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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Bibliography
Antigonish Climate Resilience (2016) Climate Change and Health
<http://antigonishclimate.ca/index.php/2015/12/11/climate-change-and-health/ >
Byrd, Rosaly & DeMates, Lauren (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 >
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 >
Civil Engineering Dictionary (2016) ‘Consumptive Use of Water’
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