The UN has described the current global situation as “uniquely dangerous”, with the risk of major powers engaging in conflict at its highest levels since the Cold War, the possibility of nuclear war breaking out higher that it has been for several decades, and the climate crisis driving migration and exacerbating tensions.
“We face a breakdown in commitments to international law and a growing number of conflicts. The statistics are really quite alarming,” says Asif Khan, Director of Policy and Mediation at the UN Department for Peacekeeping and Political Affairs.
A drone flies over Mount Tamalpais in the USA.
Offline and online threats
Conflicts, violence, humanitarian needs and displacement have reached unprecedented highs. One quarter of humanity including one in every five children, lives in areas struck by conflict, and 2023 saw the largest number of conflict-related deaths in almost three decades.
There are also novel threats to contend with, as new technologies are weaponized to cause maximum harm in a highly interconnected world. Incidents involving the malicious use of digital tech are increasing in scope and severity, say experts, and armed drones are being used in conflict by armies and terrorists, often to attack civilians. There is fear that advances in artificial intelligence, quantum technology and life sciences could give individuals enormous power to cause death and disruption.
Mr. Guterres also points to social media companies and how they allow misinformation, disinformation and hate speech to proliferate, all of which can have fatal consequences: “Social media platforms, operating largely without human rights-compliant regulations against online harm, have developed irresponsible business models that prioritize profit at the expense of the well-being and safety of their users and societies”, he writes.
Cross-border concerns
“We live in a global village”, says Mr. Khan. “The climate emergency is not something that can be treated within a few countries’ borders”.
The dangers of the climate crisis to people and the planet are widely recognized: record temperatures, erratic precipitation and rising sea levels reduce harvests, destroy critical infrastructure and displace communities.
The crisis also makes the world more unstable and has the potential to create new areas of conflict, as basic resources such as farmland and water come under unprecedented strain, centred around disputed claims to land and maritime territory.
Young people take part in a pro-democracy demonstration in Myanmar.
A New Agenda for Peace
Against this fraught backdrop, a New Agenda for Peace, the first global peace plan produced by the UN in decades, was released in 2023, filled with recommendations for changing the way the UN – and the international community – operate.
“The New Agenda is a visionary document. It’s forward-looking, and a report for our times, which outlines the current threats in a very sober and realistic way,” declares Mr. Khan. “The plan puts a strong emphasis on diplomacy for peace and using the UN as the ultimate global arena for resolving major issues. It also proposes improvements to conflict prevention, including anticipating where conflicts may arise in the future.”
The New Agenda stresses that conflicts do not emerge out of thin air: root causes include poverty; unequal societies that leave many disenfranchised and frustrated; development gaps between regions and countries; and the climate crisis. Tackling these issues is at the heart of preventive diplomacy, which involves talking to parties involved in disputes before conflicts arise.
The proposed solutions cover areas ranging from peacekeeping and peacebuilding, to disarmament and reforms to the Security Council, and inclusion – making sure that as many elements of society as possible, including women and youth, are involved in defusing conflict and creating lasting peace.
Women from a village in the state of Bihar, India, get together for a community meeting.
‘We are all required to do our bit’
“When you have the widest set of actors who agree to a deal, there is a much greater likelihood that it will be sustainable and long-lasting,” argues Mr. Khan. “When you have peaceful societies, it usually means that everyone in that society is trying to do their bit, whether they are activists, working in a civil society organization, or just going about their business as responsible citizens and having a voice. I think we’re all required to do our bit.”
The recommendations outlined in the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace have fed into the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN Member States at the Summit for the Future in September 2024.
The Pact contains a number of pledges related to international peace and security, including calls for all countries to comply with the decisions of the International Court of Justice; a voluntary agreement amongst the permanent members of the Security Council to refrain from the use of the veto when the Council intends to take action to prevent or halt genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes; and address the risks of new and emerging technologies.
