Multilateralism is not a threat to sovereignty, it is its modern expression

Opinion: Why preventive diplomacy must be at the heart of climate action

Global Preventive Diplomacy Initiative

The forgotten promise of preventative democracy

As the climate crisis accelerates, so does a quieter but equally alarming issue: The failure of global diplomacy to anticipate and prevent climate-induced instability. This is not only hampering our collective ability to respond to escalating shocks, but it also risks undermining the multilateral system itself.

The signs are impossible to ignore. Over just three months, nearly 4 billion people endured at least 30 days of extreme heat, according to Climate Central. During the Fourth of July weekend, flash floods in Texas, USA, killed at least 135 people.  

In this chapter, we confront the urgent and multifaceted global environmental crisis that challenges our very existence as a species. Despite incremental advancements in international environmental standards and growing public awareness, the escalating severity of climate change, water stress, pollution, and biodiversity loss necessitates a comprehensive transformation of our multilateral systems.

By examining the historical development of the international environmental agenda, alongside the successes and shortcomings of key multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), we illuminate the gaps between international commitments and their translation into policy and action.

The discourse extends to critical issues of implementation, accountability and liability, highlighting recent developments in environmental law and litigation. We posit that the impending ecological catastrophe requires a profound and systemic shift in our global environmental governance.

As such, we recommend fostering an epistemic and normative transformation that enables a robust, integrated and equitable response to the existential environmental challenges we face today.