Triple Planetary Crisis and Global Governance

Global Policy Dialogue: Addressing the Triple Planetary Crisis
through Improved Global Governance

(excerpts from the Executive Summary)

The Triple Planetary Crisis (TPC), the nexus between climate change, loss of biodiversity and nature, pollution and contamination, is perhaps the single greatest challenge of our times: a problem of planetary scope... that can only be meaningfully addressed through international cooperation. The term TPC is an effort to capture the complex, intertwined crises faced by humanity which have accelerated considerably over the past half century.

The current global governance system has proven highly ineffective in tackling the TPC. In addition to recent rollbacks in climate commitments by wealthy countries, older problems remain. Key institutions of global governance, including central elements of the United Nations (UN) system, remain highly porous to global power geopolitics; specialized silos within the system often preclude a coordinated response to cross-cutting issues like climate change; and the developing world has become fragmented in its approach to global governance reform.

Against this backdrop, a Global Policy Dialogue (GPD) on Addressing the Triple Planetary Crisis through Improved Global Governance was convened on 19-20 January 2023 in Recife, Brazil, involving 53 select diplomats, researchers and experts from the UN Secretariat, think tanks and universities (including IEF member Maja Groff). The ideas and policy proposals generated covered four broad themes.

Just Transition and Sustainable Development and Trade

Reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Bretton Woods Institutions to boost their ability to regulate and enforce strict social-environmental criteria in trade and finance flows, as well as enhance the latter's capacity to provide climate financing, not only for mitigation but also for climate adaptation and loss and damage.

Creating a global tax body to coordinate fiscal responses to promote a just transition, including: suggesting and/or implementing variable taxation rates to different energy sources in accordance with their rate of greenhouse gas emissions. As efficiency in increased, tax rates could be reduced accordingly.

Promoting change in behaviour consumption patterns to prevent excessive use of conventional energy and natural resources, as well as the exacerbation of associated environmental harms and inequalities.

Balancing the COP Agenda: Climate Adaptation and Loss and Damage

Developing a strategic plan - led by the Global South - containing a collective vision on climate adaptation and loss and damage to provide clarity on key concepts, needs and criteria, as well as serve as a basis for international cooperation initiatives based on common priorities for developing nations.

Creating a platform of good practices - where successful climate adaptation projects would be mapped, assessed and connected to international bodies and funding agencies, such as the Green Climate Fund, which would be dedicated to allocating the necessary resources to give scalability to these initiatives. In addition to making use of existing funding mechanisms, resources for the platform could be gathered through the creation of a mechanism to allow Emissions Trading System contributions, taxes and exceptional levies on major polluters, in accordance with the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.

Fostering a New Global Deal to facilitate universal access to technology, capacity building and Research and Development (R&D), combined with macroeconomic and financial strategies to ensure the financial means required to develop technological solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Climate, Gender and Human Rights

Promoting and disseminating research and data on how the triple planetary crisis affects people differently, acknowledging intersectionality - different aspects of harm and discrimination and how they amplify the negative and unequal aspects of the TPC.

Developing communication and education strategies to make discussions on climate change more accessible, including with regards to instructions on how to behave in practical circumstances, such as when flooding and other extreme events occur.

Increasing accountability for the state's insufficient response to TBC, including by ensuring greater participation of civil society in the design, monitoring and implementation within countries of relevant climate conventions.

Biodiversity and Climate Governance

Creating greater synergies between the "Rio '92 Conventions": the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This could be advanced via greater cooperation channels between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the UNCCD's Committee on Science and Technology (CST), among other expert and scientific bodies.

Promoting a "Super COP" on climate, biodiversity and desertification, where some sessions and official events could be dedicated to addressing common challenges and solutions related to the UNFCCC, CBD and UNCCD agendas collectively.

Making use of the consecutive presidencies of the G20 by developing nations (India, Brazil and South Africa) to enhance synergies between the G20, Bretton Woods Institutions and other key global governance structures to strengthen the climate and biodiversity agenda, especially with regards to global south priorities such as greater finance for adaptation, halting and reversing biodiversity loss and loss and damage.

SOURCE: based on https://ggin.stimson.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Summary-Report_Reci…