Committee: U.N Climate Summit 2017 -...

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AggieMUN 2017 Topic Guide Committee: U.N Climate Summit 2017 Head Chair: Basanti Mardemootoo

Transcript of Committee: U.N Climate Summit 2017 -...

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AggieMUN 2017 – Topic Guide

Committee:

U.N Climate

Summit 2017

Head Chair:

Basanti Mardemootoo

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Letter from the Chair

Dear Delegates,

My name is Basanti Mardemootoo and I am currently a Junior at the University of California,

Davis. I am double majoring in International Relations and Political Science with a double

minor in War-Peace Studies and Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian Studies. Fun fact- I am

originally from the island of Mauritius (Indian Ocean)!

I have been involved in MUN for about 6 years now, participating both in the hosting and

travel aspects of the sport. I am currently the President of MUN at UC Davis and on behalf of

my entire team, I wish to express how honored we are to get host you at AggieMUN 2017.

For this conference I will be head chairing the U.N Climate Summit 2017, which will be

addressing a series of serious issues that the world is facing today. Since high school, I have

been passionate about environmental science and studying environmental policy. I have taken

in-depth courses on environmental systems as well as on physical geography throughout the

years, both of which have given me the knowledge and interest in wanting to lead this

committee.

Climate Justice and Water security are two topics that are very near and dear to me. Coming

from a third world country that is bearing the brunt of climate change consequences and by

currently living in state that is facing continuous droughts and water shortages, I see the

impacts that these two things have on the world daily. You’ll notice that this topic guide is

not necessarily a conventional one, I’ve tried to personalize it, make it interactive and include

resources throughout instead of only at the end. The point is to introduce you to the basics

and give you the resources to excel in the research that you will be performing so that debate

flows nice and easily. Everything, to the best of my knowledge, has been respectfully citied

or taken from personal experience, however, if you have any questions or concerns feel free

to email me. In order to be considered for an award, please send me

([email protected]) your position papers (one per topic) with the

standard format of: 1 page each (max), Time New Roman Sz.12 by Saturday 23rd

January at 11:59pm.

My Dias and I look forward to the lively and important debates that will be taking place at

this conference with the hope that you, as delegates, will come out of it with a better

understanding of these crucial global issues.

All the best,

Basanti Mardemootoo

Head Chair | U.N Climate Summit 2017

Note: Positions assigned are not limited to countries but also to NGOs and

Corporations.

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The United Nations Secretary General wishes to cordially invite you to the

2nd Official

United Nations Climate Summit

Date: January 27- 29 2017 Location: Singapore

RSVP

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Introduction to Committee Welcome to the U.N Climate Summit of 2017!

This Climate Summit will be taking place in downtown Singapore, a city globally recognized

as one of the most eco-friendly hubs on earth. Organized as a follow up the UN Climate

Summit of 2014, the UN Climate Summit of 2017 will host leaders of governments, the

private sector as well as individuals from civil societies around the world to engage in

innovating discussions that will lead to preparation for 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP)

to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that will occur in

November of 2017. The Climate Summit of 2014, organized by Secretary General Ban Ki

Moon, is an opportunity for the people of this world to have a say rather than limiting change

to just government officials. In the past, speakers have included UN Secretary General Ban

Ki Moon, Al Gore (Chairman of Generation Investment Management and of the Climate

Reality Project) , Leonardo DiCaprio (Actor and UN Messenger of Peace), Kumi Naidoo

(Executive Director of Greenpeace) and Edwin Vasquez (Coordinator of the Coordinating

Body of the Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin).1

Why Singapore?

After a relative rough past,

Singapore today is

becoming a model country

for what successfully

implementing a sustainable

standard of living looks

like. This endeavor has

been at the forefront of the

government’s efforts as

they consistently give

priority of green landscapes

and sustainable technology.

Singapore is deemed an

inspiration not only because of its design aesthetics but because, despite its lack of natural

resources and its very dense population, it has managed to power through major

developmental hurdles. As observed by Khoo Teng Chye, the director of Singapore’s Center

for Livable Cities - “It is a pragmatic approach toward conservation. There have been

suggestions that only wealthy cities can be green and environmentally sustainable. I think for

Singapore, it is the other way round. Singapore is doing well economically because it is

environmentally conscious. This consciousness is very much in policy making, land use

planning and community engagement, and is essential for Singapore to be a livable city and

sustainable economy.”2 Given the topics that this committee will be discussing, we, at the

1 UN Climate Summit 2014 (2014) List of Speakers <

http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/list-speakers/ > 2 Alan Huffman (2013) Singapore Is Green: Southeast Asian City-State Uses Environmental

Sustainability To Lure Business And Investment < http://www.ibtimes.com/singapore-green-

southeast-asian-city-state-uses-environmental-sustainability-lure-business-1511842 >

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UN, hope that this location will inspire the attendees to take further action in their home

states.

Why the need to discuss Climate Change?

The advantage of tackling climate change is starting to be noticed by many around the world

as governments and businesses have realized what decreasing global emissions can do for

their success as, generally, reducing global emissions often leads to energy cost-cutting

which intern could be very appealing to companies spending huge amounts of money to

increase their capabilities. Additionally, our odds are not getting any better. Between 1998

and 2007 we witnessed the warmest weather on record3. The warming of our planet is being

caused by human activity (mainly burning fossil fuels)4, therefore, in order to stop climate

change that will have irreversible impact, we need to reduce our emissions by 80% by 20505.

In 2000, WHO estimated that climate change was causing 150,000 deaths worldwide6 (This

is equivalent to there being a 9/11 attack every week7). Natural disasters are increasing at an

alarming rate – since the mid-1970s, hurricanes/typhoons/cyclones that are equivalent to the

size of Hurricane Katrina have doubled8. About 250 million people will be forced to migrate

and leave their homes by 20509

It will be you task, as delegates honored to be part of this committee, to delve into the

possible solutions that have the capabilities to surpass self-interests that often times dominate

these talks. It is important to note that this Summit is not part of the UNFCCC negation

process. It is of the upmost importance that those here today are recognized to be

representing the people of the world and thus it is expected that everyone works together in

hopes of reaching successful goals.

Fig 1. The Conference of the Parties adopted the “Paris Agreement” at Le Bourget in Paris

on 12 December 201410

3 World Meteorological Organization (2007) Top 11 Warmest Years On Record Have All

Been In Last 13 Years. 4 Jess Worth (2009) Climate Justice – The Facts

<https://newint.org/features/2009/01/01/climate-justice-facts/> New Internationalist

Magazine 5 Ibid 6 World Health Organization (2005) Climate and health fact sheet <tinyurl.com/5fnu4m> 7 Jess Worth (2009) Climate Justice – The Facts <

https://newint.org/features/2009/01/01/climate-justice-facts/> New Internationalist Magazine 8 K. Emanuel (2005) Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years.

Nature 436. 9 Dr Norman Myers (2007) 'Human Tide: The real migration crisis,' Christian Aid. 10 COP 21 (2015) Official Photography <http://climateaction.smugmug.com>

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Rules of Procedure

Administration: Language All proceedings shall be conducted in English.

Delegates wishing to address the committee in any other

language must provide for translation.

Devices Delegates are not permitted to use laptops, smartphones,

or other electronic devices while the committee is in

session. However, permission to do so briefly may be

granted to individual delegates by the Chair upon

request.

Attire All delegates must wear western business attire

Administration The proceedings of the committee will be moderated by

the dais staff consisting of chair and his/ her various vice

chairs

Decorum The Chairman fully expects all members of his high

command to behave courteously during the proceedings

of committee. If any committee members engage in ad

hominem attacks the chair may recognize a right of

reply if submitted in writing by a delegate.

Rules of Debate: Flow of Debate

Speaker’s List The default form of debate will be a speaker’s list with

1-minute speaking times. A motion is required to open

the speaker’s list.

Moderated Caucus Delegates are welcome to motion a moderated caucus

with a specific time limit and on a particular topic.

Unmoderated Caucus Unmoderated caucuses, during which the Chair does not

moderate the proceedings, are to be used as a time for

lobbying for support and drafting of committee

documents. They can be started or extended by motions

to do so.

Points

There are four points that may be raised by all delegates:

Point of Order A Point of Order may interrupt a speaker, and can be

raised when the delegate believes the rules

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of procedure have been violated. The chair will stop the

proceedings of the committee and ask the delegate to

provide warranted arguments for which rules of

procedure has been violated.

Point of Personal

Privilege A Point of Personal Privilege may be raised when a

delegate’s ability to participate in debate is impaired for

any physical or logistical reason (for instance, if the

speaker is not audible). This- point may interrupt a

speech, and the dais will immediately try to resolve the

difficulty.

Point of

Parliamentary Inquiry This Point may be raised by a delegate who wishes to

clarify any Rule of Procedure with the Chair. It may not

interrupt a speaker, and a delegate rising to this point

may not make any substantive statements or arguments.

Point of Information As the name suggests, this point may be raised by a

delegate to bring substantive information to the notice of

the Commission. It may not interrupt a speaker, and

must contain only a statement of some new fact that may

have relevance to debate. Arguments and analyses may

not be made by delegates rising to this point. A Point of

Information may also be used to ask questions of a

speaker on the General Speakers’ List.

Motions

Motions control the flow of debate in the committee. A delegate may raise a motion

when the Chair opens the floor for Points or Motions, and require a vote to be passed.

Procedural motions, unless mentioned otherwise below, require a simple majority to

pass.

Motion for Moderated

Caucus This motion begins a moderated caucus, and must

specify the topic, the time per speaker, and the total time

for the proposed caucus. The bulk of debating will likely

be conducted through moderated caucus

Motion to Introduce A delegate may move to introduce after the elapse of a

passed moderated caucus or any time after a speech

during the perpetual moderated caucus. A successful

motion to introduce essential- ly puts the document on

the floor to be debated by the committee. The sponsor of

the document will be asked to read his document and

then, if deemed appropriate, the chair will entertain a

moderated caucus on the topic.

Motion to Suspend

Debate This motion suspends debate for a stipulated amount of

time.

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Motion to Adjourn This motion brings the committee’s deliberation to an

end, and is only admissible when suggested by the

Chair.

Motion to Appeal the

Chair’s Decision If a delegate feels that a Chair has made a judgment that

has done grave injustice to one or more delegates of the

committee, he may move to appeal the said decision.

Once the motion is recognized, the delegate may address

the Commission. The Chair may then make a statement

defending his decision. The motion is then put to vote,

and requires a super majority 67% + 1, to pass. If it

passes, the Chair will reconsider the decision.

Motion to Censure In instances of gross misconduct of a delegate, a

delegate may submit a written motion to censure. A

motion to censure is a vote of no confidence in the

delegate and his office on the part of the body. A motion

to censure may also include recommended punishments.

The chair will use their discretion in determining the

substantive nature of their punishment. A motion to

censure requires a super majority, 75% + 1 to pass.

Motions relating to Resolutions

Motion to divide the

question This motion may be moved by a delegate to split the

resolution into its component clauses, for the purpose of

voting. This may be done when a delegate feels that

there is significant support for some clauses of the

resolution, but not for the complete resolution.

Motion for a roll call

vote A delegate may move to have the vote conducted in

alphabetical order.

Motions for speakers

for/against If it would help the proceedings of the committee a

delegate may motion for speakers for and against a

resolution.

Amendments

After the first draft of a committee document has been introduced has been

submitted, delegates may move to amend particular clauses of the draft. If the

amendment is supported by all the sponsors of the resolution, it passes as a

friendly amendment. Otherwise, it must be put to vote, and requires a two-third

majority to pass.

NOTE: The Chair reserves the right to change any of the procedures described herein

at his/ her discretion.

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Past UN Involvement on Climate Change

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

In 1992, three conventions were adopted at the Rio Earth Summit, one of which was the

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It entered into force in March

1994 and today has a membership of 197 countries worldwide. 11 The main aim of this

convention is to prevent any dangerous consequence of human action that has an impact on

our climate. The Convention was an important first step towards a united front when

combatting climate change. This document is unique, in summary it includes:

The fact that climate change is real and recognizes it as a problem despite the fact that

back in 1994 there was a lot less scientific evidence than there is now. Having been

inspired by the Montreal Protocol, it includes a very important section that “bound

member states to act in the interests of human safety even in the face of scientific

uncertainty”12

A very specific, detailed goal stating that it urges member states to bring down

greenhouse gas emissions "at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic

(human induced) interference with the climate system."13 stating that "such a level

should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt

naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to

enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner."14

Recognition of the fact that emissions are primarily coming from developed countries

and that they should be the ones leading the way. Furthermore, that new funds should

be allocated to activities in developing countries.15 This is key to legislature that could

be used to help solve the first topic of debate which is climate justice.

Fig 1. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Secretariat16

11 United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (1994)

<http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/items/6036.php > 12 Ibid as 8 13 Ibid as 8 14 Ibid as 8 15 Ibid as 8 16 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2014) The Secretariat <

http://unfccc.int/secretariat/items/1629.php >

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Kyoto Protocol

The Convention is a very important document that could be said to have woken the world up.

However, without something more concrete in place, it is just words. This is where the Kyoto

Protocol comes into play. In December of 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto,

Japan, however, due to bureaucratic complications it did not actually go into force until 2005.

Many describe the Protocol to have “operationalized” the UNFCCC.17

The Protocol itself was designed using key aspects of the Convention and held out until 2012.

Its long-term effect was made possible mainly due its inclusion of “reporting and verification

procedures”, “flexible market-based mechanism” and “a compliance system”.18 At the end of

2012, the parties to the protocol met in Doha, Qatar to adopt an amendment that would put

the second phase of the Protocol into play.19 This amendment included the new commitment

of parties from 2013 to 2020; an update of the list of greenhouse gases as well as more

general updates that had to be put into place about the impacts of the world’s current

situation.20

Negotiation

The COP, Conference of the Parties [to the Convention], meet yearly to negotiate and make

amendments as well as new decisions to further the progress being made in the fight against

climate change. The most recent conference was COP 21 which took place in Paris, France in

December of 2015. The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions have summarized the key

outcomes of the conference as follows21:

Reaffirm the goal of limiting global temperature increase well below 2 degrees Celsius, while urging efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees;

Establish binding commitments by all parties to make “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs), and to pursue domestic measures aimed at achieving them;

Commit all countries to report regularly on their emissions and “progress made in implementing and achieving” their NDCs, and to undergo international review;

Commit all countries to submit new NDCs every five years, with the clear expectation that they will “represent a progression” beyond previous ones;

Reaffirm the binding obligations of developed countries under the UNFCCC to support the efforts of developing countries, while for the first time encouraging voluntary contributions by developing countries too;

Extend the current goal of mobilizing $100 billion a year in support by 2020 through 2025, with a new, higher goal to be set for the period after 2025;

Extend a mechanism to address “loss and damage” resulting from climate change, which explicitly will not “involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation;”

Require parties engaging in international emissions trading to avoid “double counting;” and

Call for a new mechanism, similar to the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, enabling emission reductions in one country to be counted toward another country’s NDC.

COP 22 will be taking place in November 2016 and will be focusing on the implementation

17 Introduction to the Kyoto Protocol (2016) <

http://unfccc.int/essential_background/kyoto_protocol/items/6034.php > 18 Ibid as 13 19 Ibid as 13 20 Kyoto Protocol (2013) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

<http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php> 21 Center For Climate And Energy Solutions (2015) Outcomes of the U.N Climate Change

Conference in Paris < http://www.c2es.org/international/negotiations/cop21-paris/summary >

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of the Paris Agreement and “the impact of the implementation of response measures, as well

as modalities for accounting of public financial resources for mitigation and adaptation in

developing countries”22 as well as a list of other things laid out in the provisional agendas

that have been released so far. (Please note that I will be releasing a an updated brief of

the conference in December so that you can use the decisions made their as background

in January)

Fig. 2. The Dias of the COP 21 hosted in Paris France after UN Chief Ban Ki Moon hails

new agreement as “monumental triumph”23

UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with

the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change strives to educate the world on what we currently know about climate change the

impact it has/will have on not only the socio-economic flow but also of the environment

itself. The organization’s main task is to undertake a reviewing and assessment process of

“recent scientific, technical and socio-economic information”24 so as to better understand the

current situation being faced by the planet. It is important to note that this organization does

not perform research nor does it monitor data relating to climate change. Originally the UN

General Assembly Resolution 43/53 of 6 December 198825 outlined the task of the IPCC into

two main target areas. First, they were in charge of putting together a document that looked at

22 Climate Change Policy & Practice (2016) COP 22 Provisional Agendas Released <

http://climate-l.iisd.org/news/cop-22-provisional-agendas-released/ > 23 United Nations News Center (2015) COP 21: UN Chief hails new climate change

agreement as ‘monumental triumph’ <www.un.org > 24 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2016) Organization <

http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml > 25 United Nations General Assembly (1988) A/RES/43/53 <

http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/43/a43r053.htm >

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the impact of climate change and to visit the different possible recommendations and

solutions. Secondly, they had to also look into the social and economic changes that started

being noticed as a result of climate change.26

Membership and Structure

Due to being formed at the United Nations, the IPCC welcomes the membership of 195

countries who are a part of the UN and the WMO.27 Government officials take part in the

sessions geared towards reviewing the production of various reports and accepting whether

they are suitable or not for publication. These sessions are also responsible for the election of

those who run the IPCC – the Bureau Members.28

It is important to understand that no one who works for the IPCC is paid, instead, the

organization is guided by a set of procedures and principals which are "...to assess on a

comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-

economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced

climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. IPCC reports

should be neutral with respect to policy, although they may need to deal objectively with

scientific, technical and socio-economic factors relevant to the application of particular

policies."29 Below is a layout of the organization’s structure as well as the different working

branches of the “huge and yet very small organization”30:

Fig. 3 – Structure

26 Ibid 11 27 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2016) Organization <

http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml > 28 Ibid as 13 29 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2016) History <

http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization_history.shtml > 30 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2016) Structure <

http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization_structure.shtml >

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of the IPCC31

31 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2016) Structure <

http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization_structure.shtml >

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Topic 1: Climate Justice

Topic Background

Introduction

The aim of this committee is to create or amend new and existing policies so that a new

approach to climate change is taken that includes coming at the issue with a holistic

perspective which is able to break through the divide between disciplines, sectors and the

public-private industry.32 Despite countless amount of talks and diplomatic processes, we, as

a society, have yet to truly deal with the consequences of climate change and must realize

that human beings and the environment are not mutually exclusive entities.

Climate Justice is defined by the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice as

linking “human rights and development to achieve a human-centered

approach, safeguarding the rights of the most vulnerable people and

sharing the burdens and benefits of climate change and its impacts

equitably and fairly.”33

It has been brought to the UN’s attention that there has been an uncontested outrage over the

procedures taking place and the agreements that have been written up in the past about

Climate Change and what we are doing to stop it. The concept of Climate Justice is backed

by the notion that many members to the COP have not been in complete alliance with the

UNFCCC’s regulations about the number of expected negotiations that are to take place, the

speed of these negotiations and thus decision making processes as well as who they address.

Many organizations argue that developed countries are failing to honor the commitments

they’ve taken at the COP and that they are wrongly directing their financial support.

In 2014, just before the UN Climate Summit took place in New York City, a huge protest

took place in cities all over the world. The event was called the ‘People’s Climate March’. It

was not an event opposing the meeting of world leaders at the summit, rather a call for action.

The event brought together over 300,000 people and was endorsed by over 1500

organizations. Whilst explaining the reason behind why he launched the idea this march, Bill

McKibben raised concerns over the speed at which things were being changed. He primarily

blames the fossil-fuel industry stating the ironical fact that they, “by virtue of being perhaps

the richest enterprise in human history, has been able to delay effective action, to the point

where it’s too late.” A lot of the marches that took place throughout the world also called

upon action to address those that are being the most affected by the change in climate.

32 Rosaly Byrd and Lauren DeMates (2014) 5 Reasons Why Climate Change Is a Social

Issue, Not Just an Environmental One <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/climate-

change-is-a-socia_b_5939186.html > 33 Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Change (2016) Principles of Climate Justice <

http://www.mrfcj.org/principles-of-climate-justice/ >

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Climate Equity

As mentioned above, climate justice has to do with ensuring that the

disproportionality of consequences on those that are poor and least responsible for the

climate’s changes is balanced out. However, in order to do this, we must first

understand who are those responsible so as to have a better idea of how to perform

this act of balancing out and attaining justice for all . The term ‘climate equity’, which

brings forth the question of who should bear the burden of responsibility for the

consequences of climate change, is what will be explored in this part of the topic

guide. In a study launched by Richard Heeds entitled “Tracing the anthropogenic

carbon dioxide and methane emissions to fossil fuel and cement producers, 1854-

2010”, he successfully shows that nearly two-thirds of carbon dioxide and methane

emissions, throughout history, are caused by 90 entities. (See Fig.4) 34 Additionally,

Heede’s analysis points out that even though there should not be an underestimation

of how much China and

India are responsible, the

role of some lesser

discussed countries, such

as Saudi Arabia,

Venezuela, Mexico, Iran,

Kuwait, Abu Dhabi,

Libya, Nigeria,

Indonesia, Brazil, and

others should be

considered regarding

responsibility for

controlling emissions.

Some of these nations

are, in their role as

carbon producers, as

important contributors to

climate change and thus

should be more involved.

Fig 4. 2013 carbon emissions of investor owned corporations35

Heede mentions that it is important to acknowledge that most analyses, including the

UNFCC do in fact include responsibility for climate change in terms of nation-states.

However, he states that “responsibility can be understood in other ways as well, as

34 Richard Heede (2013) Tracing anthropogenic carbon dioxide and methane emissions to

fossil fuel and cement producers, 1854-2010

<http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-013-0986-y> 35 Douglas Starr (2016) Just 90 companies are to blame for most climate change, this ‘carbon

accountant’ says. < http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/just-90-companies-are-blame-

most-climate-change-carbon-accountant-says>

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done in the present analysis tracing emissions to major carbon producers.”36 Therefore

a shift in perspectives from nation-states to corporate entities—both investor-owned

and state-owned companies is essential for the development of discussions on climate

change that will properly address the question of achieving climate justice.

Possible Consequences

In order to understand how to help solve the situation that we are facing, we first need to

understand the range of consequences that are and will be seen in the coming years.

1. Small farmers will feel the effects37

One of the most impactful changes that will happen due to the climate shift is a change of

agriculture zones which will in turn affect crop production. Furthermore, the high

temperatures will impact the growth of several crops and halt the production of many foods

around the world. On the opposite end of the

spectrum, there will be extreme and varying

precipitation patterns which will not only

threaten food supplies but also its security

overall. This decrease in the amount of food

available will allow for an increase in

volatility in global food prices making it hard

for those already struggling to be able to

afford anything of the little that is left.

2. Rural and urban poor are the hardest

hit38

There are about 1 billion people around the

world today that are living in extreme poverty

and depend on natural resources in order to

survive and climate change is not on track to

making these numbers better. Poverty and

inequality progress will be worsened by

climate change consequences and poor

communities will have to face a range of

consequences such as: Extreme

flooding/drought; more pollution; increased

temperatures and high risk of heat-related

ailments.

3. Unequal capacity for adaptation39

36 Ibid as 34. 37 Rosaly Byrd and Lauren DeMates (2014) 5 Reasons Why Climate Change Is a Social

Issue, Not Just an Environmental One <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/climate-

change-is-a-socia_b_5939186.html > 38 Ibid 39 Ibid

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Those who do not contribute to overwhelming amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere

are those that are affected the most. Their lack of infrastructure and minimal technological

and financial resources will hinder LEDCs’ ability to adapt to an ever changing world.

4. Women, children and the elderly will become even more vulnerable40

Today, in rural communities around the world, it is often the cultural responsibility of women

and children to collect firewood and water and due to the implications of climate change they

are have to go to further distances in order to get these resources. Studies have been done

showing that there is a psychological element and physical impacts to due increased pressure

of being able to provide for the survival of the families in LEDCs. There will be a rather big

increase in heat-related diseases and infections, malnourishment and diseases that will occur

due to the number of droughts and floods.

Many communities will be forced to relocate due to the above41 and those who will be the

most vulnerable are the populations living on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This

issue has been at the forefront of discussion since the United Nations Conference on

Environment and Development in Rio in 1992. Since, it has been discussed at the Global

Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, the United

Nations Millennium Summit in 2000, and in the World Summit on Sustainable Development

in 2002. There are currently about 40 SIDS that are Parties to the UNFCCC, of which 29 are

signatories to the Kyoto Protocol. Despite their position and the fact that they are the ones

that will most likely be the first to be victims of major climate changes, they are the nations

that have been the most proactive in terms of implementing the Convention set forth by the

United Nations in order to combat Climate Change.

Areas of Focus

This section of the topic guide is meant to give you, as delegates, an insight on the

focus areas - meaning, the areas that are most vulnerable and give credibility to the

fight for regulation of injustice being done towards those that are going to be most

exposed to the consequences of climate change. It was written for the purpose of

better understanding the areas of society that will bear the brunt of climate change and

the implications of that for humans on earth. Four areas of focus were chosen,

however, there are more that have not been listed below and could be suitable for the

position that you will be representing.

Human Health

Being already an area that faces a relatively heavy load of challenges, the health industry will

soon see a new wave of diseases and types of sickness as they emerge from the negative

consequences of climate change. The causes of these new health dangers come from things

like air and water pollution, the lack of development and infrastructure to deal with changing

temperatures as well as the ability to shelter one self from the aftermath of intense climate

disasters. Despite the fact that the dangers to human health also affect the wealthy in

developing countries, it is important to note that those in developing countries will be facing

the tougher end of the problem.

40 Ibid 41 Ibid

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Here are some examples of how weather can impact health:

Fig 4. Impact of Climate Change on Human Health42

Therefore, the following groups should be taken in mind when coming to a resolution about

the problem at hand:

I. Indigenous groups and the peoples of ethnically divided nations

II. Infants and children as well as pregnant women

III. People of old age

IV. People with disabilities

V. Blue-collar workers and professionals that depend on manual labor tasks

To understand more about how the groups above will be affected, please visit

https://www.epa.gov/climate-impacts/climate-impacts-human-health .

Shelter

Shelter, something that is vital to our everyday lives, is becoming increasingly threatened due

to the impacts of climate change. The act of moving or migrating to another country for its

better beaches or warmer climate is not what is being referred to here – we are discussing

mass migration and displacement due to waves of extreme weather and geographical changes

in response the various implications of change in the world’s climate.

The reason this is important to our discussion is because most of those who will be forced to

move are located in lesser developed countries where the lack of resources as well as overall

development will stop their people for being able to adapt to the geographical changes of the

42 Antigonish Climate Resilience (2016) Climate Change and Health

<http://antigonishclimate.ca/index.php/2015/12/11/climate-change-and-health/ >

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nation. Most often times, rural populations are the most vulnerable ones because not only are

their homes affected but also their incomes.

For example, the majority of populations in economically distraught countries depend on

farming to be able to earn a living and survive. The shift in climate and thus of temperatures

is going to lead to a shift in agricultural capabilities of a certain area making it difficult (or

nearly impossible as some argue) to continue growing the crops needed to be sustain those

who depend on it. The map below showcases the projected change in agricultural

productivity based on trends that can already be seen. You will notice that the majority of

changes will be taking place in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South America with

minor exceptions such as parts of North America and Australia. With this said, it is also

important to note that almost every single nation will feel a change, the only difference is that

some might feel it more than others.

Fig 5. Projected impact of Climate change on agricultural yields43

If you wish to learn more about the impact of climate change on shelter and displacement, I

highly recommend downloading this report: http://careclimatechange.org/wp-

content/uploads/2009/06/CARE_In_Search_of_Shelter.pdf

National Security

It is important for countries and organizations present to acknowledge to the political

consequences of climate change.

43 Jennifer Draper (2014) Climate Change hits your fridge

<http://newsarchive.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news-229454.html >

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The Council Special Report produced by the Council on Foreign Relations delves into

how this global phenomena brining up the point that the destabilizing effects are likely

to contribute to an increase in not only political violence but also the overall

undermining of weak governments and the need to flush them out due to

overwhelming protests from the masses.44 Governmental recognition of this problem

is at the forefront of the changes needed to be performed as without it, the correct

counter-effect policies have to space to emerge.

The full report can be found here: http://www.cfr.org/climate-change/climate-change-

national-security/p14862

Past UN Action

UNFCCC

As mentioned above, in the ‘Past UN Action on Climate Change’ section, the UNFCCC is a

vital component in the fight to stop climate change and has been the United Nation’s main

weapon as it strives make changes. Despite the fact that we can now see an increase of

importance being given to the concept of climate justice, it is not nearly on the level that it

needs to be on in order to solve the problems that small countries are facing today. One of the

key problems with the convention is that even though there is mention of aid to those most

affected, the technological and financial assistance to developing countries, for example, is

not even close to what they will actually need to be able to combat the consequences of

climate change45. This is the case with many other areas covered in the convention as well.

Unitarian Universality – United Nations Office (UU-UNO) and the Commit2Respond

Campaign46

The ‘Climate Justice Campaign’ run by the Unitarian Universality group of the United

Nations Office works under the Commit2Respond campaign in order to support the climate

justice movement at the United Nations. The Commit2Respond group is made up of

everyday people, organizations and congregations that work towards promoting the

importance of climate justice. At the 2006 Unitarian Universalist Association General

Assembly, delegates passed the “Threat of Global Warming, 2006 Statement of Conscience”

and in 2015 the “Support a Strong, Compassionate Global Climate Change Agreement in

2015: Act for a Livable Climate”.

Threat of Global Warming, 2006 Statement of Conscience -

44 Council on Foreign Relations (2007) Climate Change and National Security

<http://www.cfr.org/climate-change/climate-change-national-security/p14862 > 45 Rosaly Byrd and Lauren DeMates (2014) 5 Reasons Why Climate Change Is a Social

Issue, Not Just an Environmental One <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosaly-byrd/climate-

change-is-a-socia_b_5939186.html > 46 Unitarian Universalist (2016) Climate Justice Initiative at the United Nations

<http://www.uua.org/environment/climate/initiative >

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This document highlights the key impacts of climate change as well as the social contexts in

which this issue matters, such as that of Faith and Justice and of Policy. The document goes

on to laying out a series of both personal and congregational prescriptions on how to deal

with promoting climate justice and how to stop climate change. Their call for action also

targets denominational affairs whereby they urge leaders to “explore the potential for using

the ownership rights of the denomination's financial resources to positively address the global

warming/climate change crisis”47 amongst many other things.

Link: http://www.uua.org/statements/threat-global-warmingclimate-change

Support a Strong, Compassionate Global Climate Change Agreement in 2015: Act for a

Livable Climate –

This Act of Immediate Witness, signed in 2015, re-iterates the “2015 UU General Assembly

call on Unitarian Universalists to unify and provide ethical and moral leadership for climate

action and to do so within our congregations and within our multi-faith communities”48

Furthermore, it covers main events of the climate justice movement and indicates the

importance of the COP21 in Paris.

Link: http://www.uua.org/statements/support-strong-compassionate-global-climate-

agreement-2015-act-livable-climate

UN Sustainable Development – Climate Change department

Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals has been laid out to specifically address

climate change and its impact. The targets of this goal include the implantation of “the

commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020

from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful

mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green

Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible”49 as well as the “Promotion for

mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and

management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including

focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities”50 As you can see, both

of these are directly connected to the fight for climate justice and if implemented correctly

could be trivial in the change that is seen in the world.

47 Unitarian Universalist Association (2006) Threat of Global Warming/Climate Change

<http://www.uua.org/statements/threat-global-warmingclimate-change> 48 Unitarian Universalist Association (2015) Support A Strong, Compassionate Global

Climate Agreement in 2015: Act For A Livable Climate

<http://www.uua.org/statements/support-strong-compassionate-global-climate-agreement-

2015-act-livable-climate > 49 Sustainable Development Goals (2015) Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate

change and its impacts < http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/climate-change-2/> 50 Ibid as 45

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Current Situation

In today’s world, those primarily fighting for the concept of Climate Justice are non-

governmental organizations all over the world, therefore, in order to know and understand

what the current situation is I have created a list of NGOs that have dedicated their actions to

this cause:

UU Environmental Justice Collaboratory

Link: http://www.uucollaboratory.org/ej-history.html

Eco Equity

Link: http://www.ecoequity.org/links/

Climate Justice Alliance

Link: http://www.ourpowercampaign.org/cja/

Demand Climate Justice

Link: http://demandclimatejustice.org/

The Climate Justice Movement

Link: http://www.iicat.org/climate-justice-movement/

Potential Solutions There are a number of ways you can go about solving the issue that we face by the lack of

climate justice. This committee gives the rare opportunity of being not only amongst other

member states but also around the CEO’s of major companies and of leading NGOs.

Cooperation between all three, in terms of how the issue of climate justice should be

approached and how to ensure that climate justice prevails, is of the utmost importance. Here

are some ideas of what you could do in committee:

1) You can come up with an agreement/an organization/a committee, or whatever you

deem fit to create mechanism that will ensure the enforcement of the treaties and

documents signed at the various UN conferences on the subject of climate change

throughout the past couple of years.

a. This would have to lay out what is meant by accountability and how those

who infringe their promises will have to bear their consequences

2) You can amend past resolutions on the topic of climate change to reflect the need for

climate justice and to ensure that all countries take the right approach to solving this

discrepancy in the world today.

Questions to consider In order to better prepare you for the debate to come, I urge you to think about some key

questions that all play an important role in coming to a mutual agreement over the issues that

will be discussed during this conference:

How can we use existing documents to help solve the problems we have at hand?

How should those who have affected climate change the most help those who cannot

fend for themselves?

What is the extent of the legality in climate justice?

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In what way can the UN help mediate the justice that is being wanted by the world’s

population?

Important resources

Information

Here is a list of sources that will further help your research of the topic:

http://350africa.org/2014/12/12/8-ways-climate-change-is-already-affecting-africa/

General Facts: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-climate-change-facts-

php

http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit/action-areas/

With this said, please look at other sources available to you so as to not limit your research

and knowledge of the topic.

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Topic 2: Water Scarcity

Topic Background

Introduction

An important topic that rather nicely works inconjuction with the concept of climate

justice and is often the cause for the increase in movements that call for justice is that

of water scarcity. If us, humans, need any one thing to survive, it would have to be

water. As long as clean drinking water is accessible, we are – to some extent – assured

to live. You must be thinking “But there’s unlimited water out there in the oceans,

isn’t 71% of the earth’s surface covered by water?” and you are correct! However – it

isn’t water that is safe for us to drink. Today, there are 738 million people that do not

have access to clean and safe water worldwide; 319 million of whom are in Sub-

Saharan Africa. To put in terms that are easier to understand – 1 in 9 people in the

world do not have access to water they can drink safely.

The term ‘Water Scarcity’ itself refers to either the lack of enough water or lack of

safe water. On an average day, we do not think twice before grabbing a glass of water

or before turning on the shower, but this access is something definitely should not be

taken to granted. Within the scope of water scarcity, there are two types of scarcity

that further explain the context of the different situations where there is not enough

water. The first is economic water scarcity - in the developing world, finding a

credible source is both time consuming and expensive; most often times there is water

available, but getting to it is nearly impossible with the right resources and technology

to access it. The second is physical water scarcity – this refers to a more extreme

problem where there is simply no clean water available and thus no matter how many

resources are acquired, no water can be reached. The impact of scarcity is not just

about the deathly short term consequences and also heavily alters development and

societies in detrimental ways. Despite the rather extensive work undertaken by the UN

to look further into water scarcity, we are still lacking in the following fields:

1. Correlation between water and human security

2. Water Security and Regional Integration across political boundaries

3. Water Security in conflict and disaster zones

4. Progress in achieving water security

Thus, this summit will focus primarily on the above mentioned sub-topics of water

scarcity in order to take action in areas that haven’t been addressed yet. Before diving

into this part of the topic guide, here are some key terms followed by their definitions

so that understanding the content is easier:

I. Key Terms

Term Definition

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Aquifer “Any geological formation containing or

conducting ground water, especially one that

supplies the water for wells, springs, etc.”51

Consumptive Use of Water “It is the quantity of water used by the

vegetation growth of a given area and the

amount of water required by a certain

crop for its vegetated growth to

evapotranspiration and building of plant

tissues plus evaporation from soils and

intercepted precipitation”52

Evapotranspiration “The process of transferring moisture

from the earth to the atmosphere by

evaporation of water and transpiration

from plants”53

Fresh Water “Consisting of water that does not contain

salt”54

Ground Water “Groundwater is the water found

underground in the cracks and spaces in

soil, sand and rock. it is stored in and

moves slowly through geologic

formations of soil, sand and rocks called

aquifers.”55

Surface water “Natural water that has not penetrated

much below the surface of the ground”56

Trickle irrigation “Drip irrigation is sometimes called

trickle irrigation and involves dripping

water onto the soil at very low rates…”57

Virtual water “The virtual-water content of a product (a

commodity, good or service) is the

volume of freshwater used to produce the

product, measured at the place where the

product was actually produced.”58

51 Dictionary (N/A) ‘Aquifer’ <http://www.dictionary.com/browse/aquifer> 52 Civil Engineering Dictionary (2016) ‘Consumptive Use of Water’ <

http://www.aboutcivil.org/consumptive-use-of-water.html> 53 Dictionary (N/A) ‘Evapotranspiration’ <

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/evapotranspiration> 54 MacMillan Dictionary (N/A) ‘Freshwater’ <

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/freshwater> 55 The Groundwater Foundation (2016) What is groundwater? <

http://www.groundwater.org/get-informed/basics/groundwater.html> 56 Merriam-Webster Dictionary (N/A) ‘Surface water’ < http://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/surface%20water> 57 FAO Corporate Document Repository (N/A) Chapter 6. Drip Irrigation <

http://www.fao.org/docrep/s8684e/s8684e07.htm> 58 Virtual Water (2016) The Water Footprint of Products < http://virtualwater.eu/>

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Water Management “The term […]covers a variety of

activities and disciplines. Broadly

speaking, these can be divided into three

categories: managing the trade-offs

needed to balance supply and demand.

The management of water is not merely a

technical issue; it requires a mix of

measured including changes in policies,

prices and other incentives, as well.”59

Water Stress “Water stress occurs when the demand

for water exceeds the available amount

during a certain period or when poor

quality restricts its use. Water stress

causes deterioration of fresh water

resources in terms of quantity and

quality.”60

Water Withdrawal “Water withdrawals, or water

abstractions, are defined as freshwater

taken from ground or surface sources,

either permanently or temporarily, and

conveyed to a place of use. If the water is

returned to a surface water source,

abstraction of the same water by the

downstream user is counted again in

compiling total abstractions: this may

lead to double counties.”61

Analysis

The analysis portion of this topic will focus on the four key areas that were covered in

the introduction which have not been addressed before by the UN and need to covered

so as to have covered all possible implications of the consequences of water scarcity.

When broken down, we see that the four separate issues overlap in the sense that the

broader issue being addressed by all four refers to international conflict and how water

is affected by all of these and what we are going to do separate issues of the state and

issues of humanity.

Water and Human Security

According to the Clico Report of 2013, human security is defined as “the condition

of living with freedom and dignity, safe from hunger, repression and disease and 59 UN Water (2016) Water Resources Management < http://www.unwater.org/topics/water-

resources-management/en/> 60 European Environmental Agency (N/A) Water Stress <

http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/wise-help-centre/glossary-definitions/water-stress> 61 OECD (N/A) Water Withdrawals < https://data.oecd.org/water/water-withdrawals.htm>

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protected from untoward disruption of the daily rhythms of life”62 The report was

written in rapport with the Mediterranean, Middle East and Sahel (MMES) region as

that is the region most affected by the lack of water today. They also happen to be

those that are the most vulnerable to climate change. Ranging in sizes, levels of

development and populations, these countries are all predicted to see an increase in

temperatures as well as an increase in disasters that could potentially effect their

survival.

Water and human security are inevitably intertwined for a number of reasons.

Water is present in all sectors on the modern industrial world and almost every human

activity relies heavily on the availability of water whether it be agriculture or the

production of energy. It is an integral part of economic and human development and

cannot be subsituted. It is important to note here that human security does not only

apply to political securities but also to life ones. Access of to clean, safe, drinkable

water is a question of life or death. In developing countries, at least 80% of diseases

are linked to the conditions created by a lack of accessible water and thus bad

sanitation conditions.

Water in conflict and disaster prone areas

Conflict

It is important to understand that conflicts happen when people are “deprived

of basic human needs, resulting in demands for improved services or opportunities,

including security, recognition, acceptance, fair access to political institutions, and

economic participation”63 Lack of access to water, therefore, can very easily lead to

disruption and violence. By violence we are not only referring to actual physical

fighting but rather structural violence which causes mass amounts of deaths.

Outlined in their report on water and conflict, Gehrig and Rogers refer to water

conflicts occurring at four different levels64:

1. Local:

a. Most conflicts happen at this level whereby there is disagreement over

access to a certain source of water that has to be shared or between the

government and the inhabitants of a specific area. Some examples of

these incidences:

i. Tribal tensions being created due to water source having to be

shared

ii. Construction of dams

iii. Inadequate governance by the state’s leaders of the water services

in the country

2. National

62 The Clico Project (2013) Adapting to Change < http://www.clico.org/> 63 Gehrig J & Rogers M (2009) Water and Conflict. Catholic Relief Services: Baltimore, U.S. 64 Ibid as 61

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a. This happens in regards to the different ways in which water can

managed and usually breaks out between groups that have different

ideologies/ways of going about their priorities. Examples:

i. Conflicting regulations set out by different sectors of the

government

ii. Anything to do with farming and environmental protection

schemes that coincide with national water sources

3. International

a. These are outbreaks of conflicts that occur across state boundaries in

regards to the water sources that are shared by two or more countries.

Examples:

i. When a river crosses boundaries and the actions of one state

upstream affects the water downstream in another country

ii. Sharing underground water aquifers

4. Global

a. This occurs “between marginalized and affluent populations, in which

conflicts result when resources are distributed from marginalized

populations on the periphery to more privileged sectors comprising the

core”.65 Examples:

i. Agriculture gaining priority

Graph showing water conflicts at all levels between 1930 and 2015:

65 Gehrig J & Rogers M (2009) Water and Conflict. Catholic Relief Services: Baltimore, U.S.

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Graph of International River Basins that are at risk of conflict66:

Disasters

Natural disasters are often thought of as events that we do not have control over.

However, with the climate change happening around the world, we’ve been noticing a

steady increase in the number of natural disasters due to the actions of man-kind. This

increase puts the blame in our court, making us responsible for the possible

implications of disasters that have the ability of devastating vast areas. The following

graph shows the growing trend of natural disasters67:

66 Gehrig J & Rogers M (2009) Water and Conflict. Catholic Relief Services: Baltimore, U.S. 67 Ibid as 64

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The aftermath of these disasters on human life can be very destructive. In the case of

water-related ones, competition for water and the mere access to it is volatile. In 2012,

the World Water Development Report stated that all hazards that are classified as

being water-related account for 90% of all natural hazards. A total of 373 natural

disasters killed over 296,800 people in 2010 and affected around 208 million. The

consequences of these events amounted up to a staggering price of US$110 billion.

The Report also states that “according to the United Nations Global Assessment

Report, since 1900 more than 11 million people have died as a consequence of

drought and more than 2 billion have been affected by drought, more than any other

physical hazard.” 68 There is no doubt that the number of disasters will increase

resulting in both direct impacts (e.g. damage to buildings, crops and infrastructure,

and loss of life and property) and indirect impacts (e.g. losses in productivity and

livelihoods, increased investment risk, indebtedness and human health impacts).

Progress of achieving water security through past UN action:

Give the importance of water to the survival of our planet, it does not come with a

shock that the UN has been so active in trying to solve the problems associated with

water scarcity. Here is a timeline of recent actions (Please Note: Due to the extensive

list of resolutions, decisions and agreements about the issue, I have chosen to only

include actions takes as from 2003 onwards):

2003 23 December – Resolution A/RES/58/217

(2005-2015 International Decade for

Action “Water for Life)

2005 22 March – Start of “Water for Life”

11-22 April – 13th session of the UN

Commission on Sustainable Development

(Report: E/2005/29)

25 July – UN Secretary General’s report

on actions taken in organizing “Water for

Life” is released. (This report contains

pledges by various UN agencies as well

as proposed national political structures)

2007 August – Opening of UN-Water Decade

Programme on Capacity Development

(UNW-DPC)

October – Opening of UN office in Spain

to help with UN-Water Decade

Programme

2008 Year of Sanitation

December – Status of Implementation of

68 UN Water (N/A) Water-Related Hazards <http://www.unwater.org/topics/water-related-

hazards/en/>

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CSD-13-Policy Actions on Water and

Sanitation released

2009 21 December – Resolution requesting for

midterm review of In’t Decade for Action

“Water for Life” (A/RES/64/198)

2010 22 March – High level Interactive

Dialogue takes place on the

Implementation of the International

Decade for Action “Water for Life”

Documents:

Water Security:

A/64/692A/64/692/Corr.1

Midterm Review: A/64/693

Water and Climate Change: A/46/695

Water and Development goals: A/64/694

8-9 June – Conference on Midterm

Review of “Water for Life”

22 June – Dushanbe Declaration on

Water (A/65/88)

28 July – Recognition of access to safe

and clean drinking water and sanitation as

a human right (A/RES/64/292)

2011 11 February – ‘Sustainable sanitation: the

five- year drive to 2015’ (A/RES/65/153)

21 June – Launch of campaign on

“Sustainable Sanitation”

2012 20-22 June – Rio+20 Document released

(reminder of commitments addressed in

Decade for Action “Water for Life”

2013 International Year of Water Cooperation

24 July – A/RES/67/291 (Refers to World

Toilet Day on November 19th )

September – Call to Action on Sanitation

by Deputy Secretary General

2014 18-19 February – UN General Assembly

has a thematic debate on Water,

Sanitation and Sustainable Energy in

Post-2015 Development Agenda

19 December – A/RES/69/215

(Resolution on further efforts having to

do with sustainable development of water

resources)

2015 30 March – High level discussion on the

progress achieved and lessons learned

from the International Decade for Action

9-11 June – High level discussion on the

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implementation of the International

Decade for Action

13-16 July – International Conference on

Financing for Development

30 November – 11 December – COP21 in

Paris

2016 22-27 May – Second Meeting of the UN

Environment Assembly

31 Aug – 10 September – 2016 IUCN

World Conservation Congress

30 November – COP22 in Marrakesh

Current Situation

Shift in the Process of the Water Cycle

People often underestimate the impact that is made by the smallest increase in

global temperatures but a way to understand just how drastic it is we can look at the

effects it is having on the water cycle. Current factors portraying the interdependence

between global warming and the water cycle are:

Long-term redistribution of water

Accelerated water movement

Shifting weather and climate patterns

For more information on what is currently happening, please visit:

http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/learning/7_water_cycle/activities/global_warming.

html

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations

Environment Programme, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an

organization that primarily assesses climate change. In charge of producing reviews

and scientific reports, the IPCC looks into recent scientific, technical and socio-

economic data in order to offer us a better understanding of the current situation in

regards to impacts of climate change. The panel is divided into working groups – one

of which is in charge of ‘Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability’. Within this group,

there’s a section on Hydrology and Water Resources that offers a detailed outline of

the impacts of climate change on water resources around the world.

For the IPCC’s Technical Paper on Climate Change and Water, please see the

following:

https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/technical-papers/climate-change-water-en.pdf

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Potential Solutions

Here is a list of solutions that you might consider when approaching this issue:

Policy Implications:

o Investing in social security to provide human security

o Integration of policies

o Improvement of international treaties on the issue

o Securing basic rights

Pricing Mechanisms

Improvement of water management and investments

Small scale solutions

* It is important to note that taking a regional approach to solving this problem is not

the best solution as most water management, source development and use happens at

either the local or national levels. With this said, there are some cases, like the

agreement between the South African countries, where regional agreement on shared

rivers really helps development in the entire region. Therefore, it should not be

completely ignored either.

Questions to consider

Keep in mind that the following have to be considered when making the right legislation

addressing the issue of water security:

o Access has to be assured at an affordable cost in order for those affected the most to be

able to meet basic needs (including hygiene and sanitation)

o That the protection of livelihoods, human rights and cultural values are not infringed

o That the preservations and protection of ecosystems are supported throughout any project

undertaken

o That there is some kind of collaborative agreement on how to deal with trans boundary

water resources management

How will the body be able to certify the ability to cope with uncertainties when it

comes to water-related risks and diseases?

How will good governance and accountability be upheld whilst keeping in mind

the interests of stakeholders?

Transparency?

Legislation?

Important resources

Water and Conflict Report:

http://www.crs.org/sites/default/files/tools-research/water-and-conflict.pdf

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