation and renewable energy
• Outer Space Governance - Strengthen the existing international frameworks to ensure that all countries can benefit from its safe and sustainable exploration and use.

What are the issues with the pact?

• Not Unanimous - Russia, Iran, North Korea, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua rejected the pact demanding changes in national sovereignty and the role of external entities in domestic affairs.
• No Means of Implementation - Pact for the Future is packed with lofty goals and commitments but is thin on actual, realistic steps.
• The new pact does not spell out how the body plans to get members to follow its rules.
• No UNSC reform - The Summit did not agree to a clear pathway for Security Council reform and has called for categories of members.
• Trust issue - Effective global cooperation is increasingly critical to our survival but difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of mistrust.
• Outdated Structures - Using outdated structures that no longer reflect today’s political and economic realities , hampers the progress.
• Dominance of G7 –   Dominance of the developed countries in the provisions of the pact.
• No mention of how speeding up reforms the Global South has been demanding for years.

What lies ahead?

• Create clear procedure on implementing the aims and objectives.
• Make concrete targets to achieve in due time framework.
• Include the demands of Global South and reform of UNSC.

References

1. United Nations | Summit for the Future
2. The Hindu | Global Inequality