The project group has handed over its manuscript of their research to the publishing house in late August 2008 and published its book: "Winning The Needed Change: Saving our Planet Earth"  

PROJECT GROUP 2006-2008

The Problematic

In the first part of our IIAS study on global governance we reported that with the progress of globalisation, the scope for cooperation has been expanded; the need intensified. We have shown the new context of all public administration and governance today is global, and includes a challenge from a global public to fields of public policy hitherto mostly reserved to national authorities. The proliferation of NGOs and international actors requires more adequate strategies from governments and traditionally responsible bodies. As the Rapporteur of our first report, Dimitri Argyriades, concluded:

Although the world at large is not out of the woods and lessons … are slow to come to light, it is possible interpret the (world) crisis as the outcome of a threefold erosion: of values, institutions and overall capacity in the design and conduct of the tasks of global governance.

How should, in terms of public administration, the global exercise of authority be designed, exercised, monitored and made accountable? Is globalisation a consequence of this process or a threat to it? What are the appropriate decision-making structures and methods for a body or bodies of such complexity? How can such authority be made accountable and what role should the different “stakeholder” bodies play? What knowledge, skills and attitudes can make it really effective, and how can these be enhanced? Should global administrative systems be an ideal-type or a lowest common denominator?”

In answer to these questions our report concluded that part of an answer is “…the development of a cadre of dedicated professional policy analysts, advisers and managers, on the national, regional and global levels…”

How can we make this happen? That, the human factor, new people with new skills to manage the new complex system of global governance is the next challenge.

Modus Operandi

The Group should meet a maximum of six times, twice at the IIAS in Brussels, twice at the United Nations in New York, and once each at the Conference of the IIAS in Mexico 2006 and the Abu Dhabi 2007 Congress.

The IIAS contact person and Coordinator of the Group:

Johannes Irschik

E-mail: j.irschik@iias-iisa.org