Global governance

Global governance

  • Totality of laws, norms, policies and institutions that intervene between the interactions of trans-border relations it is the system of rules that the “actors” play in

  • Areas it influences are:

    • States

    • Cultures

    • Citizens

    • Inter and non governmental agencies

    • Markets (economic businesses)

  • This exists separate from a central government, this allows for fairness in order to avoid a narrative of a “global government” existing


International Actors (entities that influence or shape the laws)

  • Nations themselves

  • International Organizations (UN/ASEAN)

  • Civil society (NGO’s)

  • Market


They influence it by example creating treaties, advocating something, creating standards. Nations then discuss and negotiate if these things should by implemented changed


Examples

UN and its organs

General assembly: Main body that enforces policymaking, composed of 193 members 

Security council: Maintenance of people and security

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): reviews policies and is responsible for recommendations to economic, social, and environmental issues

International Court of Justice (ICJ): Handles Judication

UN Secretariat: Manages the activities of aforementioned organs, headed by Antonio Gutermes

Trusteeship Council: to aid territories into building self government and independence and was later suspended after the independence of Palau where it completed its duties


Roles of UN:
Confronts the 21st centuries challenges such as human rights and international law

Is a space that allows members to voice out opinions and concerns


Function

1. To maintain international peace and security 

2. To protect human rights 

3. To deliver humanitarian aid 

4. To promote sustainable development

5. To uphold international law


Challenges:

  • Veto power of the 5 permanent Members contradicts with the “existing separate from a government” or having no hierarchies 

  • Limited police power, while the UN has the power to create orders, they do not have the power to enforce it to other states

  • Problems without passports, issues that act freely regardless of borders

    • Examples are cybercrime, pandemics, migrations (its now up to the states to handle it)


This poses the question: is the state still relevant amid globalization of governance?


States are the foundation of global governance

  • There can be no intergovernmental organization without states

  • Organizations like the UN exist because states create and join them

States design and drive agreements

  • International and multinational agreements are created by states

  • These agreements move forward through state initiatives and cooperation

State sovereignty is not weakened

  • According to Bertucci & Alberti (2014):

    • Sovereignty has not diminished

    • States are the source of cooperation and collective action

Participation in global governance is a greater exercise of sovereignty, not a loss of it