Global governance in question: Birkbeck hosts international conference
Leading experts and young voices will debate our international systems and examine how institutions must evolve to face today’s planetary threats.
On 14–15 August 2025, Birkbeck, University of London will host a high-profile conference that asks the question: Does the world need a government? Organised by the School of Natural Sciences and the Centre for the Study of Internationalism, the two-day event will convene leading thinkers, civil society groups and young voices to explore how global governance might evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Held at Birkbeck’s Malet Street campus, the event will consider whether existing international institutions can effectively respond to global issues such as climate change, nuclear risk, artificial intelligence and space exploration. Designed to encourage cross-sector dialogue, the event will bring together academics, campaigners, students and policy thinkers with ample opportunities for networking, exchange and collaboration.
Presentations will draw on law, philosophy, political science and planetary science. Speakers will explore ideas including a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations, a revised UN Charter, and more inclusive models of global representation. Among the contributors is Birkbeck’s Professor Daniele Archibugi, who will examine the role of the UN Security Council, and Gaia Vince, author of Nomad Century, who will speak on climate-induced migration. The programme also features sessions on global health, space politics, and the implications of emerging technologies, including the governance challenges posed by AI.
Organising and chairing the conference is Professor Ian Crawford, Birkbeck’s Professor of Planetary Science and Astrobiology. He emphasises the significance of the event:
“The continued survival and well-being of humanity on this fragile planet will likely depend on developing global political institutions capable of addressing existential threats. This meeting is an opportunity to explore whether strengthened global governance, or even some kind of federal planetary government, might be necessary to secure our future. Whether through reform or reinvention, the future of global cooperation is no longer a distant concern, but a vital contemporary issue which will affect us all.”
As global crises grow more interconnected, this conference offers a timely space to reflect, reimagine and ask what kind of international system would best benefit our world going forward.