Global governance works when we invest in it and support it. A few key examples:
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is a treaty phasing out chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons that are known to deplete this layer of Earth’s atmosphere that protect us from harmful UV radiation. In effect since 1989, and ultimately ratified by all UN member countries, it has been remarkably successful in leading to consistent reductions in atmospheric concentrations of these chemicals following peaks around the year 2000.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in the Hague and operational since 2002, has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes under certain circumstances, and the crime of aggression. Still in its early years, the Court has brought forward 33 cases so far, issued 61 arrest warrants, and started numerous additional investigations and preliminary examinations that are still ongoing. Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte was recently arrested under a warrant from the ICC. The ICC has also issued arrest warrants for Russian head of state Vladimir Putin and is seeking warrants for top Taliban leaders. 125 states are parties and subject to the ICC jurisdiction (though certain key players including China, Russia, and the US are not). Regrettably, while the US signed the treaty in 2000, it later withdrew its signature, and while some US administrations have cooperated with the ICC on specific matters, President Trump has ordered sanctions against the Court in both his presidential terms.
Despite these challenges, the creation of the ICC remains a historic milestone for international criminal justice, marking the first time in history that the world established a permanent tribunal to hold individuals accountable for the gravest crimes. Its establishment 25 years ago was made possible in large part due to the efforts of the Coalition for the ICC (CICC), a global civil society network that played a crucial role in lobbying governments and mobilizing public support for the adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998. The Court’s continued existence and evolution reflect the power of persistent multilateral effort and civic advocacy to shape a more just international order.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), an organ of the UN, adjudicates disputes between countries and gives advisory opinions on international legal matters, with enforcement authorized by the UN charter, but limited by the veto power of the P5. Nearly every country in the world is a party to the ICJ, yet many still have not accepted its jurisdiction, restricting the Court’s ability to consistently and effectively resolve international disputes. Like the ICC, it is based in the Hague. Operating since 1947, the ICJ has adjudicated cases covering border disputes (both land and maritime), military insurgencies, genocide allegations, the protection of diplomatic staff, and obligations under treaties such as the ban on commercial whaling, among other matters.
While the ICJ has contributed to shaping core principles of international environmental law through environmental cases, like sustainable development, intergenerational equity, and the precautionary principle, such cases before the Court remain rare. To strengthen the role of the ICJ in this respect, the Climate Governance Commission, and the World Federalist Movement – Institute for Global Policy have put forward several proposals. These include: (1) encouraging more states to accept the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction; (2) promoting the use of advisory opinions by UN bodies; (3) urging states involved in environmental disputes to bring their cases before the ICJ; (4) including clauses in future environmental treaties that grant the ICJ authority to settle disputes; and (5) encouraging states to formally accept ICJ jurisdiction where this option already exists in current treaties.
Notably, the UNGA’s landmark request in March 2023 for an advisory opinion from the ICJ on states’ legal obligations regarding climate change marks a historic opportunity. The advisory opinion is set to clarify the responsibility of states under international law to prevent and redress the harmful impacts of climate change. While advisory opinions are not legally binding, they carry substantial moral and legal authority that can offer clear guidelines for climate action and a strong foundation for scrutinizing state action.
The Sustainable Development Goals from 2015 represent an aspirational agreement among all UN member states, spanning 17 important themes. Sadly, they are non-binding and lack significant funding, so their tangible impact has been limited. Nonetheless, they help encourage prioritization, catalyze funding, and provide a baseline for accountability, especially in developing countries. When national leaders make development pledges at the UN it serves as a visible commitment, enabling grassroots movements to hold their elected officials accountable. Some results achieved by citizen pressure under the SDG’s (even if not attributable with certainty) include Bangladesh’s installation of 4 million home solar systems, an Ethiopian program providing food and financial aid to people facing extreme poverty, Ghana’s “free senior high school” policy, India’s beti bachao beti padhao program incentivizing girls’ education, and more.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an older statement of principles, drafted by Eleanor Roosevelt and adopted by the UN in 1948. Although non-binding, it is useful both as an encapsulation of customary law and a foundational document for further development of global governance.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which manages the Internet’s unique identifiers, transitioned in 2016 from operating under contract to the US government to a new model of accountability “to the global multistakeholder community,” governed by transparent bylaws and represented by a diverse and geographically dispersed board of directors.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provides the framework for international cooperation to advance meteorological, climatological, hydrological, and related environmental services, to improve the well-being of all. WMO became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1951, having originally been established as an NGO in 1873. Through WMO, weather, climate and water measurements collected by ground-based stations, radars, buoys, aircraft, ships and space-based satellites are shared on an operational basis around the world in real-time. This unique international collaboration, coordinated and standardized by the WMO, is the basis for accurate global weather forecasting and climate predictions, which in turn are the basis for protecting people and livelihoods, optimizing sectoral productivity, and facilitating investment everywhere, all the time.
The Cyber Threat Alliance, founded in 2017, is a private-sector collaborative project of more than 30 major tech companies to enable rapid information sharing about emerging cybersecurity threats. To date it has provided timely, early warnings of more than one thousand threats, and it combs through more than 14 million issues per month.
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) is a premier example of civil society movements joining forces and pushing global governance proposals to victory. Founded in 1992 as a partnership of 6 advocacy organizations, it now comprises more than 100. It achieved its original goal in 1999 when the Mine Ban Treaty took effect. The treaty has been ratified by 164 countries. ICBL won the Nobel Peace Prize for this work in 1997.
Alongside the CICC, the ICBL has provided a model for effective civil society advocacy in shaping international norms and institutions. These successful campaigns have inspired and informed a new wave of global initiatives, including the IACC, the CGC / Mobilizing an Earth Governance Alliance (MEGA), the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, and the World’s Youth for Climate Justice — each seeking to tackle urgent global challenges through coordinated, transnational action.
| While there is no philanthropic prize or donor network focused on documenting the leading success stories in global governance reform, this 2016 report from the Democratic Practice-Global Governance program of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund provides reflections on grantmaking approaches that have contributed to meaningful policy changes at the global level. |