Publications

The WTO is under pressure to address agendas on development, the environment, and inclusiveness. But with members divided, progress may rely on informal cooperation rather than new rules.

As cryptocurrencies grow and challenge national monetary sovereignty, global rules are struggling to keep pace. With US disengagement weakening cooperation, stronger EU leadership will be vital to effective crypto governance.

The UN’s Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees create room for dialogue, but remain non-binding and underfunded. With limited political will for reform, their role will likely be confined to forums for discussion rather than drivers of cooperation.

The Pandemic Agreement marks a landmark step in strengthening global health cooperation. Born out of the failures revealed by COVID-19, it represents a victory for multilateralism – though questions remain about how it will be in practice.

A decade on, the Paris Agreement has had mixed results. This report analyses how structural trade-offs between democracy, robustness, and effectiveness shape the function of the agreement’s core mechanisms.

Can a new Climate Change Council help fix global climate governance – or will it just add to the chaos? This policy brief breaks down Brazil’s proposal and its potential impact ahead of COP30.

The UN Human Rights Council is at a critical juncture. This policy brief pinpoints four mutually reinforcing challenges that hinder the workings of the HRC: (1) the non-enforceability of human rights norms, (2) problematic membership practices, (3) restricted civil society access, and (4) severe resource constraints. To address these issues, policymakers should set up enhanced monitoring and early warning systems, guarantee competitive elections and accountability measures, establish and enforce anti-reprisal policies, and secure states’ financial commitments.

How well is cyberspace governance working? Key UN processes for digitalisation have produced mixed results and are often undermined by geopolitical friction and competing visions of cyberspace regulation.

The Human Rights Council is at a critical juncture. How can it reform? Targeted improvements like stronger membership criteria, protected civil society participation, and adequate funding for Special Procedures may help.