Six principles of global governance
The Amazon rainforests Photo: CFP
The peace deficit, the development deficit, the security deficit and the governace deficit are ballooning amid the profound changes unseen in a century. Particularly, the global governance deficit, characterized by the deterioration and regression of global issues such as climate change, ecological environment, trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, has become a crucial factor affecting the survival and prosperity of humanity. It has garnered increasing attention from the international community.
Given the severity and interconnectedness of global problems, as well as the persistent governance deficit, it is imperative to seek universal consensus on the concept of global governance among nations. Based on this consensus, we can establish fundamental principles of just, equitable, and effective global governance to guide the resolution of global challenges. Justice in global governance is primarily reflected in national sovereign equality and voluntary compliance. Equity is demonstrated through the principles of balancing rights and responsibilities and mutually beneficial compensation. Effectiveness is emphasized through the principles of prioritizing effectiveness and evaluation and feedback.
The first principle is sovereign equality. Sovereign equality has been an important principle that has governed relations between countries for centuries, and is widely followed by the United Nations and its affiliated agencies and organizations. The key to sovereign equality lies in the fact that the rules of governance treat all countries equally irrespective of their size, strength and wealth, and the rules that constrain other countries must also constrain themselves. This principle has fundamental significance for ensuring the normal development of international relations, promoting international peace and cooperation, and, in particular, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Only by adhering to the principle of sovereign equality in the field of global governance can equal rights, opportunities, and rules be ensured or promoted among all countries.
The second principle is voluntary compliance. The principle of voluntary compliance refers to the need to obtain the consent from countries prior to establishing and implementing global governance rules that will bind them. This principle has been internationally recognized in the field of global climate governance and has to some extent proven its feasibility. The Paris Agreement established a new model of responsibility sharing centered on the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), which not only ensures that all parties actively fulfill their common responsibility to address climate change, but also reflects their differences in capabilities through voluntary commitments to reduce emissions, thereby ensuring subjective initiative.
The third principle is the balance of rights and responsibilities. Currently, the phenomenon and contradictions of imbalanced rights and responsibilities among countries in some areas of global governance are prominent, and have become the root causes of the persistent global governance deficit. In various current global governance systems, the vast majority of governance rules and mechanisms are established under the leadership of developed economies. Establishing governance rules that are more favorable to oneself, and even with the aim of suppressing competitors, will inevitably lead to a strong non-neutrality in the global governance system, where emerging and developing economies cannot enjoy fair treatment.
The fourth principle is compensation for mutual benefits. The principle of sovereign equality not only ensures equality among countries, but also raises externalities. In other words, domestic policy formulation and implementation that belong to one country’s domestic affairs may have a negative impact on the welfare of other countries. As the Amazon rainforests, often referred to as the “lungs of the earth,” are predominantly located in Brazil (around 80%) , the decision on how to develop and utilize it falls within Brazil’s jurisdiction. However, in recent decades, the Amazon rainforests have experienced a significant decline, with a 31% reduction in its area. This decline has reached a critical point where strict protection is necessary. It is neither reasonable nor effective to burden Brazil alone with the responsibility of forest protection while sacrificing its own development. Therefore, it would be beneficial to establish a compensation mechanism that compensates countries that have made sacrifices while benefiting the world.
The fifth principle is prioritizing effectiveness. Delayed action, low efficiency, and even empty promises are prominent manifestations of global governance persistently lagging behind the needs of the times. The principle of prioritizing effectiveness in the process of global governance refers to, on one hand, the need for countries to work together to provide operational and practical solutions to global problems confronted by humanity. On the other hand, it refers to the formation of collaborative and efficient collective actions among countries, including reward and punishment systems for implementing global governance rules.
The sixth principle is evaluation and feedback. Many global issues are characterized by uncertainty and difficulty in forecasting outcomes. Improving global governance mechanisms is also a long-term process. Conducting ongoing, dynamic assessments of countries’ involvement in global governance and promptly sharing evaluation results with relevant nations are conducive to addressing obstacles and developing new response strategies timely. Evaluation and feedback can be provided by international multilateral institutions, independent think tanks, even business organizations, and individual experts and scholars.
The six principles of global governance fully reflect the Chinese concept of global governance such as “extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits,” true multilateralism, and democratization of international relations. Its goal is to promote the realization of a more just, equitable, and effective global governance system and the building of a global community of shared future.
Zhang Yuyan is director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Edited by ZHAO YUAN