7.4 Global Governance Flashcards
What does Global Governance refers to ?
Global governance refers to the collective decision-making and management of issues that affect people across the world
Outline the difference between norms, laws and institutions
Norms are the shared values and expectations that govern behaviour e.g. respect for human rights or gender equality
Laws are formal rules that must be adhered to: They are legally binding (An example is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which sets out specific rights, rules and responsibilities for countries in their use of the oceans and seas)
Institutions are formal organisations that are established to facilitate discussion, cooperation and decision-making between different nations
What is intergovernmental organizations?
Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) are international institutions set up by two or more sovereign states to collaborate in tackling a particular issue
Outline an example of institution operating on a global scale to tackle issue of climate change
UN passed the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015 with almost 200 countries signing up to try to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels
Outline an example of organisation on an international scale tackling the issue of climate change
Organisations such as the EU set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels
Outline an example of organization on a national scale tackling the issue of climate change
The UK government plans to phase out coal by 2024 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions
Outline an example of organisation on a regional scale tackling the issue of climate change
The Scottish Parliament has set a target to generate 50% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030
Outline an example of organisation on a local scale tackling the issue of climate change
Bristol City Council is promoting sustainable transport through a bike hire scheme and car-free days in the city centre
Name an example of IGO
The United Nations (UN) is one of the most respected IGOs as it has 193 member nations, meaning that almost every country in the world is a member
In what way does UN promote growth and stability?
One way the UN works to promote growth and stability is through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
This operates in over 170 countries and aims to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities
It led the drive to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which reduced the number of people living in poverty and increased the number of children in primary school, amongst other achievements
Since 2015, it has focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 goals which promote sustainable development, aim to tackle climate change and reduce inequalities
How IGOs can exacerbate present inequalities and injustices in global governance?
Many IGOs are not representative of every country and in fact, reflect the interests of HDE countries
The G7 only represents the world’s richest countries and so reinforces the power and influence of HDE countries
The IMFs decisions are determined by its largest donors which are typically HDE countries
How do IMF and World Bank exacerbate present inequalities and injustices in the global governance?
The IMF and World Bank only give out conditional loans, for example countries may be required to implement free trade policies and cut spending on education and health care
Some people believe that this has made poverty and inequality worse in LDE countries, as well as taken away their sovereignty
Why IGO may lack power to govern global systems and provide solutions to present issues?
IGOs are voluntary so not every country in the world takes part, diluting their power and influence
Some countries choose not to follow the rules and it can be difficult or even impossible to make them comply
Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council can veto resolutions: This has made it very difficult for the UN to respond to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine because Russia is a permanent member
