100 Global Issues Debate Topics for Students

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These are 100 debate topics about the biggest issues facing the world. Some are classic questions that debaters have argued for decades, like foreign aid, free trade and the power of the UN. Others come straight from the news of 2025 and 2026: the US leaving the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization, the High Seas Treaty coming into force, the end of the New START nuclear treaty and the push for a new UN Secretary-General. Every topic is a clear question with serious arguments on both sides, so students have to research, weigh evidence and think about people in other countries, not just their own.

The list is written for high school and advanced middle school students, and it is sorted into ten themes. Topics marked with a guide link have a full Debatery pro and con guide, with sourced arguments for each side, key clashes and discussion questions.

Jump to: Climate and environment · Global health · Poverty and development · Migration and refugees · War, peace and security · Human rights · Trade and the global economy · Technology and the world · International organizations (UN, WTO, etc.) · Food, water and energy

Climate and environment (10)

1. Should there be a tax on carbon emissions? (Pro & Con guide)
2. Should a global plastics treaty limit how much new plastic is produced?
3. Should countries that pull out of the Paris Agreement face trade penalties?
4. Should deep-sea mining be banned until its effects are better understood?
5. Should rich countries pay tropical countries to keep their forests standing?
6. Should fossil fuel companies pay for the damage caused by climate change?
7. Should countries be able to take each other to court over climate harm?
8. Should the world protect 30 percent of its land and ocean by 2030?
9. Should developing countries put cutting emissions ahead of economic growth?
10. Should people who fly often pay extra taxes to cut emissions?

Global health (10)

11. Should vaccine patents be waived during a pandemic?
12. Should countries have to share virus samples in return for fair access to vaccines?
13. Should the World Health Organization have the power to enforce pandemic rules?
14. Should global health aid be protected from government budget cuts?
15. Should drug companies sell new lifesaving medicines at cost in low-income countries?
16. Should rich countries stop recruiting doctors and nurses from countries with staff shortages?
17. Should tobacco be banned worldwide?
18. Should travel bans be used to stop the spread of disease?
19. Should the WHO be funded mainly by fixed member fees instead of voluntary donations?
20. Should the use of antibiotics in farming be restricted worldwide?

Poverty and development (10)

21. Should there be a universal basic income? (Pro & Con guide)
22. Should foreign aid be given directly to people as cash?
23. Should foreign aid come with conditions on human rights and good government?
24. Should poorer countries get more voting power at the World Bank and IMF?
25. Is microfinance an effective way to fight poverty?
26. Should countries that receive aid decide how it is spent?
27. Should foreign aid serve the donor country's own national interest?
28. Should all child labor be banned, even on family farms?
29. Do low-wage factory jobs help countries escape poverty?
30. Should debt relief for poor countries be tied to protecting nature?

Migration and refugees (10)

31. Should countries accept more immigrants? (Pro & Con guide)
32. Should countries be allowed to send asylum seekers to another country to have their claims processed?
33. Should people fleeing climate disasters be recognized as refugees?
34. Should neighboring countries be required to share responsibility for asylum seekers?
35. Does emigration of skilled workers do more harm than good to developing countries?
36. Should undocumented immigrants who arrived as children get a path to citizenship?
37. Should countries sell citizenship to wealthy investors?
38. Should refugees have the right to work as soon as they arrive?
39. Are border walls an effective way to control migration?
40. Should immigrants have to pass language and civics tests to become citizens?

War, peace and security (10)

41. Should countries be allowed to leave the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines when they face a military threat?
42. Should NATO members spend 5 percent of GDP on defense and security, as they pledged in 2025?
43. Should the US and Russia negotiate a new nuclear arms treaty now that New START has expired?
44. Should countries send weapons to nations defending themselves from invasion?
45. Should a peace deal ever give up land to end a war?
46. Should private military companies be banned?
47. Are drone strikes against terrorist leaders in other countries justified?
48. Should governments pay ransoms to free hostages?
49. Should countries stop selling weapons to governments accused of human rights abuses?
50. Should UN peacekeepers be allowed to use force to protect civilians?

Human rights (10)

51. Should every country join the International Criminal Court?
52. Should countries boycott major sporting events hosted by governments accused of human rights abuses?
53. Should companies be legally responsible for human rights abuses in their supply chains?
54. Should courts be able to try people for war crimes committed in other countries?
55. Should governments ever be allowed to shut down the internet?
56. Should human rights be the same everywhere, or should they reflect local cultures?
57. Should countries give asylum to whistleblowers from other countries?
58. Should internet access be a human right?
59. Should every country have to allow UN human rights investigators in?
60. Should blasphemy laws be abolished?

Trade and the global economy (10)

61. Should there be a global minimum tax on large companies?
62. Should countries tax imports based on the carbon emitted to make them?
63. Should trade deals include rules on workers' rights and the environment?
64. Should countries be allowed to restrict exports of critical minerals?
65. Should countries bring key industries like chips and medicines back home, even if prices rise?
66. Is it good for the world that the US dollar is the main global currency?
67. Should major trade deals be put to a public vote?
68. Should tariffs be used to pressure other countries on political issues?
69. Should foreigners be banned from buying farmland?
70. Should imports of fast fashion be taxed more heavily?

Technology and the world (10)

71. Should we pause the development of advanced AI? (Pro & Con guide)
72. Should there be a global treaty to regulate artificial intelligence?
73. Should other countries copy the European Union's AI Act?
74. Should private companies control the satellite internet used in war zones?
75. Should all weapons be banned from space?
76. Should countries ban foreign-owned social media apps over security concerns?
77. Should tech companies pay news publishers when their content is shared?
78. Should cryptocurrency be banned?
79. Should rich countries share green technology freely with poorer countries?
80. Should cyberattacks on hospitals and power grids be treated as acts of war?

International organizations (UN, WTO, etc.) (10)

81. Is the United Nations still fit for purpose?
82. Should Africa get permanent seats on the UN Security Council?
83. Should gender be a factor in choosing the next UN Secretary-General?
84. Should the WTO's appeals court, unable to hear cases since 2019, be restored?
85. Should countries leave international organizations they believe no longer serve them?
86. Should UN General Assembly resolutions be legally binding?
87. Should the IMF and World Bank be open to leaders from outside the US and Europe?
88. Should the European Union admit Ukraine as a member?
89. Should the G20 replace the G7 as the main forum for global economic decisions?
90. Should international organizations be funded by a global tax, such as on flights or shipping?

Food, water and energy (10)

91. Should governments tax meat? (Pro & Con guide)
92. Should genetically modified crops be used to fight hunger?
93. Should water be priced to encourage people to save it?
94. Should countries stop using food crops to make biofuels?
95. Should all countries phase out coal power?
96. Should countries be allowed to ban food exports during price crises?
97. Should countries produce their own energy rather than import it, even if it costs more?
98. Should lab-grown meat be sold in stores?
99. Should supermarkets be required to donate unsold food?
100. Should countries be allowed to dam rivers that their neighbors depend on?

How to use these topics in class

1. Research from reliable international sources. Global topics need global evidence. Start with the UN, WHO, World Bank, IMF, WTO and OECD, then check major news outlets from more than one country so you hear how the issue looks from different sides.
2. Think about who is affected. Every global issue has winners and losers in different places. Ask how the policy looks for a rich country, a poor country and the people living with it, then build your arguments around them.
3. Try World Schools style. These topics fit World Schools debate, which uses three-person teams, big-picture motions and a focus on principles and real-world impact. Use the debate timer to keep speeches the same length.
4. Assign sides after the topic is chosen. Flip a coin or use the Team Generator. Arguing for a country or policy you disagree with is great practice in seeing the world through other eyes.
5. Check that the facts are current. World news moves fast. Treaties come into force, countries join or leave organizations and talks stall. Check the latest status before you debate, and say when your evidence is from.

Questions teachers ask

What is a global issue debate topic?

It is a question about a problem that crosses borders, such as climate change, pandemics, migration, war or trade. No single country can solve these alone, so the debate is often about who should act, who should pay and how much countries should work together.

What are the best global issues to debate in 2026?

Current topics include the US leaving the Paris Agreement and the WHO, the end of the New START nuclear treaty, NATO's new defense spending goal, deep-sea mining, AI rules and the choice of the next UN Secretary-General. Classic topics like foreign aid, free trade and refugees are always worth debating too.

Are these topics good for middle school?

Many are. Advanced middle school students can start with topics like tobacco bans, lab-grown meat, internet access as a human right or paying countries to protect forests. Topics with a Debatery guide are a good starting point because they lay out the main arguments on both sides.

Where can I find real tournament motions on world affairs?

Search the Motion Bank for real tournament motions on international relations, the environment and the economy. World Schools and Model UN events use many motions like these.

Can I print this list for my class?

Yes. Use the Print this list button at the top. The list is free to use in classes and clubs.

Missing a topic? Request a guide and vote for the ones you want next.