Three views on the UN: past, present and future
Las wars and the climate change today marked the 79th anniversary of the United Nations Organization (UN), which today reported that “emissions are at their highest point and the planet heads to the catastrophe” and yesterday he reported that “the Israeli bombings force us to postpone the vaccination against polio in northern Gaza.”
“Current policies lead us towards a catastrophic temperature rise of 3.1 degrees Celsius at the end of the century,” warned today the HIMwhile yesterday it reported that it intended to vaccinate 119,279 children against polio throughout northern Gazabut due to Israel’s bombings in that area they will not receive the second dose of immunization and that puts them in another danger, that of contracting the poliovirus.
Just today, October 24 2024, Earth not only celebrates the UN Dayestablished on October 24, 1947two years after the founding of the world body, but also the International Day against Climate Change, established in 2009and the Polio Dayestablished since 1988.
On its 79th anniversary, the HIM renewed the commitments that its member states made when founding it, it did so shortly after some accusations that it is fragile, anachronistic for the world of the 21st century.
The UN, witness to 79 years of wars
In a parallel to history, the UN was born in [1945[1945 after the Second World Warwhich had two epicentersEurope and Japan, and today he meets 79 years amid two major war frontsin Ukraine and the Gaza Stripwhich began on February 24, 2022 and October 7, 2023, respectively.
The UN, fragile and anachronistic septuagenarian
Precisely, the wars in Europe (Russia-Ukraine) and Middle East (Gaza-Israel) motivated the writer and analyst Esteban Heintz to recently declare to the BBC that the HIMalong with other institutions that emerged from the 1945 war, served quite well for many decades, but They are no longer as effective and are fragile, bureaucratic and anachronistic for today’s world.
As an example, Heintzpresident of the foundation Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Rockefeller Brothers Fund), told the BBC that the UN Security Council It cannot intervene in the war in Ukraine because, when it was born in 1945, Russia was given the right to veto the resolutions of the same world body.
Old house in need of renovations
In that sense, in his report “A logic for the future: international relations in the era of turbulence” June 2024, Heintz states that the United Nations contribute enormously to the global common good, but, Just like a magnificent old house, they need major renovations.
Among the renovations, Heintz proposes to make the UN is more democratic expanding the number of permanent member states of the Security Council and modifying the veto privilege (perhaps requiring three members to exercise the veto together) or empowering the General Assembly to override vetoes with the support of two-thirds or three-quarters of the members.
Also recommends replace unanimous decisions with a qualified majority vote so that individual states or small blocs can no longer block advances against the climate change. In addition, he adds, mechanisms must be established to hold countries responsible for fulfilling its emissions reduction promises to the atmosphere.
The UN Pact on its 79th anniversary
Three months later, in September, the HIM made the Future Summitin which world leaders approved the Global Digital Pact and one Declaration on Future Generations.
He Pact may well be a response to the Heintz report, given that It is a list of 56 actions and five objectives that cover financing for development, hunger, science, technology, sports, wars, diseases… and even international governance of the artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
The risk of another nuclear war
For example, in International Peace and Securitythe UN admits that there are growing and diverse threats to peace, “in particular violations of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the same and lThe increasing risks of nuclear war that could endanger the existence of humanity.”
The leaders then say they are committed to “work to restore confidence (in the UN), strengthen solidarity and increase international cooperation, including through increased use of diplomacy.”
Furthermore, as action 54they recognize that the UN must provide a more coherent, cooperative, coordinated and multidimensional response to the complex global disruptionsthat is, they affect the world population, and they affirm that armed conflicts They do not fall into that category “but they could, in some cases, affect multiple sectors.”
Purpose of giving more agility to the almost octogenarian UN
In another possible allusion to Heintz’s report, UN leaders state, as action 45“we will strengthen the United Nations system.”
On how will they do itthe leaders say for the UN to remain effective, efficient and effective We decided on four measures and the first is “make it more agile, responsive and resilience, in particular by enhancing the Organization’s capabilities in innovation, data analysis, digital transformation, strategic foresight and behavioral sciences to improve its support to Member States and the execution of their mandates.”
They endorse commitments for future generations
In relation to the Declaration on Future Generationsthe UN specifies that this list of 36 declarations is still in the draft phase and that it is not new because it is found in the UN Charter itself.
Basically, in that document, the UN states that countries must guarantee the rights of future generations to prosper in conditions of prosperity and achieve sustainable development, in particular by addressing urgent problems, such as the intergenerational transmission of poverty and hunger, climate change, biodiversity loss and pollutionamong others.
You may be interested in:
Related
#weak #turns #midst #wars #imminent #climate #catastrophe
Poke about the need for the organization to be more agile and responsive to the rapidly changing global landscape. As the UN approaches its 80th anniversary, there is a growing awareness of the importance of adapting to contemporary challenges, such as international conflicts, climate change, and global health crises.
The persistent conflicts, particularly in regions like Gaza and Ukraine, highlight the limitations of the UN’s current structure and decision-making processes. Critics argue that the existing framework is outdated and insufficient to address the complexities of modern geopolitics. The emphasis on reforming the Security Council, expanding membership, and altering the veto power is aimed at creating a body that can modernize its approach to prevent conflicts and foster international cooperation effectively.
Additionally, the urgency to combat global issues like climate change and public health, exemplified by the risk of polio resurgence in Gaza due to interrupted vaccination campaigns, underscores the need for a cohesive, unified effort. Advocates for reform within the UN stress that strengthening its mechanisms could lead to better preparedness and response strategies across various domains.
the ongoing challenges faced by the UN, as evidenced by recent global conflicts and health crises, underscore the imperative for reform. The desire for a more robust, equitable, and responsive UN could enhance its capacity to fulfill its mandate of promoting peace and safeguarding human rights, especially as it moves towards its 80th anniversary.