Rethinking Social Development for People and Planet by Club de Madrid

MADRID, Nov. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Club de Madrid, the world's largest forum of democratic former Presidents and Prime Ministers, has just finalised its 2023 Annual Policy Dialogue in Brasilia, its first in the Global South and evidence of the organisation's commitment to the advancement of critical social, ecological and political reforms. Widening inequality, mounting geopolitical tensions, conflict and widespread uncertainty demand that we urgently address the flaws and glaring fractures of our global system.

We risk breaking multilateral commitments to people and planet and this is bound to have grave consequences. The world is at an inflection point that is challenging us to redefine and recommit to shaping the society and planet in which we want to live and to craft a new eco(logical)-social contract able to tackle the system change needed to achieve sustainable development.

In this context, Members of Club de Madrid call for:

Fairer tax systems nationally and globally, including through the introduction of wealth taxes, raising the minimum tax rate for large business to 25%, and urgent debt relief for developing countries so they can invest in the SDGs and build resilience to shocks.

Aligning climate finance with people-centred national and international development initiatives, such as poverty alleviation strategies, social protection frameworks, and the proposed G20 Brazilian Presidency initiatives – the "Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty" and "Global Mobilization Against Climate Change" – as well as encouraging governments, multilateral institutions, and public development banks to align their policies and portfolios with a just and green transition and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Prioritising strong and well-governed institutions that can effectively integrate and mainstream Shared Societies into economic, social, environmental and technological commitments. Recognizing the important role of the private sector and partnerships in implementing technological commitments, digital companies cooperating with governments should utilise tech-design, algorithms, and business models to develop products and services that promote and enhance social cohesion rather than polarisation.

The main proposals and recommendations resulting from this Dialogue will be brought to principal multilateral fora leading to and including the Social Summit in 2025 (Summit of the Future 2024, COP28 and 29, Social Summit 2025, G20 Brazil and South Africa, and the upcoming European Presidencies as well as other regional fora).

This flagship CdM activity was co-organised with Liz Mohn Center, an initiative of Bertelsmann Foundation, in collaboration with Brazil's MFA, UN DESA, UNRISD and Instituto Igarapé amongst others.