A YEAR IN REVIEW:
What We Accomplished in 2006 and Where We are Going

In 2006 the U.S.-U.N. relationship was severely tested, but by year’s end the case was strengthened for multilateralism and effective international institutions to address some of the most complex challenges of the 21st Century.

Early in the year, with our U.N. campaign, we swung into gear to promote a strong and effective United Nations. John Bolton, serving under a recess appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., tried heavy-handed tactics and scolding to bring about reform, which predictably failed. Hard-core opponents of the U.N. not only sought to stifle the U.N. reform process, but also attempted to fundamentally discredit the institution.

Citizens for Global Solutions believes that the U.S. and U.N. need one another to build a safe and better world for Americans and for everyone. Furthermore, we believe that consensus-building, not arm- twisting, is the most effective way to work with other countries and improve the U.N.

This past year we brought together likeminded organizations, engaged our members and worked with our allies on Capitol Hill. Via this strategy, Citizens for Global Solutions successfully helped the U.S.-U.N. relationship navigate one of its most turbulent years. We successfully worked around John Bolton’s threat to effectively shut down the United Nations. We held off a push by some Members of Congress to tie our legally obligated U.N. dues to an exhaustive set of demands. And we even helped boost contributions to U.N. peacekeeping. Key to these efforts was a new online tool, The U.N. Minute, designed to help U.N. supporters hone in on key messages and
highlight the value of the U.S.-U.N. relationship.

During the summer, the conflict over the U.S.-U.N. relationship returned to a familiar arena: The nomination of John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Political experts considered our bid to block Mr. Bolton’s confirmation in the Senate a long shot, just as they did the first time he was nominated. And just as in 2005, we succeeded against all odds in preventing Mr. Bolton’s confirmation, sending a loud and resounding signal that Americans value the work of the United Nations and favor a cooperative approach with other countries.

On the International Criminal Court (ICC), our analysis of the unintended consequences of the United States’ policy to withhold foreign aid from ICC member states that refuse to sign a Bilateral Immunity Agreement with the U.S., helped persuade Congress to pass an amendment that exempts certain types of aid from being cut—in effect recognizing the counterproductive U.S. policy toward ICC member states. This amendment was an important first step to reversing that policy.

Our work on the crisis in Darfur also led to some important developments. In the spring, Citizens for Global Solutions analyst Fatema Abdul Rasul wrote an article calling on Arab and Muslim leaders to take a stand against the genocide in Darfur. This led to Fatema being interviewed by a number of journalists and cited by Nicholas Kristof, the Pulitzer Prize winning columnist at The New York Times. In the early summer, we brought together a number of Muslim and Arab groups to discuss how they could be more active in the advocacy efforts on Darfur. This meeting was the first of its kind and some of the groups have since joined the Save Darfur Coalition and begun to actively engage their constituents on Darfur.

Global Energy Solutions

In 2007, Citizens for Global Solutions will make energy a priority for our advocacy work. Our world is in an energy crisis. The signs are all around us. Some, like the rising cost of gasoline, are easy to see. Others, like the myriad adaptations and extinctions of plant and animal species that herald a change in the earth’s climate, are alarming, but remain invisible to most people. Still others – the struggle of poor farmers in Africa and India to support their families – are clear, but their
connection to energy is less obvious.

Our energy choices have profound, sometimes unanticipated consequences, not only for the environment, but for development and security as well. Fossil fuels drove the Industrial Revolution and helped produce the modern global economy. But we now know that our reliance on fossil fuels is causing global warming, rapidly changing the earth’s climate in ways that threaten to dramatically alter the way we live for generations to come. Global dependence on finite supplies of fossil fuels props up authoritarian regimes and compromises efforts to end conflict and prevent nuclear proliferation. The rising cost of oil erases gains from debt relief, and a third of the world’s population lacks access to the modern energy resources that could help lift them out of poverty.

Alone, these signs are disturbing. Together they make a compelling case for change. Fortunately, we have the power to change our energy horizon.

We can choose to pursue a global transition away from old, fossil fuel technologies and towards new, clean sources of energy. We can choose to provide poor countries with the clean, safe energy tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty without destroying the ecosystems upon which we all depend for our livelihoods. We can choose to free American foreign policy and international peacekeeping efforts from our dependence on oil. We know what to do and we have the technology. Now we must build the political will necessary to change horizons.

As the world’s leading consumer of energy, the U.S. has both the unique power and responsibility to guide the course of global energy policy. In recent years, the U.S. has chosen to abdicate that responsibility, watching from the sidelines as global warming has accelerated and the energy crisis has worsened. We have missed countless opportunities to exercise positive leadership and to position our economy to benefit from the growth of alternative energy technologies.

In our interconnected world, no one nation can solve the energy challenges facing us. Attempting to abdicate our responsibility as leader of the world energy market in favor of pursuing a policy of energy independence will only exacerbate the problems of climate change, insecurity and poverty. Instead, the U.S. must work with other nations to develop energy solutions that enhance security, promote development and protect the environment. The world cannot change its energy future without U.S. cooperation, and we cannot change our energy future alone.

Throughout 2007, Citizens for Global Solutions will work to build the political will necessary for the U.S. to reengage with its partners and allies to develop comprehensive solutions for the shared energy challenges facing us today.

The first step is to move the debate on energy policy beyond the concept of energy independence. Since the 9/11 attacks and the Iraq war, policymakers have begun to recognize some of the negative impacts of oil-dependence on national security, the economy and foreign policy. Some people have proposed seeking energy independence as the solution. The U.S. would achieve energy independence by investing in conservation and the production of domestic alternative fuels.

However, achieving energy independence is neither possible nor desirable. First, domestic oil resources are not sufficient to meet  domestic demand for oil, even if currently untapped reserves, such as those in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge, were to be exploited. Second, regardless of where oil is produced, its price is set by a global market. Achieving energy independence would do little to lower gas prices or prevent damaging price spikes. Finally, energy independence would leave the broader energy crisis – the effects of global energy choices on environment, development and security – unsolved.

If we are to change our energy horizon to one of hope, we must be ambitious. We must not accept that the solution to our fossil fuel addiction is to increase the production of fossil fuels. We can do better than that. It is time to put our ingenuity to work, for our own sake, and for the sake of all the world’s citizens.

Over the next year, through our website, innovative e-advocacy tools and Connecting Global to Local Program, Citizens for Global Solutions will provide analysis on energy issues and the role for multilateral engagement to develop global energy solutions that are good for environment, good for development and good for security. Throughout this year, we will provide updates on legislation that we support and alert you to how you can voice your support and engage policymakers and opinion leaders on these issues.

Want to find out more? Want to get involved? Go to energy"> http://globalsolutions.org/energy.

Contributing Writers: Rebecca Brown and Scott Paul