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30 Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Q. 588 (2001)
Global Public Goods: What Role for Civil Society

handle is hein.journals/npvolsq30 and id is 576 raw text is: Global Public Goods: What Role for Civil Society? Inge Kaul United Nations Development Programme This article draws attention to the importance ofpublic goodsfor the well-being ofpeople, including, as a means toward this end,for the efficiency of markets. The author suggests that as a result of globalization, a growing number of public goods have assumed cross-border dimensions and become global public goods (GPGs). They can no longer be adequately provided through domestic policy action alone but require international coop- eration for their adequate provision. The author argues that for globalization to work for all, it is important for civil society organizations (CSOs) to become more systematically involved in international negotiations and cooperation and tofacilitate closer linkages between domestic policy making and international cooperation. Six policy options are discussed that could strengthen the role of CSOs in the provision of GPGs and in achiev- ing more balanced and sustainable development. The world is an increasingly volatile place. New opportunities hold ever-greater promise for the well-being and prosperity of all. And yet, people seem caught in a web of tensions and contradictions, tumbling from crisis to crisis: economic, social, environmental, and political. Even advocates of glob- alization agree that something is not going right. In this article, I intend to contribute to the current debate about policy reforms for making globalization work for all. Following an introduction of the concept of public goods in the first section, in the second section of the arti- cle, I take a fresh look at current globalization processes through the lens of public goods. The analysis reveals that the present turmoil and discontent with globalization reflect the serious maldistribution and underprovision of global public goods (GPGs). In the third section, I examine possible policy responses. The focus is on making international organizations more participa- tory or public and on anchoring international cooperation more systemati- cally at the national level or, put simply, making governance more global. The Note: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization with which she is affiliated. The author would like to thank Grace Ryu and Thorsten Benner for their valuable comments while preparing and finalizing this article. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, vol. 30, no. 3, September 2001 588-602 © 2001 Sage Publications 588