A Breakthrough for People and Planet
Effective and Inclusive Global Governance for Today and the Future
Introduction
In 2022, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed a High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism (HLAB) to identify concrete, actionable recommendations that support a radical shift in international cooperation for the resolution of shared global challenges and the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This report is the result of these efforts.
Informed by a global public consultation, and building on wide-ranging inputs from UN system entities, civil society, academia, and other diverse stakeholders, this report advances six transformative shifts that work together to deliver a breakthrough for people and planet – helping us avoid a collective breakdown that will put the very existence of future generations at risk. We invite you to read and share the report’s recommendations and hope they offer solutions as well as space for further dialogue and innovation ahead of the 2024 Summit of the Future.
SHIFT ONE
Rebuild Trust in Multilateralism
Improve legitimacy and effectiveness through inclusion and accountability
Inclusive, effective multilateralism requires a fundamental transformation towards more distributed, networked, and accountable decision-making for our collective well-being.
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Recommendation 1
Represent “we the peoples” in the multilateral system
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Recommendation 2
Meaningful inclusion of cities and regions in the multilateral system
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Recommendation 3
Include and obligate the private sector
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Recommendation 4
Innovations for more effective decision-making
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“Effective multilateralism is only possible if … women and men are equally and meaningfully represented.”
SHIFT TWO
Planet and
People
Regain balance with nature and provide clean energy for all
To flourish as a species, we must regain balance with nature and with one another, treating ecosystems as a primary asset for securing our collective well-being.
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Recommendation 1
Conclude a pact for people and planet
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Recommendation 2
Equitably distribute clean energy
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Recommendation 3
Price and regulate carbon for a just, green transition
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Recommendation 4
Elevate the environment within the multilateral system
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“All of us will benefit collectively if we treat a healthy planet as a global public good …”
SHIFT THREE
Global
Finance
Ensure sustainable finance that delivers for all
We join the UN Secretary-General in calling for a rapid, sizeable increase in long-term investment for people and planet that reduces inequalities and safeguards our shared life support systems.
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Recommendation 1
Repurpose the Multilateral Development Bank system
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Recommendation 2
Strengthen the Global Financial Safety Net
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Recommendation 3
Ensure greater automaticity and fairness in SDR allocations
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Recommendation 4
Enact governance changes at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund
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Recommendation 5
Strengthen the global debt architecture
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Recommendation 6
Enable and facilitate regulatory frameworks for financial flows
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Recommendation 7
Pursue global taxation reforms
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“The Summit of the Future is an opportunity to reconsider the reasons, places, and ways in which we invest.”
SHIFT FOUR
Digital and Data Governance
Support a just digital transition that unlocks the value of data and protects against digital harms
The solutions developed over the next few critical years will shape societies for decades to come. Our solutions must be human-centered and rights-respecting; encourage open dialogue, exchange, and learning between cultures and sectors; and, crucially, build on past successes.
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Recommendation 1
Support a just digital transition by addressing digital poverty, inequality, and harms
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Recommendation 2
Lay the foundations of an enabling architecture for the data century
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“The benefits of the digital age cannot be captured by a few at the expense of the public interest.”
SHIFT FIVE
Peace and
Prevention
Empower effective, equitable collective security arrangements
We must evolve our global governance arrangements to more effectively and legitimately address the broad range of risks to our collective security. This will require reforming existing institutions, strengthening our relationship with regions, and providing forums for building trust and transparency.
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Recommendation 1
Commit to our collective security
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Recommendation 2
Reform the UN Security Council and strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission
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Recommendation 3
Establish a collective security framework between the UN and regional organizations
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Recommendation 4
Increase transparency on peace and security
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Recommendation 5
Strengthen and accelerate denuclearization
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“We must stop thinking of security in narrow, nationalistic frames and accept that our collective survival depends on greater investment in peace.”
SHIFT SIX
Anticipatory Action
Strengthen governance for current and emerging transnational risks
We need to position the multilateral system to more nimbly and effectively respond to emerging threats and act quickly and decisively in situations of uncertainty.
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Recommendation 1
Climate change, peace, and security
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Recommendation 2
Governance of biological and health risks
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Recommendation 3
Safe, effective management of emerging technologies
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Recommendation 4
Combat transnational organized crime
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“Tomorrow’s multilateralism can evolve alongside fast-changing risk landscapes, rising to emerging challenges with a common sense of purpose.”
Explore more solutions
Read all the contributions received during the HLAB’s global public consultation here.
