Seeking hope from uncertainty to forge consensus for future of mankind

Editor's note: Xia Lu, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor at the School of CPC History & Party Building and a research fellow at the National Academy for Development and Strategy as well as the Academy of Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Renmin University of China. Gao Lei, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor at the Center for Xi Jinping Thoughts on Opening-up, Research Institute of Globalization and China's Modernization, University of International Business and Economics. The article reflects the authors' opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The clock is ticking. There are only six years left to the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an overarching document which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. This famous document was signed by the UN's 193 member states in 2015 with the aim of enabling our world to achieve three unprecedented goals over the next 15 years – to end extreme poverty, to combat inequality and injustice and to curb climate change.

Since the signing of the document, high ranking delegates from member states have been meeting every year at the headquarters of the UN to review how much progress has been made in accordance with the goals and targets. At this year's meeting which was held in July, the SDG Progress Report 2024 was published, with the key findings showing that "the world is failing to deliver."

Therefore, in order to address the issue, the UN held the Summit for the Future on September 22-23, trying to bring world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations.

Confronted by rising catastrophic and existential risks, the world is expecting and longing for a series of real actions based on cooperation and mutual respect, in order to deliver a breakthrough to a better and more sustainable future for all. The aim of the summit is twofold: Firstly, it is to accelerate efforts to meet our existing international commitments; and secondly, to take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities.

The summit highlights the recommitment to international cooperation in the face of current global challenges, such as climate change, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the disorderly development of artificial intelligence. It also aims to strengthen international cooperation to address these challenges and create a safer and more equitable future for all.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his address to the summit, "All countries, regardless of their size and strength, are equal members of the international community. International affairs should be handled through consultation by all countries. We need to build an equal and orderly multipolar world and defend the UN centered international system, the international order based on international law and the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter."

One of the outcomes of the summit is the adoption of an inter-government-led and action-oriented "Pact for the Future," a document that has been negotiated and discussed since earlier this year. The pact contains chapters on sustainable development and financing, international peace and security, science, technology, innovation and digital cooperation, youth and future generations, and global governance. In addition, there is a global digital compact and a declaration on future generations, which was adopted by member states during the summit.

In addressing the global digital gap, the summit presents a proposal to develop a global digital compact, setting principles, goals, and actions to advance an open, free, secure and people-centered digital future that will anchor universal human rights and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

In considering the future generation, the summit underscores youth engagement and leadership as architects shaping tomorrow. It provides a platform for young people all over the world to showcase their talents and pursue their dreams, encouraging investment in their leadership and working towards a brighter future.

In addition, the meeting proposes that practical steps should be taken, including the establishment of global voice representation, better application of science, technology and data, a declaration defining our responsibilities to future generations, and a dedicated intergovernmental forum to advance the implementation of the declaration and share best practices.

To underscore the unswerving commitment to multilateralism, the summit raises the need for reform of the global governance system to better reflect the realities of today's world and serve all, which includes reforming key bodies such as the United Nations Security Council.

It also focuses on the education crisis and presents a vision and action guide for transforming education to address the crises of equity and related issues. In response to complicated global shocks, the summit presents a new agenda to recommit to peace and a vision of how peace can be achieved through political decisions and actions as well as recommending the establishment of an emergency platform that can be activated when needed to strengthen the international community's response to global shocks.

In order to ensure that the global governance reforms proposed by the summit truly reflect and serve the needs of the rest of the world, the following steps should be taken into consideration:

Global governance reforms should include the broad participation of stakeholders from different regions and socio-economic backgrounds. This could be achieved through the establishment of platforms and mechanisms to promote dialogue and cooperation between governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and local communities.

For example, the global governance reform and development program proposed by China emphasizes the synergy of development strategies at the global, regional, sub-regional, and national levels as well as the mobilization of development resources from governments, business, academia and civil society organizations.

They should incorporate initiatives at the local and community levels to ensure that the governing structures are adaptable and responsive to local needs, including giving local communities a greater voice and adding greater transparency in the decision-making process, as well as ensuring that they are able to participate in setting the agenda for global governance, that they have access to relevant information and that global governance institutions can be held accountable for their actions.

Reforms can be implemented more effectively through partnerships with the private sector and civil society organizations. These public–private partnerships can help mobilize resources, share knowledge, and implement projects. Effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms shall be established to track progress on global governance reforms and ensure that they achieve the desired goals and outcomes.

In addition, special attention should also be paid to the needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups, ensuring that they can benefit from global governance and reduce inequalities. Member states should also increase public awareness and understanding of global governance reforms, and enhance the capacity of the public to participate in and support these reforms.

Through these measures, the UN Summit for the Future can ensure that global governance reforms more effectively reflect and serve the needs of all parts of the world, leading to more just, sustainable and inclusive global development.

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