GP essay question guide
Can international cooperation solve global problems?
Separate agreement from implementation. Cooperation can set common rules and pool resources, but outcomes still depend on incentives, finance, state capacity, and compliance.
Topics: Politics and Governance, Environment and Climate, Society and Culture
Three argument directions
Coordinate shared risks
Common rules reduce free-riding where one state cannot solve a cross-border problem alone.
Qualification: Consensus can weaken commitments and delay urgent action.
Pool knowledge and resources
Institutions can share surveillance, finance, expertise, and emergency capacity.
Qualification: Unequal power can shape whose needs and evidence receive priority.
Create political pressure
Agreements can set expectations that guide national law and public scrutiny.
Qualification: A norm without domestic implementation or enforcement may have little effect.
Six examples to compare
COP30 Links Climate Action and Fairness
COP30 advanced climate implementation while formally connecting the transition to rights, inclusion, and support for vulnerable countries. Student link: heat, daily choices, climate costs, and responsibility for the future.
Possible essay use
International agreements are necessary for shared climate problems but depend on fair implementation and finance.
Limitation
Negotiated agreements and finance targets do not guarantee delivery, and the official update records demands for stronger outcomes.
Case or source date: 2026-08-22
Source: UN Climate Change
WHO Member States Adopt a Pandemic Agreement
WHO Member States adopted the first Pandemic Agreement by consensus on 20 May 2025, with equity and international coordination among its stated aims. Student link: social media, mental health, identity, fairness, and everyday relationships.
Possible essay use
collective institutions can change social outcomes by shaping access, rights, norms, and support, although effects depend on uptake and implementation
Limitation
Adoption does not itself show ratification, implementation, or equal access during a future emergency.
Case or source date: 2025-05-20
Source: World Health Organization
UN Members Adopt the Pact for the Future
UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future in 2024, covering peace, development, digital cooperation, youth, and global governance reform. Student link: rights, online safety, public trust, and whether governments can deliver.
Possible essay use
formal rules and institutions can coordinate action and protect public interests, but legitimacy depends on implementation and accountability
Limitation
A consensus document spans many ambitions but relies on later financing, negotiation, and national implementation.
Case or source date: 2024-09-22
Source: United Nations
ASEAN Reaffirms Its Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar
ASEAN leaders in 2025 again used the Five-Point Consensus as their main reference for addressing the crisis in Myanmar. Student link: rights, online safety, public trust, and whether governments can deliver.
Possible essay use
ASEAN leaders in 2025 again used the Five-Point Consensus as their main reference for addressing the crisis in Myanmar.
Limitation
Repeated endorsement does not demonstrate compliance by conflict parties or rapid relief for affected civilians.
Case or source date: 2025-05-26
Global Plastics Treaty Talks End Without Consensus
The August 2025 negotiating session for a global plastics treaty adjourned without consensus on a text. Student link: heat, daily choices, climate costs, and responsibility for the future.
Possible essay use
environmental progress requires institutions to convert long-term collective interests into present incentives, standards, finance, and enforcement
Limitation
Failure at one session shows political disagreement but negotiations can continue and national action remains possible.
Case or source date: 2025-08-15
Paris Agreement: United Climate Goals, Divided Actions
The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming. Debate surrounds its voluntary targets and enforcement challenges, impacting global climate action.