PRESIDIUM MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2016 · PRESIDIUM MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2016 “POLICIES ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY” |CD 3 • Since, SDGs give us a path

P R E S I D I U M M O D E L U N I T E D N A T I O N S C O N F E R E N C E 2 0 1 6 “ P O L I C I E S O N E N V I R O N M E N T A N D S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y ” | C D

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PRESIDIUMMODELUNITEDNATIONSCONFERENCE2016

CITIZENS’DIALOGUE

STUDYGUIDE


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Before you start going thru the sub topics of the agenda explained below you need to understand the meaning of agenda which is “Policies on Environment & Sustainability”. A lot of policies and plans have been executed around the world to save the environment, for example recently the odd-even scheme was implemented in the capital or campaigns such as Trees for cities, solar school have been implemented around the world to protect the environment. But, when it comes to policies it means commitment of a particular organization or department to protect the environment and enhance sustainable development. When you read about environment, it’s not just restricted to nature, it also expands to protection of wildlife and endangered species. The concept of Environmental Governance was brought in political ecology and environmental policy that advocates sustainability as the supreme consideration. Given below are few policies and problems for you to start with which can help you in guiding the debate and coming up with better policies.

• Global policy to enhance sustainable development (SDGs)-

As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reached their December 2015 deadline, a new set of transformative and universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been adopted by world leaders as a part of the Post–2015 Development Agenda at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. The new sustainable development agenda seeks to ensure that the momentum generated by the millennium development goals is carried forward beyond 2015 — to achieve not just substantial reductions in poverty, hunger and other deprivations but finally end them to provide a life of dignity to all. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are: Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries Goal 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources Goal 15: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss Goal 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development


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• Since, SDGs give us a path to increase sustainability which will directly or indirectly prevent further degradation of environment, it is important for the committee to find a way to implement SDGs in India.

• Civil society members should discuss their role in implementing SDGs and

further find a way in which they can contribute in the implementation.

Finding solutions to environmental

problems faced by India

A country’s environmental problems vary with its stage of development, structure of its economy, production technologies in use and its environmental policies. While some problems may be associated with the lack of economic development (e.g. inadequate sanitation and clean drinking water), others are exacerbated by the growth of economic activity (e.g. air and water pollution). Poverty presents special problems for a densely populated country with limited resources. In order to create a better future and environment, the solution to following environmental problems faced by us must be found.

• Land/Soil Degradation-

Most of the land area in the country shows evidence of degradation, thus affecting the productive resource base of the economy. Out of the total geographical areas of 329 million hectares, 175 million hectares are considered degraded. Erosion by water and wind is the most significant contributor to soil erosion with other factors like water logging, salination etc. adding to the in situ degradation. While soil erosion by rain and river in hill areas causes landslides and floods, deforestation, overgrazing, traditional agricultural practices, mining and incorrect siting of development projects in forest areas have resulted in opening up of these areas to heavy soil erosion. In the arid west, wind erosion causes expansion of desert, dust storms, whirlwinds and destruction of crops; while moving sand covers the land and makes it sterile. In the plains, riverine erosion due to floods and eutrophication due to agricultural runoff are noticed. Increased dependence on intensive agriculture and irrigation also results in salination, alkalization and water logging in irrigated areas of the country.

• Deforestation-

Forests are a renewable resource and contribute substantially to the economic development by providing goods and services to forest dwellers, people at large and forest based industries, besides generating substantial volume of employment. Forests also play a vital


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role in enhancing the quality of environment by influencing the ecological balance and life support system (checking soil erosion, maintaining soil fertility, conserving water, regulating water cycle and floods, balancing carbon dioxide and oxygen content in atmosphere etc.). The country has very diverse forest vegetation ranging from the moist evergreen forests in the North-East, along the West Coast and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to the temperate and alpine vegetation in the Himalayas. However, this forest wealth is dwindling due to overgrazing, over exploitation, encroachments, unsustainable practices, forest fire and indiscriminate siting of development projects in the forest areas. Withdrawal of forest products, including fuel wood, timber etc. are much beyond the carrying capacity of our forests. The current annual withdrawal of fuel wood is estimated at 235 million cubic meters against a sustainable capacity of about 48 million cubic meters. The annual demand for industrial wood is about 28 million cubic meters against the production capacity of 12 million cubic meters. The area affected by forest fire range from 33 percent in West Bengal to 99 percent in Manipur. Presently, the recorded forest area is 76.52 million hectares which works out to 23.3 per cent of the total geographical area and actual forest cover is 63.3 million hectare, which constitutes only 19.3 per cent of the total land area, as against the National Forest Policy 1988 stipulation of a target of 33 per cent. Even within this recorded area, only 36.7 million hectares, or only 11.2 per cent of country’s total land area, comprises dense forest with a crown density of more than 40 per cent, thus reflecting a qualitative decline of forests in the country.

• Bio-diversity-

The biodiversity in forests, grasslands, wetlands and mountains, deserts and marine ecosystems is subject to many pressures. One of the major causes of the loss of biological diversity has been the depletion of vegetative cover in order to expand agriculture. Since most of the biodiversity rich forests also contain the maximum mineral wealth, and also the best sites for water impoundment, mining and development projects in such areas have often led to destruction of habitats. Poaching and illegal trade of wildlife products too, have adversely affected biodiversity. Such over-exploitation and loss of habitat is leading to the extinction of various plants, animals and microbial species. According to estimates, over 1500 plant species are endangered and about 79 mammals, 44 birds, 15 reptiles, 3 amphibians and several insects are listed as endangered. Such a biological impoverishment of the country is a serious threat to sustainable advances in biological productivity as gene erosion also erodes the prospects for deriving full economic and ecological benefits from recent advances in molecular biology and genetic engineering.

• Atmospheric Pollution-

Air pollution is widespread in the country and regular monitoring is being carried out under the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System. A high level of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) is the most prevalent form of air pollution. High concentration of


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Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and SPM occur in about 20 percent of the cities so monitored. High domestic use of coal or bio-mass fuel is still a serious problem in high human exposure to SO2, SPM and carcinogenic agents. The main factors contributing to urban air quality deterioration are growing industrialization and increasing vehicular pollution. It has been aggravated by developments that typically occur as countries industrialize: growing cities, increasing traffic, rapid economic development and industrial growth, all of which are closely associated with higher energy consumption. Industrial pollution is concentrated in industries like petroleum refineries, textiles, pulp and paper, industrial chemicals, iron and steel and non-metallic mineral products. Small scale industries especially foundries, chemical manufacturing and brick making are also significant polluters. In the power sector, thermal power which constitutes bulk of the installed capacity for electricity generation, is an important source of air pollution. Water Pollution- According to an analysis of water quality over 12 years (1986-97) by CPCB, the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) values, in a sample of 4500 observations, below 3mg/l were above 60 percent during 1986 to 1991, the values gradually declined down to 54 percent in 1994-95 but rose to 58 percent in 1997. This indicates that the water quality which had gone down during 1986-91, improved during 1991- 95. Similarly, there was a gradual increase in number of observations having BOD more than 6mg/l from 7 percent in 1989 to 16 percent in 1997. However, there is no significant change in the number of observations belonging to BOD range between 3 and 6 mg/l. The water quality monitoring results indicate that organic and bacterial pollution continue to be pre-dominant source of pollution in our aquatic resources. A large part of municipal sewage is allowed to flow in untreated form to nearby receiving water bodies, thereby reducing dissolved oxygen required for supporting aquatic life, increasing the pollution load in terms of BOD and exponential increase in number of coliform bacteria, an indicator of presence of disease causing organism in water.


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Review of policies on environment in India till now • In India, the National Environment Policy (NEP), 2006 was made by the Ministry of

Environment and Forests to view the key environmental challenges, their causes and effects, objectives of policy formulation and strategies and action programme to satisfy the objectives and mechanisms that need to be implemented and reviewed.

• Though most of the constituents of the environment including land, water and forests are under State purview, the Union government has passed Acts to protect the environment from degradation and destruction by using Article 242 of the Constitution which empowers the Union to pass legislation on matters mentioned in the State list if two or more States ask it to do so.

• The earliest laws were the Bengal Smoke Nuisance Act of 1905 and the Bombay Smoke Nuisance Act of 1912 for controlling air pollution. Wild Birds and Animal Protection Act was enacted in 1912 and the River Boards Act of 1956 for regulation and development of inter-State rivers.

• The Insecticide Act was enacted in 1968 to regulate import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of insecticides to prevent risk to humans and fauna. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 governs wildlife conservation and protection of endangered species and prohibits trade in them. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 was enacted to deal with water pollution.

• The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act in 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 further empowered the government to take steps to protect the environment.

• The Environment (Protection) Act was passed by the Indian Parliament on May 23, 1986. Through this Act, which refers to the Stockholm Conference of 1972 and Article 253 of the Indian Constitution, the Union government has now considerable powers for preventing, control of and abatement of environmental pollution. The Act covers handling of hazardous substances, prevention of environmental accidents, research, inspection of polluting units, setting up of laboratories and dissemination of information.

• The National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995 seeks to set up a tribunal to award compensation for damage to persons, property and environment arising out of activities involving hazardous substances.

• We may also mention in this context the launch of the Eco-mark scheme in 1991 to encourage consumers to buy products of less harmful environmental impact. The Green Rating Project aims to recognise good environmental performance.

• It is for creating environmental awareness as well as bringing industrialists, environmentalists and others on a common platform to ensure industrialisation involves environmental sustainability. It is built on voluntary disclosure by companies and the rating system it involves provides a ‘reputational incentive’.


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Role of industrialists in protecting environment While the interested public have no role in environmental decision making in India, industries have significant influence within the government. The nexus between the government and industry dates back to the freedom struggle, with the Congress finding considerable support from industrialists like Birla, Tata and Bajaj. These industrialists within the Congress grew in strength and confidence, as they provided a major source of funding to the Congress (Gadgil and Guha, 1996). Evidence of this relationship is reflected in Nehru's opposition to Liaquat Ali Khan's populist budget of 1946-47, which recommended, among other things, the withdrawal of the salt tax and the imposition of a heavy income tax on industry to ensure a more equitable economic development. Nehru seemed most reluctant to pursue anti-industrialist policies because of their adverse impact on domestic industrialists, who he thought would protect India's economic future.

• The role of industrialists should be discussed in order to protect environment and maintain sustainability. It is important to discuss in what ways industrialists can contribute to environment.


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Odd-Even Car Policy – Right to Mobility or Right to Life?

A lot of reactions, both positive and negative have been pouring in since the plan of introducing “Odd-Even” policy for plying of cars was mooted for Delhi roads.

Background Earlier this year in London, the most dangerous particles - PM 2.5 had hit a high of 57 which is nearly six times of recommended limits. Here in Delhi, we can only dream of such clean air. These minute, carcinogenic (cancer causing) particles which penetrate the lungs, entering straight into the blood stream – hover between 220-300 almost every day that is 21-30 times of the recommended limits. The result unfortunately is permanent lung damage, and 1.3 million deaths annually. That makes air pollution, after heart disease, India's second biggest killer.

The respirable particulate matters (especially PM 2.5), majorly a product of vehicle emissions, burning of waste, industrial plumes, is considered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the best indicator of the level of health risks from air pollution.

Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including:

• premature death in people with heart or lung disease, • heart attacks, • irregular heartbeat, • aggravated asthma, • decreased lung function, and • increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or

difficulty breathing

The Delhi High Court had recently remarked that Living in Delhi is Like Living in a Gas Chamber which isn’t really far from truth. The embassies of Norway and the United States have taken urgent steps to safeguard their personnel. While Norwegian officials are set to get “hardship pay” for working in New Delhi, the US embassy’s school has cancelled outdoor activities for its students.

Unfortunately planting more trees does nothing to solve the problem since PM2.5 are

particles and not gases and they can’t be processed by the leaves. In fact, a high tree density

can make the exposure worse because the extra moisture in the air would trap the particles


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instead of letting them fly away with the wind. The only way to cut down PM2.5 levels is to

stop it at the source – cars, factories, waste burning, thermal power plants.

We as the Delhi Dialogue Commission cannot solve problems until and unless we recognize their existence. According to several reports, Delhi citizens are breathing poisonous air equivalent to smoking 10-15 cigarettes a day (even if one doesn't smoke). The situation has been tagged as a ‘Public Health Crisis’ by many experts.

World Models

In Sao Paulo vehicle rotation system based on registration numbers has been prevalent for over a decade, leading to emulation by many Latin American governments. In 2008, after its successful trial before the Olympics, a system of road-rationing system based on licence plates was made mandatory in Beijing. The effects of the rotation system are well documented. According to studies in Beijing, the emission levels came down to 40 percent after the system was introduced. There were other tangible benefits as well: lesser vehicles on roads, decreased demand for fuel and a minor drop in road accidents. And, people loved it. One survey in Beijing revealed that 95 percent of the people supported the restrictions because they believed they were meant to make their lives better.

Representatives are requested to research and find out models where the policy wasn’t really a success and what lessons can be learned for its successful implementation in Delhi.


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The Plan The plan, which will be implemented from 1 January, will be a temporary measure for 15 days, and will be imposed from 8am to 8pm. Sundays are excluded. Violations will cost Rs. 2,000.

Up to 20 categories of vehicles will be exempted from the plan, including:

• Two-wheelers

• Vehicles running on compressed natural gas

• Electric and hybrid vehicles

• Women, and women drivers with a male child up to 12 years old

• Vehicles of VIPs including the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Governors of States and Lt. Governor of Delhi, Chief Justice of India, Union Ministers, Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Chief ministers of other states (except Delhi), judges of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court and the Lokayukta

• Emergency vehicles like ambulances, fire engines, hospitals, prison, hearse and enforcement vehicles

• Vehicles of paramilitary forces, defence ministry, pilot and escort.

• Vehicles of those guarded by the Special Protection Group

• Diplomatic vehicles

• Vehicles on way to a hospital for a medical emergency with proof

• Vehicles of the physically challenged

Outstation vehicles, including those registered in the national capital region, have not been exempted.

To ensure effective implementation of the plan, the government is planning to deploy 10,000 volunteers around the city. The Government has also sought support from the Delhi police. The government has also urged citizens to car-pool to reduce pressure on public transport.


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23rd December saw the highest level of air pollution in Delhi this year with PM 2.5 levels at 295 microgram/m3 and PM10 levels were at 470 microgram/m3.

(source: Firstpost)

It is estimated that nearly 10 lakh private cars will daily stay off the roads in the national capital once the odd- even formula is enforced from January 1, with the drastic reduction in traffic flow expected to significantly reduce the high-level of pollution in the city. There are over 19 lakh private four-wheelers registered in Delhi and nearly half of these will go off the roads with the implementation of government’s ambitious odd-even formula.


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According to an IIT-Kanpur study, vehicular emissions make the national capital’s air abysmally poor during the winter months. DTC has also been directed to engage private buses and school buses under cluster scheme so that people don’t face problems while using public transport from January 1 to January 15. Excerpts from an article that appeared in main stream media during and post Odd-even scheme implementation:

Increasing levels of pollution have become a prevalent problem, forcing the civilians as well as the government to devote time and effort in order to stop the vicious cycle of air pollution, and attack the problem at its root level.

ODD EVEN POLICY

Keeping the current status in mind, the Delhi Government introduced and implemented the odd even policy in the capital from 1st to 15th of January’2016.

There were two major objectives of the odd-even policy –

1. Reduction in pollution levels 2. Reduction in amount of traffic


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Was It Successful?

Answering this question is challenging. Air pollution data is limited and it comes from many different sources. Pollution also varies with time and weather conditions for reasons that have nothing to do with the odd-even pilot. Thus, simply looking at trends in pollution monitors cannot tell us what we need to know. Reflecting these challenges, different assessments so far have been contradictory, ranging from “complete failure” to “massive success”.

The entire point, however, is to act upon the problem of excessive pollution by creating awareness and making people conscious about their actions.

Advantages of the policy -

1) It will reduce the number of vehicles on road hence to some extent may reduce pollution.

2) It may create awareness among people that how alarming pollution condition has become.

3) Delhi's Model acts as a benchmark for other states also.

4) Will promote public transport and non-motorized ways of travelling which is the need of the hour.

5) Can come handy in effective traffic control.

6) More manpower is required to carry out this experiment, thus it may lead to employment generation.


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Disadvantages -

1) A long list of exemptions is there which dilutes the motive behind this rule.

2) This rule is effecting only 5-6% of vehicles in Delhi so the changes will be insignificant.

3) Delhi Police does not have the kind of manpower required to implement this decision.

4) If the Delhi government successfully implements the odd-even formula, the question still arises as to how people will commute. Frequency of Public Transport is low.

5) People who are rich and in a condition to afford another car will prefer odd or even number.

Even though the odd-even policy may greatly benefit the auto rickshaws and the ola cabs, the question is about creating awareness, reducing traffic and stop the increasing levels of pollution. The following is a chart reflecting the decline in the particulate matter due to implementation of the odd-even policy –


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While the odd-even policy reduced pollution during its first two weeks in effect, there are reasons to wonder about its ability to reduce pollution over the longer run. A natural concern is that the odd-even policy could easily be gamed or otherwise undermined. Further, Mexico City’s experience with the implementation of a similar policy suggests, it could even make pollution worse by encouraging households to purchase second cars that are old and very polluting.

A more durable effect on pollution might come from a congestion-pricing programme, in which drivers are charged for using the roads at certain places and times. This approach, which has been successful in places like London and Singapore, allows cities to effectively reduce car use at periods of peak congestion and pollution.

The Delhi government should pilot the use of congestion charging, and invest any income from the charge in high-quality, high-capacity public transport with zero local emissions — which would again help to reduce demand for driving, congestion, and pollution. Air pollution is shortening lives in Delhi and too many other places in India and elsewhere. The odd-even scheme has delivered over these two weeks, but may not over the long term. Furthermore, vehicles are only one source of pollution.

There is no shortage of creative ideas and potential pilots, but what is all too often lacking is evidence on which ones work as intended. In one effort to improve matters, the University of Chicago has launched a competition with the Delhi Dialogue Commission to crowdsource ideas for reducing air and water pollution (the Delhi Urban Labs Innovation Challenge). More generally speaking, governments need to accept that we don’t have all the answers to policy problems and adopt a culture of trying out new ideas, testing them carefully, and then deciding which ones to adopt at scale.


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Environment

This was the last speech delivered by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at IIM Shillong on 27 July 2015. The topic he chose was “Creating a Liveable Planet Earth.” His words are as follows:

"The sustainable development enables the realization of green clean environment without pollution, having prosperity without poverty, peace without fear of war and a happy place to

live for all citizens of the nations of the world".

Dear friends, I am delighted to be with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong and address and interact with the students participating in this short course on Creating a Liveable Earth.

I am happy to know that the student present here are from a rich diversity of experience from various domains. My presentation and discussion, your thoughts, responses and their review, can in an integrated way, take the shape of a vision for an action plan for the course participants in various sustainable development system which can preserve and nurture the planet and its people. I am confident that 12 groups of students might have worked on the 12 pillars of Creating a Liveable Earth for futuristic global civilizations. While doing these assignments, I am sure all of you would have realized what an interconnected world we all live in and how the future is a function of our actions today. I will be focusing now in exploring these connections, ideas and challenges. Our journey begins today where we will be analyze new avenues of global prosperity and peace, creative leadership needed for such a change and also the all important aspect of how to preserve and enhance our environment while all this happens. The Indian Institute of Management, Shillong is amongst the new members in the institutional array of the Indian Institutes of Management, or IIMs, who are producing more than 2/3rd of India’s CEOs. You inherit a glorious lineage which has produced some of the finest brains and managers of the nation and even global arena. The topic I have selected is: "Creating a Liveable Planet Earth". Dear friends, the planet's biggest problem today is to do with sustainability, environmental decline, global poverty, disease, conflict and many other sideshows that go around them. These are all interconnected – it is one big problem, which is that the way we are doing things, cannot go on. Sustainable development is an organizing principle for human life on a finite planet. It suggests a desirable future state for human societies in which living conditions and resource-use meet human needs without undermining the sustainability of natural systems and the environment, so that future generations may also have their needs met. Dear friends, I would like to share with you one important aspect of Energy Independence, which means complete energy security with freedom from fossil fuel. 86 % of the total energy produced comes from fossil fuel; around 14% comes from renewable energy and


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nuclear sector. In this situation, it is essential to find innovative methods to reduce the consumption of the electric power from fossil fuel and increase the deployment of renewable energy systems.

We are already working on adopting certain innovative methods to convert certain important segments for improving the efficiency of the electric power usage from fossil fuel and increase the use of renewable energy systems. For example, India has 900 million mobile users, and 250,000 lakh cell phone towers, which consumes nearly 2 billion litres of diesel for power. If we convert these installations into solar powered systems, we save about 1.7 billion dollars and offset 5 million tonnes of CO2 emission and gain carbon credit. Next, if we transform all our 600,000 villages where 700 million people live, into solar powered homes and street lights, we may offset around 60% of fossil fuel usage in that sector. Mission for IIM Shillong: All you students and members from IIM Shillong have to become ambassadors of such a green mission for the state, the nation and the planet. Can you transform Meghalaya into a Carbon Neutral State? My lecture will finally lead you to that. You see so many cars and trucks moving on the roads everyday, towards Shillong and away from it. Each liter of fuel they burns adds about 2.3 kg of CO2 to the atmosphere. Similarly, in the world, we are adding over 30 billion tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere every year. At this rate, we may soon hit a point of no return, and we will be forced to migrate to another planet or its satellite. What can we all do to ensure our mother planet, Earth, the cradle of life, is not rendered unfit for living? Let me give you a mission. It may be a ten year mission to transform Meghalaya into a Carbon neutral state in India. These are some of the innovative methods to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel usage and increase the deployment of renewable energy sources. I hope these steps will lead us towards achieving energy independence in a much faster way.

Friends, for promoting universal peace and prosperity, we need to identify what are the fundamental parameters which connect nations into one unified platform, what tools which enable such connectivity and what specific agendas are needed to bring the world together. Such fundamental parameters include environment, trade and economics, security, health and education of the humanity. These four parameters connect the world with a compounding positive effect, meaning that well being of one nation on these parameters imply the wellbeing of every other nation as well. Let us discuss these four parameters.

Economy and Trade: The second factor which connects the world is economies and trade. Today, the merchandize trade across world is worth about $19 trillion/year and the growing services trade is valued at over $4.2 trillion/year. In fact, with over one-third of the world population India and China are rated by WTO as the fastest growing importers (China 9.7%, India 6.6%) as well as the fastest growing exporters (India 16.1%, China 9.2%). Interestingly, the fastest growing manufacturers are also the rapidly growing markets. This is the connectivity of the economy and it binds the world in many ways as we have already seen in the past.


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Security: The third issue which is a matter of global togetherness is the aspect of security and hence promotion of sustained peace is a pre-requisite to economic development. In 1945, post the World War II the United Nations was established to avert large scale inter-state conflict. In spite of such an organization, there has been continued conflicts, threats and damages and resulting into wars. The international institution is ripe for re-organization encompassing proper representation in the Security Council and removing its veto power. Meanwhile, the numbers of intra-state conflicts, organized terrorism and proxy wars are phenomena on the rise in the entire globe. With the spread of the world information backbone in the form of the internet, there is also a growing issue of addressing cyber crimes and cyber terrorism which can aim at crippling critical services. Nations are coming together to address these issues on a variety of scale. Recently, we saw how a historic avenue of tension has been brought near resolution with the agreement on nuclear proliferation and lifting of economic sanctions in Iran. I am sure such efforts are significant in making our world peaceful.

Human Development in the Form of Health and Education for All: Friends, today we are in an era of multinational research and multinational product design and marketing. An invention made today somewhere takes no time to find its market thousands of miles away. When designers, developers, researchers, marketers, buyers, sellers and investors are all global, the international interest is in the development of quality workforce globally, often to suit the local market context too. Hence, education and skill development is an issue which brings the world together. In the healthcare area, in early 20th century, Polio was the major disease emerging; this led to the Great Race for a vaccine against polio across the globe in various institutions and resulted a vaccine in 1950s, which has found solution for the problem. Now it is a time for finding a solution for solving the problem Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Diabetes.

In the world history, there are several instances which have demonstrated that nations get united when they find a common urge and threat such as: Indian Freedom movement, Chinese revolution and the formation of European Union. Now, time has come to find such a common urge and threat for compelling the humanity to live in peace and prosperity as a global community in a clean world.

How to bring the nation’s prosperity through economic growth and simultaneously assuring peace to nation? What is the unique vision that will replace military superiority between and among nations? I have a feeling that we need a great vision, higher than individuals, ideologies, party affiliation, political ambitions and the present technological superiority. Dear friends, can we visualize what it should be?

The humanity needs a great vision to forget all the conflicts and move towards a common goal of peace and prosperity for all the global citizens. We visualize the birth of world vision

leading to “liveable planet earth”. This vision will be greater than any other vision so far envisioned by the humanity.

I think there cannot be a greater vision for the nations other than transforming our "Planet


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earth liveable". That means, are we leaving a sustainable world where we have taken less from nature than what we have given to it? As long as there are inequities of development between urban and rural areas; between neighbourhoods; in sharing valuable resources, peace will elude us. Particularly, modern technology has made the world a global village. Hence tolerance for inequities will also come down. We have to use the same technology to bring global progress with a vision to achieve the same with consistent missions and programmes. Hence, while creating wealth in the classical sense we need to find new opportunities to serve the knowledge society in ways hitherto not imagined. The solution may be to find products for more than 7 billion people of the world so that the whole world will own up business. We will have to find newer methods of cooperation so that core competence of even remote villages can be synergized for competitive products. With such a thought process, I discussed with my colleagues and formulated the possible distinctive development profile of the nations of the world in 2030 as follows.

A world of nations where the divide between rural and urban, rich and the poor, developed and developing has narrowed down. A world of nations where there is an equitable distribution and adequate access to energy and quality water. A world where core competencies of each nation are identified. Missions synergizing the core competencies of different nations lead to economic advantage and faster development for all the societies.

A world of nations where all the students of all societies are imparted education with value system. A world of nations where affordable quality health care is available to all. A world of nations where the governance is responsive, transparent and corruption free.

A world of nations where crimes against women and children are absent and none in the society feels alienated. A world in which every nation is able to give a clean green environment to all its citizens. A world that is prosperous, healthy, secure, devoid of terrorism, peaceful and happy and continues with a sustainable growth path.

A world of nations with creative leadership who ensure effective mechanisms to resolve conflicts between nations and societies in a timely manner keeping overall peace and prosperity of the world as a goal.

THE MESSAGE TO THE WORLD LEADERS IN THE YEAR 2030 IS, “THE NATIONS ARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, FOR CENTURIES, SURVIVED BASED ON CONFLICTS, BE IT NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL. THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF FRUSTRATION, AMONG NATIONS NOW ABOUT THESE


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CONFLICTS THEMSELVES, AND THE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN PEACE. IF WE GO INTO DETAILS, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION; EVERY NATION NEEDS A MISSION BIGGER THAN ITS PEOPLE, BIGGER THAN THE NATION. CAN THE WORLD LEADERS THROUGH G8 AND G20, EVOLVE AND PRESENT A GREATER VISION WHERE THE NATION WILL BE BUSY AND COMMITTED, WORK GLOBALLY, REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY RESULTING IN CONFLICT FREE, PEACEFUL, PROSPEROUS SOCIETIES OF THE WORLD.

What is the one cause which will unite regions, nations and the world and facilitate a happy, harmonious living apart from being productive? I would like to present my experience of evolving one such vision which will unify many nations to come together and work for the sustainability of the earth and the humanity.

With the experience of World Knowledge Platform which brings the global cooperation, benefiting the regional prosperity thereby enriching the national prosperity, I visualize the missions that will bring unity to achieve peace and prosperity globally. For such a solution, World Knowledge Platform for Global Action has to emerge as a network of universities, government agencies and industries for participation of policy makers, students, academia and entrepreneurs. It should focus on the solution path of identifying global problems, researching solutions in a multinational manner, delivering through local cooperation and enterprise based approach in the long term for sustainability. It needs to be funded as an international cooperative venture which about $ US 4 billion over the next five years with dedicated spending to developing customizable and scalable solutions. I believe, the following threats and opportunities need to be addressed by this World Knowledge Platform for Global Action:

The first global threat is the global environment degradation and climate change, which is threatening the world of nations. What will be the global solution? I believe, achieving Energy Independence globally with the regional cooperation may bring the optimal solution to this threat. It is essential to evolve right perspectives on realizing the Energy Independence vision by 2030 graduating from Energy Security. The basic foundation for achieving energy independence has to be built on the principles of environmental impact mitigation, selecting the right energy mix directly linked to the sustainable economic growth of the nation keeping the democratic dimensions in mind and the use of 5th fuel namely constantly improving energy efficiency in an integrated way, finally harnessing the space solar power for 24/7 using space solar mission. About $ US 1 billion over 5 years needs to be dedicated to the development of feasible and commercially viable solutions in this domain.

The Second threat is Trade deficit and Global economic recession, which is affecting many nations including India too. The economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China grew at a furious pace for much of the past decade and looked like they would beat even the most optimistic of forecasts which needs to be reinforced further. In such a scenario, my suggestion is to evolve regional cooperation based on the core competencies of the collaborating nations to work on the missions of Energy, Water, Healthcare, Infrastructure and employment generation. About $ US 750 million over 5 years needs to be dedicated to the development of economic systems which are equitable, just and robust for the global nations in this domain.


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The third threat is Poverty, in spite of all the growth, 3 billion people of the world need their quality of life to be improved, uplifted from poverty and to provide right employment while the development reaches them directly. We need to evolve a Sustainable Development System which will enhance the employment potential and empower all the sectors of rural economy, using the well tested model established in India, called PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas). About $ US One billion over 5 years needs to be dedicated to the development of PURA as an enterprise model for global rural community of 3 billion humans.

If these three threats to the humanity are addressed with right solutions, which will reduce the effect of terrorism and will bring confluence of civilization. This will reduce the menace of terrorism. The global intelligence, global surveillance, global communication can be achieved through cooperation which will be enhancing the global security, regional safety and promote global peace. About $ US 750 million over 5 years needs to be dedicated to the development of ideas and innovations which can holistically solve the issues of global security from the grass root level problem of armed resistance rising out of lack of tolerance, geo-politics, natural resources, lack of equity or religious and cultural divides.

Youth dynamics is the greatest opportunity available to the nations, since the ignited minds of the youth is more powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under the earth. This should create a global human resource cadre and global young entrepreneur cadre who will work for world vision 2030. About $ US 500 million over 5 years needs to be dedicated to the development of linkages amongst the global youth on aspects of research, world peace and tolerance. The world leaders meet should lead to the seeding of programmes of World Knowledge Platform for Global Action with international partnerships. This may result in accelerated realization of harmony of civilization and prosperity for all.

So far, I have discussed about global vision, its component and how each nation is vital in the mission to realize them. I wish to share some more ideals on Righteousness of the heart of the human being leads to a perfect life of an enlightened citizen. When I visit divine places in India, I realize how righteousness in the heart is propagated as our civilizations strength. Let me recite the hymn :

Righteousness in the heart Where there is righteousness in the heart

There is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character,

There is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home.

There is an order in the nation. When there is order in the nation,

There is peace in the world.


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Way Ahead

It is imperative that the representatives have an in depth knowledge of all the sub-issues mentioned above in the concept note and briefly explained. However, it must be noted that the scope of discussion has not been narrowed down to only these issues. If there other important issues members wish to bring forth in the committee, they’re most welcome to do so provided that we do not divert from the theme of the committee. Also do note that the background guide intends to only give a brief ‘background’ about the issues at hand and it is not at all recommended to restrict your research only to the Background guide. The objective of this guide is to provide you with a starting point from where you can begin your research. Please feel free to contact anytime for any doubts or clarifications:

Vansh Saluja - +91-9811402933

Facebook id: www.facebook.com/saluja.vansh

Email id: [email protected]

Arnab Biswas – +91-9818486880

Facebook id: https://www.facebook.com/arnabbiswas0916


Hardik Beniwal- +91-9013553984

Facebook id: https://www.facebook.com/hardik.beniwal.71


Documents

PRESIDIUM MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2016 · PRESIDIUM MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE 2016 “POLICIES ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY” |CD 3 • Since, SDGs give us a path