UNITED OR DIE: “A Prescription for Our Global Superorganism"

Our growing global crisis is a compound of several things: climate change (of course), plus droughts, floods, pandemics, desperate illegal migrants, ever more violent conflict among human groups (who possess catastrophic nuclear, chemical and cyber weapons), and, not least, our increasing economic interdependence. We are on a road to collective self-destruction unless we make a radical course change.

To summarize the more detailed proposal in my 2023 book, Superorganism: Toward a New Social Contract for Our Endangered Species (Cambridge University Press), I am proposing a four part “prescription”: (1) a new global social contract based on the three “Fair Society” ethical principles (equality, equity, reciprocity) including a universal “basic needs guarantee”, (2) changes to the United Nations Charter to permit effective global governance based on democratic principles and the rule of law and two new, well-funded U.N. agencies, (3) one committed to infrastructure development in the countries that still lack the wherewithal to provide the basic needs for their citizens (a Global Infrastructure Fund), and (4) an agency that can respond effectively to the growing number of global emergencies (Global Emergency Management Agency).  

All this is detailed in my 2023 book. The time to make these changes is now. To repeat Tom Friedman’s punch line, “later will be too late.” 

Editor’s Note: To read all of Dr. Corning’s linked essays in this series UNITE OR DIE, please go to Dr. Corning’s website: http://complexsystems.org