The Summit of the Future: A QUT Symposium

The Summit of the Future: A QUT Symposium

QUT Energy Transition Centre

Venue: GP-C-406, QUT Gardens Point Campus

Friday, 29 November 2024

Overview

This symposium focuses on the recent United Nations Summit for the Future, and its main outcomes - the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations. This symposium will analyse the negotiations over the Summit for the Future, and critically evaluate the key themes and outcomes of the event.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized at the Summit for the Future: 'We can’t create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents.' He highlighted that people are 'crying out for global action to solve the climate crisis, tackle inequality, and address new and emerging risks that threaten everyone.' Guterres emphasized that 'the Summit of the Future is a chance to create more effective and inclusive institutions.'

The Pact for the Future will actively seek to transform and scale-up existing commitments for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Pact for the Future will seek to bolster international peace-making and security. The Pact for the Future promotes the sharing of the benefits of technology, science, and innovation, and encourages digital co-operation. The Pact for the Future aims to support youth and future generations. The Pact for the Future seeks to transform global governance and improve the operation of international institutions, such as the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, and international financial architecture. It also aims to strengthen human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women, and protect Indigenous Knowledge and rights.

This symposium will also evaluate the Global Digital Compact - which seeks to establish an inclusive global framework, essential for multi-stakeholder action required to overcome digital, data and innovation divides. The Global Digital Compact seeks to govern artificial intelligence (AI), with a road map that includes an International Scientific Panel and a Global Policy Dialogue on AI.

The symposium will also evaluate the Declaration on Future Generations - which seeks to provide better representation of children, youth, and future generations in national and global decision-making.

This event will feature a range of academic, student, government, and civil society speakers, with a range of expertise. The symposium will be of interest to those interested in energy transition and climate change, sustainable development, international law and humanitarian action, technology regulation, and international institutions.

The event is an in-person event, which will not be live-streamed. The event is free but registration is required. There will be light catering for the event.

This event is hosted by the QUT Energy Transition Centre. The Centre's vision is to be at the forefront of the global energy transition, pioneering innovative solutions to secure sovereign supply lines of critical minerals and energy technologies, promote renewable energy adoption, enhance energy security, and ultimately provide real world opportunities to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The Centre's co-directors are Professor Sara Couperthwaite and Professor Raja Jurdak.

Welcome to the Country

QUT acknowledges the Turrbal and Yugara as the First Nations owners of the lands where QUT now stands. We pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. We recognise that these lands have always been places of teaching, research and learning. QUT acknowledges the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people play within the QUT community.

Speakers

Dr Muhammad Zaheer Abbas, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

Associate Professor Justine Bell-James, the University of Queensland

Electra Carpenter, QUT

Dr Samuli Haataja, Griffith University

Associate Professor Steven Hail, Torrens University and the Modern Money Lab

Associate Professor Marianne Hanson, the University of Queensland, and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

Amy Jones, QUT

Professor Raja Jurdak, Co-director of the QUT Energy Transition Centre

Abigail Loxley, QUT

David Mejia-Canales, Human Rights Law Centre

Professor Matthew Rimmer, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

Russell Rollason, Peace-Building Initiative, the University of Melbourne

Himani Sabharwal, PhD Candidate, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

Professor Tapan Sarker, University of Southern Queensland

Dr Viviana Munoz Tellez, The South Centre

Fien Van den Steen, the University of the Sunshine Coast

Professor Clevo Wilson, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

Schedule

9:00- 9:30

Opening of the event

Professor Raja Jurdak, Co-Director of the QUT Energy Transition Centre

9:30-10-30

1 Sustainable Development and Financing for Development

Chair

Associate Professor Steven Hail

The Pact for the Future, Energy Transition, and Climate Change

Associate Professor Justine Bell-James, the University of Queensland

The Pact for the Future, Agricultural Biodiversity, and Food Security

Professor Clevo Wilson, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

Finance for the Sustainable Development

Professor Tapan Sarker, University of Southern Queensland

10:30-11:30

2 International Peace and Security

Chair

Professor Matthew Rimmer

The Pact for the Future and Peace-Building

Russell Rollason AM, Peace-Building Initiative, the University of Melbourne

The Pact for the Future and Nuclear Disarmament

Associate Professor Marianne Hanson, the University of Queensland, and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) (via video)

The Pact for the Future , Security and Cybersecurity

Dr Samuli Haataja, Griffith University

11:30-12:00

Morning Tea

12:00-1:00

3 Science, Technology, and Innovation and Digital Co-operation

Chair

Dr Muhammad Zaheer Abbas, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

The Pact for the Future: Intellectual Property and the Sustainable Development Goals

Professor Matthew Rimmer, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

STEM, Inclusion, and Diversity in Science, Technology, and Innovation

Himani Sabharwal, PhD Candidate, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

The Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact

Dr Viviana Munoz Tellez, The South Centre (via video)

1:00-2:00

Lunchbreak

2:00-3:00

4 Youth and Future Generations

Chair

Himani Sabharwal, PhD Candidate, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

Youth Collaboration on Environmental Security

Electra Carpenter, QUT

Education for All: The Pact for the Future and Quality Education

Amy Jones, QUT

The Declaration on Future Generations

Fien Van den Steen, the University of the Sunshine Coast

3:00-3:30

Afternoon Tea

3:30-5:00

5 Transforming Global Governance

Chair

Professor Matthew Rimmer, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

The Right to a Healthy Environment

Abigail Loxley, QUT

The Pact for the Future and International Human Rights

David Mejia-Canales, Human Rights Law Centre

The Pact for the Future, Global Public Health, and the World Health Organization

Dr Muhammad Zaheer Abbas, QUT Faculty of Business and Law

The Pact for the Future and International Financial Institutions - the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund

Associate Professor Steven Hail, Torrens University and the Modern Money Lab

Photograph Credit

UN Photo/Loey Felipe, 'Opening of the Summit for the Future', 22 September 2024, https://media.un.org/photo/en/asset/oun7/oun71064063

Host or Publisher QUT Professor of IP and Innovation Law