Expanding Governmental Diversity in Global Governance: Parliamentarians of States and Local Governments

Abstract

Almost no attention has been given to the expanding governmental diversity in participants in global governance that has been stimulated by the impact of technological change on the global range of human activities. The global reach of parliamentarians of States has roots in formation of the International Parliamentarian Union in 1889, and that of local governments in founding of the International Union of Local Authorities in 1913. This article first provides a brief overview of the inter-State organizations developed by each, with emphasis on those global in scope. This followed by a brief overview of their present involvement in the United Nations system. When considering the possible future involvement of these two actors in global governance, the creation of both a Parliamentary Assembly and a Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in the forty-seven member Council of Europe merits serious attention. A widely shared goal of both inter-State organizations of parliamentarians and local governments strengthening local self-government and local influence on global governance. KEYWORDS: interstate organizations, parliamentarians, UN system, global governance, local governments. ********** THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE ON THE TERRITORIAL REACH OF transportation, communication, manufacturing, investment, mining, warfare, and other human activities has resulted in dynamic changes in those involved in global governance. This article focuses on changes in global governance caused by extension of the territorial reach of problems on the agendas of States and local governments. (1) In recent years, international relations scholars have begun liberating themselves from their state-centered view of global governance and are expanding their perspective to include other actors. Considerable attention now given to NGOs/civil society, and some to business. (2) In 2004, the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relations took a much broader view in the Cardoso Report, when it emphasized that all constituencies relevant to an issue should be included in global governance, including parliamentarians and local authorities, because it is not only essential for effective action on global priorities but also a protection against further erosion of multilateralism. More systematic engagement of parliamentarians national parliaments and local authorities in the United Nations would strengthen global governance, confront democratic deficits in intergovernmental affairs, buttress representational democracy and connect the United Nations better with global opinion. (3) It very significant that, in addition to civil society and the private sector (business), this report to an organization in which governments of States are represented by members of their executive branch includes two other governmental actors. They offer a very interesting contrast. The parliamentarians are a branch of governments of States, included because their agendas increasingly involve issues that range across State borders. The local authorities are governments of territories within States that are also included because their agendas also increasingly involve issues that range across State borders. Thus governmental diversity now on the global governance agenda. The following overview of interstate organizations of parliamentarians of States and of local governments will challenge readers to realize that global governance ever more complicated and does not only involve the UN system and organizations involved in the UN system. After that overview, we will look at the escalating participation of parliamentarians of States and local governments in the UN system. It hoped that these descriptions, taken together, will enable global governance scholars to perceive them and thereby include them in their research agenda. They should also provide those involved with a useful overview of their involvement in global governance. …