UN Future Pact addresses sustainable development, intl peace, global governance, science and technology
The five pillars of the Future Pact, which was adopted at the UN General Assembly on Sunday, include sustainable development, international peace and security, science and technology, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance.
According to the UN website, by approving the Pact, the UN member states pledged to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change - two landmark agreements of 2015, which saw a decline in progress and missed important milestones.
The signatories also pledged to "listen to young people and include them in decision-making at the national and global levels; create stronger partnerships with civil society, the private sector, local and regional authorities; redouble efforts to create and maintain peaceful, inclusive and just societies and address the root causes of conflict."
The commitments also include the protection of all civilians in armed conflict, as well as accelerating the implementation of previously undertaken commitments "on women, peace and security."
The Pact, along with its annexes - the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations - was adopted by consensus. Russia, Iran, North Korea and Syria introduced a last-minute amendment calling for non-interference in any issues of national sovereignty and the primacy of intergovernmental discussions, belittling the role of civil society or the interests of the private sector, but this amendment was rejected.
The Global Digital Compact is the first worldwide agreement on the international regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) and is based on the idea that technology should benefit everyone. It sets out commitments to ensure that digital technologies contribute to sustainable development and human rights, while addressing risks such as digital inequality, cybersecurity and misuse of technology.
"The purpose of the Treaty is to bridge the digital divide and ensure the responsible use of AI technologies, which promotes global cooperation in both AI capabilities and security threats. Governments are also obliged to form an impartial global scientific group on AI and start an international dialogue on AI governance within the framework of the United Nations," the message says.
The Declaration on Future Generations focuses on ensuring the well-being of future generations, and also emphasizes the need to include their interests in decision-making processes. It also highlights the importance of protecting the environment, promoting intergenerational equality, and the importance of ensuring that the long-term consequences of current actions are taken into account.