7.5A Global action

• Superpowers and emerging nations play a key role in global actions including:

  • Crisis response
  • Conflict response
  • Climate change
• Crisis response

  • During times of crisis such as floods or earthquakes countries provide help to other countries
  • Aid is provided through (IGOs) and (NGOs)
  • At least 105 countries and 16 international organisations pledged help to Turkey and Syria following the 2023 earthquake, including significant resources from the USA and emerging superpowers
  • USA sent a disaster response team of 200 people and pledged $185 million in aid
  • China offered $10.3 million in aid to Syria and Turkey as well as sending three rescue teams totalling almost 600 people
• Conflict response

  • In 1942 President Roosevelt proposed the concept of 'four policemen'
  • USA, UK, China and the former USSR would be the only ones to have arms
  • They would work together to maintain global peace
  • Although this did not come to fruition the USA and emerging superpowers do often act as 'global police'
  • Interventions have occurred in many incidences of growing tensions and conflicts around the world
  • NATO military intervention in Libya in 2011
  • The USA led military intervention by a coalition of 35 countries when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990
• Climate change response

  • Global warming and climate change require an international response because it affects the entire globe
  • Superpowers and emerging nations have a significant role to play in the response
  • In 1988 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up to assess the 'risks of human-induced climate change
  • This was followed by several international agreements:
  • Earth Summit 1992
  • Kyoto Protocol 1997
  • Paris Agreement 2015