This book has a clear and yet sufficiently detailed presentation about the Millennial Goals and global problems. The authors remind us that prevention of crises is one of the highest purposes of the UN: "The primary challenge for the United Nations and its members is to ensure that, of all the threats in the categories listed [such as nuclear proliferation, famine, epidemics, and civil war], those that are distant do not become imminent and those that are imminent do not actually become destructive." (p. 2, 3). In general, this ethos holds that stability and world peace is more like a process than a specific and perpetual state of affairs; that good works are the mainstay of the UN; that convincing a large number or a majority of member states to adopt a certain ideology is less important than concrete, well-planned, and adequately funded measures is the priority.
The report calls for collective action: "Today's threats recognize no national boundaries, are connected, and must be address at the global and regional as well as the national levels." (p. 1). The estimation in this report, dated 2004, has been accurate. The incidence and spread of failed states in the Middle East and Africa worsened since 2004, almost inevitably it would seem given the trends with overpopulation, resources, and repression that were being seen in the 2000s. Yet, as bad as the humanitarian crises have been in the 2000s and 2010s, and while the war on terrorism is continuing to be a long war, we have at least avoided the worst outcomes. In "Nuclear Terrorism: Is America Safer?" (2004), there is a clear scenario about fissile nuclear materials. These are the epitome of an international threat. For this long-term threat we need to respond with even more long-term planning, funding, and coordination. In 2018, with security measures fully in force and the US economy being strong enough to indefinitely support all vital security missions, we have a reason for optimism. Yet, as the UN Reports and journalists advise, there will always be a need for vigilance.
In 2018, the world's economy and balance of power has shifted, with China achieving much more. Maybe one of the prime challenges for the UN, in light of the moral value of prevention and collective action, will be to convince China to start donating significantly more funds to the UN, so that's its draw on the resources and wealth of the world is partly balanced by new and ongoing contributions. China will, like the West, have a debt to pay when it comes to some of the resource extraction, migrant issues, and technology management.
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