Building Transnational Solutions to Global Catastrophic Risks James J. Hughes Ph.D. Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies

Building Transnational Solutions to Global Catastrophic RisksJames J. Hughes Ph.D.Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies http://ieet.org Assoc. Editor, Journal of Evolution and Technology Lecturer, Public Policy Studies, Trinity College

Nov 14, 2008 Mtn Vw, CAGlobal Catastrophic Risks

New Opportunities Federalist movement League of Nations United Nations EU and NATO “Coalition of the Willing” Decline of Pax Americana,

and the new multilateral order

The Obama Opening

Copyright Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies 2008

Global Superorganism

Gregory Stock Robert Wright Kevin Kelly Transnational institutions

as the forebrain of the global superorganism

Cognitive bias: lack of gov is bigger risk than too much


Catastrophic risk mitigation requires universal mandatory policies. Technofixes or local piecemeal solutions are inadeqaute.

Barriers to Political Globalization Chinese engagement and

democratization Balancing military and economic

power with population Reforming global institutions to

ensure legitimacy Achieving local political support

for participation, financing


Securing Financing Penalties for withholding

assessed contributions Global regulation of banking

and exchange Bretton Woods II

Reform of WTO, World Bank, IMF, create new institutions

Tobin tax on currency trading Carbon tax


Unpaid Debts to the UN


Including contributions owed to the Regular, Peacekeeping Operations and International Tribunals budgets.

UN Structures


Disaster Preparedness Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-

2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters International Strategy for Disaster Reduction www.unisdr.org 1. Make disaster risk reduction a national and a local priority with a strong

institutional basis for implementation 2. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning 3. Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and

resilience at all levels 4. Reduce the underlying risk factors 5. Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels

UN Trust Fund for Disaster Reduction UN Refugee Agencies

unhcr.org More than 50 million refugees helped in 50

years


Collective Security

UN Security Council Reform Current UN Peacekeeping

63 missions in 45 countries since 1945 Currently 10,000 personnel from 118

countries on 20 missions seven fold increase in UN peacekeepers

since 1999. Crippled by dependence on loaned

troops, passive role

Beyond UN Peacekeeping to standing UN army


World Law Enforcement Interpol

interpol.int UN Police Forces

17,000 police officers from 100 countries

International Criminal Courtgenocide, crimes against

humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression

International Court of Justicesettle legal disputes and give

advisory opinions


Discourage Proliferation of WMDs Three major treaties:

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) -- 1968 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) -- 1972 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) – 1993

Dealing with legacy of Iraq North Korea and Iran UN Office for Disarmament Affairs International Atomic Energy Agency Organization for the Prohibition of

Chemical Weapons (OPCW) IAEA backed by force New agency with mandate for all WMD techs


SynBio and Bioweapons UN ODA’s Implementation

Support Unit (ISU) To support implementation of

the Biological Weapons Convention

George Church, NAS proposals for licensure, surveillance of DNA printers and syn-bio


Famine and Ag Tech Transfer UN Food & Agricultural

Organisationfao.org

UN World Food Programwfp.org

UN Development Programme undp.org

Development, transfer, use of drought-resistant GM crops


Pandemics World Health Organization

who.int WHO Epidemic and

Pandemic Alert and Responsewho.int/csr

Immediate communication & coordination with WHO

Strengthening, integrating health systems


NEO Detection & Deflection UN Office for Outer Space

Affairs unoosa.org

Association of Space Explorers lobbying for UNOOSA mandate

space-explorers.org


Globalizing Space Exploration Demilitarize US Space Policy

Revoke Bush space policy, re-open negotiations on bans on space weapons

International Space Program Join 1967 Outer Space Treaty Promoting cooperation and forbidding

militarization of space

Regulate Space Junk, Satellites, and Weather Manipulation

Global Explorations Strategy group Italy, Japan, China, Britain, France, USA, India, Korea,

Ukraine, Russia, Canada, Germany, Australia and ESA, the European Space Agency


SETI Contact Protocols SETI Org Declaration of Principles

Concerning Activities Following the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Coordinate news and response through the International Astronomical Union and Secretary General of the United Nations


Cybersecurity & A-Life Threats 1996 Wassenaar

Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies 40 participating states regulates trade in cryptographic

software, expert systems and supercomputers

Need for Cyberlaw Treaties and CyberInterpol


Working with the Federalist Movement United Nations Association

unausa.org Citizens for Global Solutions

globalsolutions.org World Federalist Movement

Institute for Global Policywfm.org

Coalition for Democratic World Governmentcdwg.org

Committee for a Democratic UNkdun.org


For more information Institute for Ethics

and Emerging Technologiesieet.org

Me: [email protected]


Documents

Building Transnational Solutions to Global Catastrophic Risks James J. Hughes Ph.D. Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies