Why we need global institutions | Gabriel Duque | TEDxKyoto

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of global institutions in managing rapid technological advancements like AI and gene editing. They highlight how coordinated efforts through institutions have reduced hunger, sickness, and war. The speaker calls for embracing global interdependence and multilateralism to tackle challenges like poverty, disease, and environmental sustainability, stressing that institutions are shaped by our actions and decisions.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The necessity of building strong, inclusive, and global institutions to manage rapid technological innovations such as gene editing, AI, and robotics.
• 🏭 The speaker's journey from an engineer to a diplomat, emphasizing the importance of understanding how societies organize themselves.
• 🔄 The critical role of institutions in coordinating human actions and ideas, from informal customs to formal legal systems.
• 📈 Evidence that global cooperation through institutions has led to significant progress in reducing hunger, sickness, and war.
• 🌱 The historical progression of human societies and the corresponding need for institutions to evolve with changing realities.
• 🌐 The impact of globalization on production and distribution systems, highlighting the concept of 'global value chains'.
• 🌳 The interconnectedness of technological and production systems with environmental sustainability.
• 🤖 The need for new and revised institutions to address challenges posed by emerging technologies like AI, the Internet of Things, and gene editing.
• 🤝 The importance of multilateralism and global interdependence to tackle worldwide challenges effectively.
• 🌍 The speaker's call to action for countries to look beyond national interests and embrace the reality of global challenges that require collective action.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the Science and Technology in Society forum?

The main purpose of the forum was to bring together scientists, policymakers, and business people from around the world to discuss the implications of rapid innovations such as gene editing, artificial intelligence, and robotics, and to explore how to manage the changes they bring about.

What does the speaker believe is crucial for managing technological change?

The speaker believes that building strong, inclusive, and global institutions is crucial for managing technological change, as they can coordinate actions and ideas at a wider scale, which is essential for human success.

How does the speaker's career trajectory reflect their understanding of societal organization?

The speaker's career trajectory from an engineer to an economist, policy maker, and diplomat reflects their understanding of societal organization by observing how different sectors and countries manage for success and how institutions play a role in that process.

What role do institutions play according to the speaker?

Institutions, according to the speaker, put ideas into motion and coordinate actions given specific circumstances and constraints. They are essential for human coordination at a wider scale.

What is the significance of the Millennium Development Goals in reducing extreme poverty?

The Millennium Development Goals, set by the United Nations, played a significant role in reducing extreme poverty by providing a common goal for all countries to work towards eradicating extreme poverty by the year 2015.

How does the speaker illustrate the importance of institutions in managing the internet?

The speaker illustrates the importance of institutions in managing the internet by discussing the role of ICANN, which transitioned from a U.S.-controlled entity to a global nonprofit institution, demonstrating the need for global governance in a borderless and open internet.

What does the speaker suggest about the relationship between technological advancements and institutions?

The speaker suggests that as the world evolves from hunting and gathering to information and communication, institutions need to change too, to handle new realities and challenges brought about by technological advancements.

What are the two main points the speaker emphasizes regarding global challenges?

The speaker emphasizes the need for new and revised institutions to address the growing speed of technological change and its effects on the environment and work, and the need to accept and embrace global interdependence, particularly through multilateralism.

Why does the speaker argue that we cannot take institutions for granted?

The speaker argues that we cannot take institutions for granted because they are made up of people like us and are the product of our actions and decisions. They are essential for addressing global challenges and ensuring the future of humanity.

What is the speaker's view on countries focusing solely on their national interests?

The speaker views countries focusing solely on their national interests as short-sighted, as global problems and challenges require a collective approach. They believe that looking inward is not sustainable in the long run and that we must act together for the future of humanity.

How does the speaker suggest we should approach global interdependence?

The speaker suggests that we should accept and internalize the idea of interdependence and work together through inclusive, multilateral institutions to address the sustainability of our planet and the pace of technological change.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Global Institutions for Managing Change

The speaker emphasizes the importance of establishing strong, inclusive, and global institutions to manage rapid technological innovations like gene editing, AI, and robotics. Drawing from personal experience across various sectors, they argue that human success is largely due to our ability to coordinate at a wider scale, facilitated by institutions. The speaker points out that formal organizations, such as firms, markets, nations, and international organizations, have been instrumental in making significant progress in reducing hunger, sickness, and war. They highlight the United Nations' role in setting Millennium Development Goals and the World Bank's involvement in poverty reduction. The speaker also discusses the evolution of the internet governance institution, ICANN, from a U.S.-controlled entity to a global nonprofit institution.

05:01

🌉 Embracing Global Interdependence

The speaker discusses the evolution of human society from hunting and gathering to the information age, highlighting the need for institutions to adapt to new realities. They emphasize the interconnectedness of the world due to advancements in technology, transport, and communication, which has led to global value chains. The speaker stresses the need for new and revised institutions to address the challenges posed by technological change, environmental issues, and educational needs. They argue for the acceptance of global interdependence and the necessity of multilateralism to tackle worldwide challenges, citing examples like treaties on weapons, WHO's role in pandemic control, WTO's supervision of trade flows, and Interpol's efforts in crime fighting. The speaker warns against complacency towards institutions and the dangers of focusing solely on national interests, advocating for collective action for the future of humanity.

10:01

🔄 The Urgency of Interdependence and Multilateralism

The speaker concludes by underscoring the urgency of interdependence and the need for inclusive multilateral institutions to address the sustainability of the planet and the rapid pace of technological change. They argue that challenges are growing and accelerating, and that working together through institutions is crucial for positive change. The speaker encourages the audience to recognize the importance of collective action and to embrace the idea of interdependence, citing initiatives like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. They conclude by stressing the importance of not waiting to act and the necessity of working together for the betterment of humanity.

Keywords

💡Innovations

Innovations refer to new ideas, devices, or methods that are introduced to a field or society. In the context of the video, rapid innovations such as gene editing, artificial intelligence, and robotics are highlighted as both opportunities and challenges for society. These innovations cast 'lights and shadows,' indicating both positive advancements and potential negative consequences that need to be managed.

💡Institutions

Institutions are established organizations or patterns of behavior that regulate social interactions. The video emphasizes the importance of building strong, inclusive, and global institutions to manage the changes brought about by rapid technological advancements. They are portrayed as essential for coordinating human actions and ensuring that technological changes benefit society rather than causing chaos.

💡Coordination

Coordination is the organization of the activities required to achieve a particular goal. The video points out that humans' ability to coordinate at a wider scale is a key factor in our success as a species. It is through institutions that coordination is facilitated, allowing for complex tasks to be accomplished in a harmonized manner.

💡Economic Sectors

Economic sectors refer to the different segments of an economy, such as agriculture, manufacturing, or services. The speaker's experience observing economic sectors is used to illustrate how different parts of society must work together for collective success, reflecting the broader theme of the need for coordination and cooperation.

💡Global Interdependence

Global interdependence means that countries and societies are increasingly reliant on each other due to economic, political, and environmental connections. The video argues that recognizing and embracing this interdependence is crucial for addressing global challenges, as no nation can solve problems like climate change or pandemics in isolation.

💡Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were a set of targets for improving global welfare by 2015, set by the United Nations. The video mentions the MDGs as an example of how institutions can set and achieve common goals, such as reducing extreme poverty, which has been halved in the past 30 years.

💡ICANN

ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is an institution that manages the internet's systems of unique identifiers. The video uses ICANN as an example of how a global institution can effectively manage a critical resource, transitioning from U.S. control to a 'multi-stakeholder model' that reflects the internet's borderless nature.

💡Global Value Chains

Global value chains describe the series of activities through which goods and services are produced and delivered to consumers. The video mentions global value chains to illustrate how interconnected the world economy has become, with products like clothing and food relying on the technological development and production capacity of multiple countries.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The video discusses the importance of sustainability in the context of the environment and the planet, emphasizing that institutions must evolve to address the challenges of environmental degradation and resource depletion.

💡Multistakeholder Model

A multistakeholder model is an approach where various interested parties are involved in the decision-making process. ICANN's adoption of this model is highlighted in the video as a way to ensure that decisions about internet governance are made democratically and inclusively, reflecting the global nature of the internet.

💡Interdependence

Interdependence is the state of relying on one another. The video stresses that interdependence must be acknowledged and managed through inclusive, multilateral institutions. It is used to argue against nationalistic tendencies and for a more cooperative global approach to problem-solving.

Highlights

Scientists, policymakers, and business people gathered to discuss rapid innovations and their impact on society.

The need for strong, inclusive, and global institutions to manage technological change was emphasized.

The speaker's career journey from engineer to diplomat, observing societal organization and management.

The importance of coordination at a wider scale as a key to human success.

Institutions are crucial for putting ideas into motion and coordinating actions.

Formal organizations are created to deal with collective challenges and goals.

Despite perceptions, the world has made significant progress in reducing hunger, sickness, and war.

The role of institutions like firms, markets, nations, and international organizations in driving progress.

The eradication of extreme poverty as a global goal set by the United Nations.

The World Bank and regional development banks' involvement in poverty reduction.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) as an example of a global institution managing the internet.

The transition of ICANN from U.S.-controlled to a global, nonprofit institution.

The 'multi-stakeholder model' used by ICANN for internet governance.

The evolution of the world from hunting and gathering to information and communication technologies.

The concept of 'global value chains' in production and distribution systems.

The impact of technology and production systems on the environment and labor markets.

The necessity of new and revised institutions to address technological, environmental, and educational challenges.

The importance of embracing global interdependence and multilateralism to face worldwide challenges.

Examples of multilateral cooperation in various fields such as weapons control, health, trade, and crime fighting.

The call for institutions to manage new innovations like AI, IoT, big data, cybersecurity, robotics, and gene editing.

The reminder that institutions are made of people like us and are a product of our actions and decisions.

The warning against focusing solely on national interests and short-term gains in the face of global challenges.

The idea that our actions today determine the future of humanity, especially for our children.

The importance of accepting and internalizing the concept of interdependence through multilateral institutions.

The urgency of addressing sustainability and the pace of technological change collectively.

The potential for change to turn in our favor if we work together through institutions.

Transcripts

Translator: Kanako Miyabayashi Reviewer: Peter van de Ven

Just a few weeks ago,

in this very same building,

scientists, policymakers,

and business people from all around the world

got together to try to make a better world.

The Science and Technology in Society forum

explored the lights and shadows cast by rapid innovations -

things like gene editing, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

Many approaches were discussed,

but one thing I am sure of is this:

We need to build strong, inclusive and global institutions

to manage this change, or it will manage us.

Throughout my career,

I have had the opportunity to observe this from various perspectives.

I started as an engineer, working at a factory.

Any medium sized firm is a microcosm of society,

with various people working on different pieces

that ultimately need to function together as an integrated whole.

My curiosity and passion for model building led me to economics

because I wanted and had a desire

to understand how societies organize themselves.

Later on, my activities as an academic,

as a policy maker,

and more recently as a diplomat

have allowed me to observe

how different economic sectors and countries try to manage for success.

Sometimes they reach their goals and prosper.

Sometimes they fall short.

It is very clear to me

that the big thing that explains human success in relation to other species

is our ability to coordinate at a wider scale.

And coordination among humans is done through institutions.

Engineers know this,

economists know this,

and diplomats do too.

Institutions are what put ideas into motion

and coordinate our actions

given our specific circumstances and constraints.

The theory of institutions encompasses a wide range of concepts,

from informal customs to highly structured systems of law.

Today,

I want to focus on formal organizations

created to deal with collective challenges and goals.

We hear about so many terrible things these days.

So how many of you believe the world is getting worse?

Well, despite what you may think,

the facts show that we have made significant progress in recent years

in reducing hunger, sickness, and war.

These improvements did not happen just by recognizing the problems.

They represent an ongoing relentless process

of moving forward inch by inch, millimeter by millimeter,

using agreed-upon methods in pursuit of common goals.

Institutions such as firms, markets, nations,

and international organizations have made this happen.

The best of them, in the best of times, do not stifle individual objectives;

to the contrary,

they provide the muscle and momentum to make them possible.

Extreme poverty is said to be less than half what it was 30 years ago.

Part of the reason is that essentially all the world’s countries

agreed upon a goal of eradicating extreme poverty by the year 2015.

They set this as one of the Millennium Development Goals

in a summit in the year 2000.

It was organized by an institution to which they all belong:

the United Nations.

Other institutions,

like the World Bank and most regional development banks,

got involved.

The fact that some poverty is still with us

does not diminish the indisputable improvement.

Progress does not require perfection.

Now, let’s take a survey.

Raise your hand if you use the Internet.

Now, raise your hand

if you organize the Internet.

Well,

if you don’t do it, who do you think does?

The answer is:

an institution.

ICANN,

the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers,

that started as a United States-controlled entity.

To its credit,

the U.S. wisely recognized

that the internet had become a global entity

that deserved a global institution.

In the year 2016, the U.S. government allowed ICANN

to go along its way as a nonprofit institution.

ICANN now makes decisions through what it calls a “multi-stakeholder model.”

It explains the meaning this way:

"Internet governance should mimic the structure of the Internet itself -

borderless and open to all."

Thank that institution next time you go to any site

ending on .com or co.jp or somewhere else

and find it where you expect it to be.

The world has changed,

from hunting and gathering

to agricultural production,

to farming,

to industries and manufacturing,

to services, to communications, to information;

thus, institutions need to change, too, to handle the new realities.

One of the most significant of this reality is internationalization,

which builds upon the foundation of nation states.

Positives and negatives do not stop at national borders.

Developments in technology, transport, information, and communication

have made the world smaller and more interconnected.

In production and distribution systems, we talk about "global value chains."

What we wear today, what you see around, what we eat

depend on technological development

and the production capacity of various countries.

At the same time,

our technology and production systems are affecting our environment,

the sustainability of our planet,

and are continuously reshaping our labor markets and required skills.

Humanity is facing more and more global challenges.

My simple definition of technology is "The limit of what is possible,

given what we have and the constraints we face."

We need to be prepared

and respond to the new technological, environmental, and educational challenges.

That leads me to two main points.

First,

the growing speed of technological change

and its effects on the environment and work

requires new and revised institutions to address upcoming challenges.

And second,

we must accept and even embrace our global interdependence -

in particular,

the need for multilateralism to face growing worldwide challenges.

You don’t have to look far for examples:

multilateral treaties

limiting the stockpiles of certain types of weapons,

multinational medical cooperation through the World Health Organization

to arrest the spread of pandemics,

international trade flows through predictable rules

supervised and enforced at the World Trade Organization,

or international crime fighting through Interpol.

Some newer innovations

call out for institutions to manage the issues they create,

things such as artificial intelligence,

the Internet of Things,

big data,

cyber security,

robotics,

gene editing -

we are never without challenges.

The most important thing is

we cannot take institutions for granted.

They may become big and sometimes they might seem remote;

however,

they are made out of people like you and me.

And moreover, and more importantly,

they are the product of our actions and decisions.

Recently, some countries, even big and prominent ones,

have decided to concentrate only on their national interests

and on the short run.

Yet the problems and challenges we face are global,

and if not tackled now, will be unmanageable in the long run.

I think they will eventually realize that we cannot afford to look inward

when the actions we take - or don’t take - determine the future of humanity.

Even if we only consider the effects on our own children,

we are bound to act together,

for even now, and certainly more in the future,

our children may be living anywhere around the world.

Look around this room,

and I believe you will find many examples of people

that did not start their lives in this country.

A wiser course of action

is to accept and internalize the idea of interdependence.

Initiatives like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

or the Sustainable Development Goals initiative have this intention.

But the world is full of examples of delays in accepting them

and including them in our decisions and actions.

Interdependence can only be dealt with in an inclusive way

through multilateral institutions.

The sustainability of our planet and the pace of technological change,

very clearly, won’t wait.

The challenges are growing and coming ever faster,

regardless of whether we choose to keep up and work together

or fall behind and go it alone.

The more we work together through institutions,

the more likely the change is to turn in our favor.

Thank you very much.