The U.N. General Assembly has adopted the “Pact for the Future,” a 42-page plan calling for action on global issues like climate change, inequality, and nuclear disarmament.

The U.N. General Assembly has approved a comprehensive plan aimed at uniting the world’s increasingly divided nations to address 21st-century challenges. These challenges include climate change, artificial intelligence, rising conflicts, growing inequality, and poverty.

The 42-page document, titled the “Pact for the Future,” urges the leaders of the 193 U.N. member nations to turn their promises into tangible actions that will positively impact the lives of over 8 billion people worldwide. The pact was adopted during the opening of the two-day “Summit of the Future,” which was convened by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In his remarks, Guterres emphasized the need to “bring multilateralism back from the brink.”

The pact outlines 56 actions on critical global issues such as eradicating poverty, addressing climate change, achieving gender equality, promoting peace, protecting civilians, and revitalizing the multilateral system to capitalize on present and future opportunities.

Guterres highlighted several key provisions within the Pact for the Future, along with two accompanying annexes: a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations. One of the most significant commitments within the pact is the reform of the U.N. Security Council. The pact seeks to make the Council more representative of the current global landscape by addressing the lack of permanent representation for Africa, as well as under-representation for the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America.

Furthermore, the pact includes the first agreed-upon multilateral support for nuclear disarmament in over a decade. It also outlines steps to prevent an arms race in outer space and to regulate the use of lethal autonomous weapons. The Global Digital Compact introduces the first universally agreed framework for the international governance of artificial intelligence.

As part of this initiative, world leaders commit to establishing an Independent International Scientific Panel within the United Nations to enhance scientific understanding of AI, including its risks and opportunities. Additionally, the U.N. will lead a global dialogue on AI governance, engaging all key stakeholders.

The pact also addresses the need for a coordinated global response to complex crises such as pandemics. Another significant commitment involves governments pledging to engage with young people and include them in decision-making processes.

Regarding human rights, Guterres stressed that in response to the rising tide of misogyny and the rollback of women’s reproductive rights, governments have committed to removing the legal, social, and economic barriers that hinder women and girls from reaching their full potential in all aspects of life.

“We have opened the door. It is now up to all of us to step through it. Because this is not just about understanding each other – it’s also about taking action. Today, I challenge you to take action,” Guterres concluded.