In an increasingly interconnected world, the legitimacy of global decision-making has never been more vital. As climate change, pandemics, armed conflict, and economic inequality transcend national borders, decisions made at the global level affect billions of people, often without their direct participation or consent. As Lisa Dellmuth and her colleagues discuss in the book Citizens, Elites and the Legitimacy of Global Governance, our current global governance structures, primarily composed of state representatives and elite stakeholders, frequently lack the moral, democratic, and inclusive foundations required to justify decisions on behalf of all humanity. Moreover, global governance remains inaccessible to most, as information and policy decisions are largely shaped by English-language research and made by English speakers — despite 80% of the world not speaking English and fewer than half speaking the other UN languages. This communication and legitimacy gap undermines public trust, weakens the effectiveness of global policies, and increases the risk of backlash or noncompliance. To address global challenges with lasting solutions, it is essential to broaden the base of legitimate authority in global governance by including moral leaders, future-oriented thinkers, and historically marginalized communities.
Institutions like The Elders, the World Future Council, and the Planetary Guardians were created to help address this gap. The Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, is a group of respected global statesmen and human rights advocates who use their collective influence to promote peace, justice, and ethical leadership. They provide independent guidance on global issues with a moral perspective that transcends politics. Similarly, the World Future Council brings together fifty prominent individuals from around the world to advocate for policies that safeguard the rights of future generations. By identifying and promoting exemplary laws and governance models, they aim to ensure long-term sustainability and intergenerational justice. The Planetary Guardians are an independent collective uniting leaders from across the globe and across generations to elevate and advance the science of planetary boundaries, essential for a future of human thriving. All three groups exemplify how legitimacy can emerge not just from institutional power, but from moral authority, wisdom, and service to the common good.
Legitimacy can also go viral. People often form deep emotional attachments to celebrities and social media influencers, seeing them not just as entertainers but as trusted figures whose voices carry moral and cultural weight. When celebrities speak out on global issues, their words can bypass traditional political gatekeepers and resonate directly with the public’s sense of justice and urgency. When balanced with a strong focus on substantive policy solutions, a celebrity endorsement of a new system of global governance – such as one designed to address planetary interdependency – could therefore go viral, catalyzing global conversations and lending fresh legitimacy to proposals that might otherwise seem abstract or elite-driven.
Angelina Jolie’s sustained advocacy for refugees through the UNHCR reframed displacement as a humanitarian crisis deserving political will, not just sympathy. Emma Watson’s leadership in the HeForShe campaign showed how a culturally resonant figure could mobilize millions in support of gender equity and influence global institutions like the United Nations. Malala Yousafzai’s global stature as a youth icon for education and peace elevated girls’ education from a development goal to a matter of global moral urgency. If such figures were to champion a new framework for global governance – one built on cooperation, fairness, and shared planetary responsibility – they could help shift public opinion, pressure policymakers, and inject emotional resonance into an issue often seen as distant or technocratic.
Indigenous peoples also bring a unique and deeply rooted legitimacy to global decision-making, particularly in the context of environmental governance. Their traditional knowledge systems, longstanding stewardship of ecosystems, and moral claims to ancestral territories provide essential insights for addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. As discussed in the 2019 study Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change: Emerging Research on Traditional Knowledge and Governance, indigenous communities are increasingly asserting their roles in international climate negotiations, advocating for rights-based and sustainable approaches. Another study emphasized how Indigenous sovereignties in the Amazon can inform global governance through a plurinational lens. The Arctic Council exemplifies this wisdom, as it uniquely institutionalizes the partnership between Indigenous Permanent Participants and non-Indigenous member states, ensuring that ancestral knowledge and state interests co-shape decisions on the governance of a fragile global commons. Additionally, various institutions and declarations underscore both the right and the responsibility of Indigenous communities to influence decisions that affect the global commons. Incorporating their voices is not only a matter of justice — it enhances the legitimacy, equity, and efficacy of global governance itself.
| A few foundations focus on improving global governance such as the One World Trust, the Global Challenges Foundation and the Kofi Annan Foundation. On celebrities, a 2024 article by Mary Beth Collins outlines strategies for developing higher standards for impact in celebrity philanthropy. While there is no donor network expressly focused on global governance legitimacy, there are several groups focused on indigenous participation at the global level. International Funders for Indigenous Peoples supports Indigenous Peoples’ rights, leadership, and participation in global governance processes such as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. |