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8. Is there a list of
agreed-upon global public goods?
Because policy choices (explicit or
not) largely determine what is—or is not—a (global) public good, there
is no fixed, "once-and-for-all" list of such goods. Some goods
that have the properties of global publicness enjoy more policy consensus
than others. But many global public goods are quite contentious. For
example, while many agree on peace and security as a global public good,
the way or means of producing this good—such as by disarmament or
otherwise—is still a heavily debated issue.
The UN Secretary-General’s Road
Map report on the implementation of the UN Millennium Declaration
identifies at least 10 global public goods that the international
community is focusing on:
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Basic human dignity for all people,
including universal access to basic education and health care.
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Respect for national sovereignty.
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Global public health, particularly
communicable disease control.
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Global security or, put differently,
a global public domain free from crime and violence.
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Global peace.
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Communication and transportation
systems harmonized across borders.
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Institutional infrastructure
harmonized across borders to foster such goals as market efficiency,
universal human rights, transparent and accountable governance, and
harmonization of technical standards.
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Concerted management of knowledge,
including worldwide respect for intellectual property rights.
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Concerted management of the global
natural commons to promote their sustainable use.
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Availability of international arenas
for multilateral negotiations between states as well as between state
and nonstate actors.
[For more see UN (United Nations).
2001. Road Map towards the Implementation of the United Nations
Millennium Declaration. Report of the Secretary-General. 6 September.
A/56/326. New York.]
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