GPPi participates in FGV/Adenauer Foundation conference on rising powers and global challenges in São Paulo

GPPi Co-Founder and Associate Director Thorsten Benner contributed to a conference on ​“rising powers and global challenges” in São Paulo from October 6 – 7. The workshop was a joint event by the Centre of International Relations at Fundação Getulio Vargas and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and was convened by Oliver Stuenkel, a GPPi fellow and professor at Fundação Getulio Vargas. The event brought together participants from Brazil, Europe, India and South Africa to discuss how rising powers engage in global efforts to address transborder challenges. The conference will result in a book published by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Brazil.

Benner contributed to the panel called ​“rising powers and global governance: an outlook.” In his remarks, Benner presented a skeptical picture of the current state of global governance. He argued that in a post-hegemonic world, a multitude of powers need to make a contribution to the provision of global public goods. Powers in relative decline such as the US and Europe are increasingly self-absorbed and reduce their contributions. Rising powers are not ready to fill the gap. Most rising powers have not yet produced full-fledged visions for how they are going to use their power to provide global public goods and shape global governance. In order to reverse the downward trend in global governance, Benner argues, track II type initiatives involving civil society (namely academia, think tanks and advocacy organizations) from both established and rising powers might be able to increase the political momentum for leadership on global challenges.