After Green parties swept democratic elections including customers, employees, suppliers, in several European countries between 2034 and communities. and 2036, the EU launched a campaign within Not everyone has come on board. Russia and the United Nations (UN) to greatly expand some states in the Organization of Petro- international aid programs and to set a new leum Exporting Countries resisted change, target date for meeting the UN’s Sustainable and some communities found the new global Development Goals by 2050. Hurt badly by the ethos threatening to traditional values and famine and hoping to quell unrest in its major patronage systems. Extremists resorted to cities, China announced its support for the EU cyber attacks and terrorism to draw attention e昀昀ort, which the Chinese Communist Party to their causes. States with powerful energy portrayed as a new national patriotic mission interests, such as Iran, Russia, and some Gulf and the kind of global restructuring it had long Arab states, faced disruptive political move- advocated. Others, including Australia, Can- ments that threaten to lead to a prolonged ada, and the United States, slowly joined the movement as environmentally focused parties period of political and social con昀氀ict. gained political strength, winning several elections, despite strong continued resistance KEY TAKEAWAYS from some domestic groups arguing that their countries were better positioned to adapt to a changing climate and should prioritize domes- An existential threat catalyzes a bottom-up social movement tic industries and constituencies. that transforms multilateral cooperation, disrupts economic The EU initiative resulted in the creation of a incentives, and offers nonstate actors greater influence. new international organization, the Human Security Council, in cooperation with develop- Major power competition among individual states is rechan- ing countries, which focused on 21st Century neled to address more pressing global challenges; the geopo- transnational security challenges. Open to litical hierarchy is reshuffled, creating once unlikely partner- both states and nonstate actors, membership ships between progressive European political parties and the required a commitment to veri昀椀able actions to Chinese Communist Party. Europe takes the lead in promoting improve food, health, and environmental secu- sustainable development, while China adopts and promotes rity, even if these were perceived as painful for wealthier states and groups. Members could new energy technologies. easily be expelled for noncompliance, and face grassroots, popular backlashes and boycotts, Countries beholden to fossil fuel industries are the slowest to similar to the Anti-Apartheid Movement of the get on board with the global revolution, creating a global back- last century. By 2038, global attitudes about lash to their leadership, products, and brands. The second- the environment and human security were and third-order implications of the new political movements being transformed by growing recognition of create long-term challenges for their economies. the unsustainability of past practices. States and large corporations concentrated With broad popular support, NGOs, multilateral organizations, investments to advance technological solu- and activist groups have unprecedented ability to influence tions to food, climate, and health challenges standards, marshal resources, hold violators accountable, and and to provide essential aid to the hardest hit prod states to act. In some cases, global priorities take prece- populations. Corporate goals expanded to em- dence over national interests. brace serving a wider range of stakeholders, A MORE CONTESTED WORLD 119 Image / Bigstock