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The World Conferences of the 90s as an Example of Global Governance
The world conferences of
the 90s form important starting points for global governance. Thousands of
government representatives, journalists and representatives from
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) flocked to these 'mammoth conferences'. In
particular, the attendance of the NGO's was frequently seen as the beginning of
a new era in world politics. The following table lists the most important
conferences:
|
Logo |
Year |
Town |
Subject |
Link |
|
 |
1990 |
New York |
Children |
...
more |
|
 |
1992 |
Rio de Janeiro |
Environment
and development |
...
more |
|
 |
1993 |
Vienna |
Human
Rights |
...
more |
|
 |
1994 |
Cairo |
Population |
...
more |
|
 |
1995 |
Copenhagen |
Social
Development |
...
more |
|
 |
1995 |
Peking |
Women |
...
more |
|
 |
1996 |
Istanbul |
Housing |
...
more |
In
1994, in Cairo, 3,500 government representatives, 3,800 journalists and 4,000
representatives from NGOs took part. Comprehensive information can be found on
all conferences on the Internet. Global reports also represent a further
important starting point for global governance:
 |
1972
Club of Rome: “The Limits of Growth” |
|
1976
Tinbergen Report: “The Reform of International Order” |
|
1980
Brandt Report: "Ensuring Survival“ |
|
1982
Palme Report: “Common Security” |
|
1987
Brundtland Report: “Our Common Future” |
|
1990
Nyerere Report: “The South as a Challenge” |
|
1993
Group of Lisbon: “The Limits of Competition |
|
1995
Commission on Global Governance: “Our Global Neighbourhood” |
|
2001
Picco Manifesto (initiative from Kofi Annan): “Bridges to the Future” |
The
report from the Commission on Global Governance counts as one of the main points
of reference for discussions on global governance and the reform of the United
Nations. The following excerpt from two leading representatives of the global
governance concept deals with global reports and conferences as milestones on
route to this concept.
"In his introduction to the Brandt Report (1980), Willy Brandt summed up
the relationship of reasons for global governance perfectly in wise foresight:
"Whether we like it or not: we are increasingly being confronted with
problems which affect humanity as a whole, so that, as a result, the solutions
for these problems need to be internationalised in increasing dimensions. The
globalisation of threats and challenges... requires a manner of 'global internal
politics', which stretches beyond the spires of churches, and even beyond
national borders."
Another pioneer in global governance concepts was delivered in the form of a
report entitled 'Our Commonwealth Future' published by the Brundtland Commission
in 1987, which developed the model of sustainable development for solving the
increasing global environmental crisis, and emphasised the importance of global
and cooperative solutions to problems. This model was then used during the 1992
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio, for the
comprehensive programme of action pertaining to
Agenda 21
and, in
part, during a series of international rights conventions (climate and
biodiversity conventions). All world commissions and conferences of the 90s made
reference to the common interests concerning sustaining life (global commons),
and a series of models for global action followed on from these, which global
governance architects took up later.
The world conferences of the 90s are rightly seen as the “building blocks for
global governance” (Fues/Hamm), because a new drama in world politics has been
staged from here. Besides the whole spectacle, new groups of players stand out
in this respect, which leads us to believe that the states are no longer able to
control the situation in diplomatic exclusivity as at the Vienna conference, and
no longer retain a monopoly when it comes to forming international
relationships. These trends played an important, although controversial role in
the further development of the global governance concept."
[Taken from: Dirk Messner/Franz Nuscheler, Das
Konzept Global Governance - Stand und Perspektiven; INEF-Report Heft 67/2003, Institute
for Development and Peace]
[Author: Ragnar Müller]
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