In May 2018 we held a two-day conference for activists at the University of Toronto where experts lectured on the six global threats. On day two, breakout groups chose 25 proposals for world-wide changes that, if fully implemented, would greatly reduce the risk of all six global threats. This platform resembles (but is somewhat broader than) the “Green New Deal.” We offer it to NGOs and social movements everywhere to adopt as a common platform of action. By unifying in support of a shared list of proposals, we may increase the overall impact on public opinion and political change. Each plank is appropriate as a policy for every country on the planet.
Click on any plank to open an essay explaining why we think it is worth supporting.
War and Weapons:
01. All states owning or hosting nuclear weapons shall immediately de-alert them and commit to no-first-use
02. All states, including those in NATO, shall sign, ratify, and within 10 years comply with the TPNW.
03. All states shall reduce their militaries and not plan war for “national security.”
04. All states shall develop a UN Emergency Peace Service to protect civilians and respond to crises
05. All states shall ratify and fully implement the Arms Trade Treaty
06. UN Convention on CCW and all states shall prohibit developing or deploying lethal autonomous weapons.
Global Warming:
07. All states shall swiftly adopt maximally stringent efficiency standards for cars, trucks, ships, and aircraft.
08. The International Code Council shall adopt stringent performance-based building codes.
09. All states shall adopt norms and procedures for the production, recovery, and recycling of materials
10. All states shall accelerate R&D of HVDC electric grids, energy storage, and Demand System Management
11. All states shall incorporate environmental considerations in developing national dietary food guides
12. All states shall negotiate to preserve and protect forests and enhance carbon sinks
Famine:
13. All states shall accelerate SDG efforts to end poverty and enable all to obtain food and potable water
14. All states shall support improvements of soil health for resilient food production and carbon sequestration
Pandemics:
15. WHO shall promote nations’ use of Incident Management System for early detection and response to pandemics
16. UN shall adopt a ‘one health approach’ integrating veterinary medicine and environmental science to mitigate disease emergence and antimicrobial resistance and to ensure the continuation of agriculture and civilization
Radioactive Contamination:
17. All states shall shift rapidly to effective generation of electricity by using renewable energy.
18. All states shall prioritize the long-term control and safe storage of radioactive wastes, with public review.
Cyber Risks:
19. The UN shall declare cyberspace a peaceful commons and create a binding treaty for international cyber norms.
20. Manufacturers of ICT hardware and software shall be liable for negligent security failures that cause harm.
Complementary Issues (In Governance, Economy, Civil Society):
21. All states shall support SDGs, tax wealth and financial transactions, and redistribute funds equitably.
22. All multilateral institutions shall heed the demands of international civil society alliances for justice.
23. Sub-national governments and non-state actors shall exercise leadership in solving global problems.
24. Investors and regulators shall compel all businesses to comply with the U.N. Global Compact.
25. Social movements and states shall prioritize Sustainable Common Security to address shared global challenges.
We produce several one-hour-long Zoom conversations each week about various aspects of six issues we address. You can watch them live and send a question to the speakers or watch the edited version later here or on our Youtube channel.