In the analysis of the Project to date, the three vital planetary interests politically recognized by the international community in the 1990s are global strategic security, global environmental integrity and global sustainability. Avoiding self-destruction, protecting Earth, and meeting humanity’s basic needs on an enduring, inter-generational basis rank as the three priority global issues of our age. No other is, at present, recognised as of the same ‘vital’ nature. Many others concern humanity as a whole, but they do not threaten its survival or viability. These three need to be treated separately from all others – sui generis – in terms of how nation-states determine their national policies and how humanity constructs global powers of policy-making and enforcement.
Other issues may arise in the future that threaten the vital planetary interest. In fact some might be discernible today as potentially of that kind since it often takes time before emerging threats recognized by some are accepted as such by a majority. But for such problems to be accepted as threatening the vital planetary interest, it would need to be demonstrated that they do indeed threaten the very existence, or viability, of the species, as opposed to adversely affecting the human condition, however severely and reprehensibly.
Cases involving the normative planetary interest are, by definition, the totality of the remaining issues of a magnitude that concern the planet and humanity. They would comprise, in short, a minimum global standard of living for all individuals in terms of the basic human needs of shelter, food and health; and the development of a common global ethic that would underpin observance of universal human rights.
Thus the Project focuses on the three issues alone that are currently perceived by the United Nations to be in the vital planetary interest, leaving unexamined all other issues that are in the normative planetary interest. These latter issues are not unimportant. But the distinction is critical since once an issue is seen, by consensus, as affecting the integrity of the planet or the survival of the species, far-reaching consequences are set in train. Rationally, it is in the interests of humanity to act together, to accept curbs and constraints on excessive behaviour, to acknowledge a single interest that both meets and yet transcends national interests at the same time. In the case of other issues, the common interest does not exist or it concedes to disputation, reflecting the stronger pull of divisive interests
The methodology used in the Project involves an identification of the global problem or threat, global objective, global strategy, national policies, and the changes in sovereign power to implement them. The following three sections identify, in summary form for each of the three subjects, only the global problem, and the global objective and strategy. What follows is based on excerpts from the book -- see publications. All other factors, such as the legitimate national interest and legitimate global powers, are explored in detail in the book.
Global Strategic Security Global Environmental Integrity Global Sustainability