The current system of governance is no longer adapted to the challenges of tomorrow's world. Its architecture must be based on a new vision of the world and on universally acknowledged principles so that its legitimacy is accepted by all.
The rudiments of global governance have been instituted in the course of the past 50 years. At the same time, however, interdependences among the world's societies and between humankind and the biosphere began to develop at a much faster pace.
Present global governance, which has remained founded on relations among sovereign states, is not equipped to take up the challenges of today's world and in addition, suffers from lack of legitimacy. A new architecture is necessary. It should be founded on principles applicable to every level of governance and on the thinking and innovations that have appeared over the years and in the greatest variety of domains.
These include six dimensions:
- developing ethical and constitutional foundations for legitimate governance;
- establishing of a global community;
- defining common foundations for the management of the different categories of goods;
- regulating trade and the pace of evolution;
- organizing relations among the different levels of governance and among players;
- renewing discussion, decision making, auditing, and management methods.
The 36 proposals offered here give these different dimensions a concrete form of expression.
