Book contents
- Planet in Peril
- Reviews
- Planet in Peril
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Fictional Vignettes
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Part I Existential Threats: The Four Most Pressing Dangers Facing Humankind
- Part II Strategies and Obstacles: The Solutions We Need, and What’s Preventing Them from Being Realized
- Part III Sensible Steps for Today’s World: Powerful Measures We Can Implement Right Away
- Part IV The Middle-Term Goal: New International Tools for the Late Twenty-First Century
- 14 A Promising Track Record: The Dramatic Growth of International Institutions and Networks Since 1900
- 15 How to Escape the Sovereignty Trap: Lessons and Limitations of the European Union Model
- 16 Taking the United Nations Up a Notch: Planet-Level Solutions for the Year 2100
- 17 The Other Path to 2100: Ruthless Competition, Fingers Crossed
- Part V The Long-Term Goal: Envisioning a Mature System of Global Governance for the Twenty-Second Century
- Endnotes
- Bibliography
- Index
16 - Taking the United Nations Up a Notch: Planet-Level Solutions for the Year 2100
from Part IV - The Middle-Term Goal: New International Tools for the Late Twenty-First Century
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2022
- Planet in Peril
- Reviews
- Planet in Peril
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Fictional Vignettes
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Part I Existential Threats: The Four Most Pressing Dangers Facing Humankind
- Part II Strategies and Obstacles: The Solutions We Need, and What’s Preventing Them from Being Realized
- Part III Sensible Steps for Today’s World: Powerful Measures We Can Implement Right Away
- Part IV The Middle-Term Goal: New International Tools for the Late Twenty-First Century
- 14 A Promising Track Record: The Dramatic Growth of International Institutions and Networks Since 1900
- 15 How to Escape the Sovereignty Trap: Lessons and Limitations of the European Union Model
- 16 Taking the United Nations Up a Notch: Planet-Level Solutions for the Year 2100
- 17 The Other Path to 2100: Ruthless Competition, Fingers Crossed
- Part V The Long-Term Goal: Envisioning a Mature System of Global Governance for the Twenty-Second Century
- Endnotes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
This chapter describes a “second wave” of modifications to the UN system that would further strengthen its capabilities during the latter half of the twenty-first century. It focuses on two major challenges that the UN will be facing during the coming decades: the international regulation of biotechnology, and the global effort to remove excess carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere. New, CRISPR-based technologies for editing genomes have allowed scientists to make path-breaking innovations, bringing the concept of “designer babies” far closer to realization than ever before. At the same time, the climate crisis has prompted some scientists to propose radical new forms of “solar radiation management” such as artificial clouds or even a space shield to prevent runaway global warming. Effective regulation of such extreme new technologies will require new international instruments over the coming decades, such as a democratically elected World Parliament, a more representative Security Council, and a standing UN army equipped to respond swiftly to emerging crises.
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- Information
- Planet in PerilHumanity's Four Greatest Challenges and How We Can Overcome Them, pp. 233 - 251Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022