GS&GG: The UN & IMF

Question 1

What are the 4 main aims of the UN?

Answer 1

Peace

Human rights

Human/economic development

Climate change

Question 2

What are the 4 main aims of the Paris Agreement?

Answer 2

Reduce CO₂ emissions

Halt global temperature increase (max 1.5^oC)

Green climate fund (money from HICs –> LICs to help them deal with effects of climate change + implement renewables)

Pledges

Question 3

What is the United Nations?

Answer 3

International organisation dealing with world governance.

Question 4

How many members are there of the UN?

Answer 4

193

Question 5

What are the positives of the UN?

Answer 5

• MDGs reduced poverty from 47%–>14%
• Reduced global wars

Question 6

What are the negatives of the UN?

Answer 6

• Most issues concern LICs but they have limited power.
• General assembly is not legally binding, but is the only time all members come together.

Question 7

The MGDs reduced poverty from 47% –> 14%.

What is the problem with this figure?

Answer 7

• Most of the reduction was in Asia not Africa - essentially the poorest remain the poorest.
• Doesn’‘t account for population increase - actual number of those in poverty is roughly the same.

Question 8

What were the MDGs?

Answer 8

Goals set by the UN with 8 anti-poverty targets.

2000 - 2015

Question 9

What are the sustainable development goals?

Answer 9

UN goals that aim to reduce climate change, therefore reducing disaster risk.

2015-2030

Question 10

What are the positives of the Paris Agreement?

Answer 10

• 80 pledges
• Reduces climate change
• Supports LICs and NICs

Question 11

What are the negatives of the Paris Agreement?

Answer 11

• USA left
• Global temps have already risen by 1^oC
• Voluntary
• Focuses on sources over sinks

Question 12

What are the two main sectors of the UN?

Answer 12

Security Council

General Assembly

Question 13

Describe the UN Security Council:

Answer 13

• 15 members
• Legally binding agreements
• Veto power for certain countries = override decisions

Question 14

Describe the UN General Assembly:

Answer 14

• Involves all members
• Not legally binding decisions

Question 15

What is evidence of the UN promoting peace?

Answer 15

• Sierra Leone = peacekeepers disarmed fighters and built democratic elections
• FAO negotiated fairer trade agreements between LICs and HICs = agricultural growth in Ghana

Question 16

What is the evidence for the UN failing to promote peace?

Answer 16

• Security council veto powers are not always sufficient at preventing nations from proceeding = US invasions of Iraq
• Rwandan genocide - abandoned refugee camp resulting in massacre

Question 17

What are positives of the IMF?

Answer 17

• Prevents economic crisis - interdependence
• Loans may prevent econmic instability/poverty

Question 18

What is a negative of the IMF?

Answer 18

• Conditions attached to loans
• Debt repayment often results in decline in public services
• May cause loss of political sovereignty
• Voting power based on monetary subscriptions = inequality
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Question 19

Global governance

Answer 19

Regulates global economic and political systems by setting up rules, norms, and laws that countries and companies should follow.

Question 20

Positive of the world bank?

Answer 20

• Promotes economic development
• Loans are long term
• Can be interest free
• Promotes private businesses/infrastructure

Question 21

Negatives of the world bank?

Answer 21

• Loans need to be repaid
• Projects are top down - do not consider needs of local people
• Always had American president