The world needs a Global Citizen Council (GCC). GCC is a democratic and transparent institution to enforce international climate agreements and coordinate global efforts. GCC will complement the UN, filling the governance gap.
Mechanism for Establishment
The best way to establish GCC is via a Global Referendum. This is preferably conducted via a smartphone app with Peer Democracy. The suggested ballot wording is:
“Do you support the establishment of a transparent and Equal Democratic
Global Citizen Council (GCC) with the power to enact global laws?”
Over 50% global adult participation and a two-thirds majority voting “yes” takes for legitimacy and legal support. It means more than two billion eligible citizens should vote in favor. We believe this is possible because IT is everywhere. Facebook/Meta has three billion users every day. Seven billion already have a smartphone.
Key Issues
1. Electorate Definition:
- Universal adult suffrage (+18 years).
- Participation in all countries.
- Equal voting value: 1 vote for every (confirmed) existing person.
- More than 50 percent of the eligible voters must cast a ballot (3 billion)
- A qualified majority (66.7%) is required to win the referendum.
2. Legal Authority:
- Legal translation of the referendum results into the establishment of the GCC.
- GCC decisions will be made only at the global level, starting with the UN’s 17 SDGs.
- Enforcement balances national sovereignty against global responsibility.
3. Feasibility and Implementation:
- The global referendum is conducted via a mobile app.
- The app uses well-tested and tamper-free security technology.
- Security expert panel ensures fair and secure voting.
- Participation is rewarded with ‘Pollar‘, a cryptocurrency that turns real if the referendum passes.
4. Enforcement Mechanisms:
- Democratic decisions taken with Equal Democracy
- The aim is to fulfill the UN’s 17 SDGs as soon as possible.
- The voted proposals can become global laws and rules.
- The UN will support implementation, compliance, and dispute resolution.
Transparency, Equal Democracy, and Effectiveness
1. Transparency:
- Open-access online to all debating, decisions, voting records, and budgeting.
- The app utilizes blockchain for tamper-proof records.
- Voting is private. Debating is anonymous until the voting is over. Then, the debaters can choose to reveal their identity.
2. Equal Democracy:
- This system will bring about new individual rights, freedoms, and resources.
- Every citizen has the right to take part in two decision-making processes yearly. The annual budget process, and a self-selected point of issue from the yearly agenda. You chose an area of interest from the UN 17 SDGs.
- Self-selection is used to concentrate the voters’ knowledge and to limit their workload. We think that two global decisions per year are appropriate.
- The annual budget voting is made with an online budget calculator. The citizens meet and discuss the proposal, adjust, and post their (auto-balanced) budget propositions. To limit the impact of extreme proposals, the winning proposition will be the median budget.
- The GCC budget will be open online and transparent for anyone to audit. Besides, the UN provides audit bodies for compliance.
Ensuring Broad Participation
1. Inclusive Design:
- Besides the voting, popular initiatives are encouraged.
- Proposals should be original, have support, and gain popularity to pass the cut.
- If a proposal passes the cut, a referendum should be held among self-selected experts.
- The experts can contribute to arguments in the proposal debate. The arguments are ranked jointly.
- The smartphone app hosts both the debate forum and the voting booth.
2. Decentralized Structure:
- Regional and national chapters arrange debates and idea workshops.
- The workshops have a code. Those who are involved can ‘blip’ the code and get awards.
- By encouraging physical discussions about the online content, we aim to connect the dots.
- The goal is to grow a fair and engaging global culture in the local society.
3. Capacity Building and Inclusiveness:
- Training and resources for easy and meaningful participation.
- Multiple engagements considering varying internet access ability.
- Multilingual support, communication, and cultural mediation.
Gaining Legitimacy and Trust
1. Transparency and Accountability:
- We apply the highest standards of transparency in operations.
- The source code will be open, and the budget will be transparent for anyone to audit.
- Paid GCC administrators must be transparent with their incomes and business, as well as declare the interests of family members.
2. Inclusive Leadership:
- The GCC is governed by all global citizens and only citizens (no nations or AI bots).
- Everyone has an equal power and influence.
- Everyone also has the right to leave a new proposal yearly.
- One also has the right to rank the proposals within the chosen area of interest.
3. Collaboration, Education, and Public Engagement:
- Partnerships with existing international institutions and civil society are necessary.
- Local training courses should be arranged on brainstorming and argumentation techniques.
- Awareness campaigns and outreach programs must be made before the first global referendum.
- Pilot studies must show measurable effectiveness and efficiency in using PD.
Historical obstacles
The history of Nation-states is the greatest problem. Historically, powerful nations wielded influence globally at the expense of weaker states. This led to international institutions reflecting the interests of dominant players rather than ensuring equitable representation and decision-making. Progressing on climate issues will require a sovereignty reform for the 21st century.
To address sovereignty concerns, the proposed institution must respect the autonomy of nations and vice versa. The principle of subsidiarity holds, but the nations do not influence the GCC decision-making. It is an affair between the global citizens.
We recognize the interconnected human responsibility for the planet. GCC’s governance structure involves direct representation and participation from all people. This ensures that their voices are heard and their specific contexts are acknowledged.
The Model for Change
This project aims to use the “Sandwich Strategy”. It started as a grassroots movement pushing from below, supported by institutions and political leaders from above. When the young grassroots get media attention, the movements will gradually change and reach a tipping point. This will happen when three billion voters have downloaded the app, we think it will be in 2030. Then the global referendum reaches momentum and can be held, backed by artists and authorities globally. Alternatively, a series of catastrophic global environmental events paves the way for a faster establishment of the Global Climate Council.
A Timeline Forward
2025
- Positive response from stakeholders
- IT technicians form a working group
- The UN is starting to look at the project
- The World Bank is interested in participation
- Contact with larger foundations
2026
- The system design and programming are gaining momentum
- Stakeholders sponsor information and marketing of the project
- The first version of the app is ready and can start to be tested
- Activist groups, Greenpeace, and Avaaz, start spreading the information
2027
- An educational campaign starts under the auspices of the UN
- The app is gradually spreading with the help of NGOs and social media
- Many voices from the scientific community support Equal Democracy
- A network of artists and celebrities is preparing a massive election campaign
2030
- Over three billion have downloaded the app
- The referendum can be held in a few days, a week, or so.
- If a qualified majority votes YES, there will be a global party!