Issues of Global Governance (AQA A Level Geography)

Sovereignty & Governance

• Sovereignty is the authority of a state to govern itself, make its own laws and decisions and control its own borders

• As a result of globalisation, the world has become more interconnected and interdependent, meaning that countries frequently have interests that extend beyond their national borders

• For this reason, governments often ‘pool their sovereignty’ and work together to tackle global challenges when it is in everybody’s best interests

• Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) are international institutions set up by two or more sovereign states to collaborate in tackling a particular issue

• To achieve successful governance, institutions at a variety of scales need to interact and work together

• Decisions made by global institutions require institutions at all scales to take action to implement them 

Examples of Institutions Operating at Different Scales

Agencies of Governance

The United Nations

• The United Nations (UN) is one of the most respected IGOs as it has 193 member nations, meaning that almost every country in the world is a member

• It was set up in 1945 to promote international cooperation and maintain global peace and security

• It is made up of several organisations including the General Assembly, the Security Council and the International Court of Justice

• The UN has many other agencies to tackle specific issues such as health, education and economic development

  • e.g. the World Health Organisation (WHO) tackles health epidemics like the Zika virus outbreak in Central and South America

• One way the UN works to promote growth and stability is through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

  • This operates in over 170 countries and aims to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities

  • It led the drive to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which reduced the number of people living in poverty and increased the number of children in primary school, amongst other achievements

• Since 2015, it has focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 17 goals which promote sustainable development, aim to tackle climate change and reduce inequalities

Other IGOs

• The World Trade Organisation (WTO) promotes free trade and arranges Special and Differential Trade (SDT) Agreements to achieve economic growth and development

• The World Bank gives low-interest loans and grants to LDE countries to invest in health, education, infrastructure and communications to support economic development

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) promotes financial stability by monitoring the global economic system and providing loans to countries in danger of economic collapse

Inequalities and Injustices in Global Governance

• IGOs may also exacerbate inequalities and injustices

• Many IGOs are not representative of every country and in fact, reflect the interests of HDE countries

  • The G7 only represents the world’s richest countries and so reinforces the power and influence of HDE countries

  • The IMFs decisions are determined by its largest donors which are typically HDE countries

• The IMF and World Bank only give out conditional loans, for example countries may be required to implement free trade policies and cut spending on education and health care

  • Some people believe that this has made poverty and inequality worse in LDE countries, as well as taken away their sovereignty

• Many people argue that IGOs are too weak for various reasons:

  • IGOs are voluntary so not every country in the world takes part, diluting their power and influence

  • Some countries choose not to follow the rules and it can be difficult or even impossible to make them comply

  • Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council can veto resolutions: This has made it very difficult for the UN to respond to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine because Russia is a permanent member