In a bold move, the world leaders at the Summit of the Future on 22 September 2024 rolled out a groundbreaking Pact for the Future, complete with a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. Dubbed the most comprehensive international agreement in years, this Pact looks at fresh areas while tackling issues that have been stuck in limbo for decades. It’s like giving an old car a turbocharged engine—this is all about making sure international institutions can keep up in a world that’s flipped upside down since their inception. As the Secretary-General wisely pointed out, “we cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with a system built by our grandparents.”
Pact for the Future: What It Reads?
Member States reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the 2023 SDG Summit Political Declaration through urgent and scaled-up actions, policies, and investments aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger, ensuring that no one is left behind. The Pact also highlights the importance of considering how to advance sustainable development beyond 2030. Global leaders agreed to significantly enhance financing for the SDGs and close the SDG financing gap, which includes establishing an SDG Stimulus, meeting official development assistance targets, attracting private sector investment, mobilizing domestic resources, fostering inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and exploring a global minimum tax rate for high-net-worth individuals. Regarding climate change, the Pact emphasized the necessity of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, transitioning energy systems away from fossil fuels to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and promoting disaster risk-informed approaches to sustainable development.
Reform of the Security Council: The summit marks the most progressive and concrete commitment to Security Council reform since the 1960s. This initiative aims to enhance the effectiveness and representativeness of the Council, particularly by addressing the historical under-representation of Africa.
Nuclear Disarmament Recommitment: The summit represents the first multilateral recommitment to nuclear disarmament in over a decade, clearly affirming the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons entirely.
For the Youth
The Summit of the Future introduced the historic Declaration on Future Generations, outlining concrete steps to incorporate the needs and perspectives of future generations into decision-making, including the potential establishment of an envoy for future generations, while also committing to creating more meaningful opportunities for young people to actively participate in shaping the decisions that impact their lives on a global scale.
The summit gathered over 4,000 participants, including Heads of State and Government, observers, intergovernmental organizations, the UN System, civil society, and non-governmental organizations. In a concerted effort to amplify the voices of diverse actors, the formal Summit was preceded by the Action Days held on September 20-21, which drew more than 7,000 individuals from all walks of life. These Action Days showcased robust commitments to meaningful action from all stakeholders, culminating in pledges totaling USD 1.05 billion to promote digital inclusion.
The UN’s Summit of the Future concluded amid a backdrop of growing frustration regarding global representation and decision-making. The resulting document includes commitments to address historical injustices, particularly concerning Africa, and to enhance representation for regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, it emphasizes the need to reform the international financial architecture, improve responses to global shocks, and foster cooperation in outer space exploration while preventing an arms race.
