Towards the Governance of Global Systemic Risk: Reforming the Summit of the Future

This paper examines the United Nations’ 2024 Summit of the Future and its Pact for the Future, suggesting that while the Pact addresses key global challenges, it does not fully account for the systemic nature of emerging risks such as polycrisis and planetary overshoot. The authors argue that existing governance models may be insufficient for managing these interconnected threats and propose a more anticipatory, integrated approach that includes contingency planning, cross-sectoral collaboration, and broader engagement of non-state actors. They outline elements for a potential Pact for the Future 2.0, centered on resilience, inclusive cooperation, and strategic preparedness for navigating complex global risks.