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PRESS CORPS GUIDE

HEAD Nicolle Ng

EDITORS

R I V E R V A L L E Y

M O D E L U N I T E D N A T I O N S

2 0 1 7

Chloe Sie

Ei Wathone Oo

Koh Yanling

Lois Tai

Natalie Tan

Nga Jing Ting

Ng Min

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Note from Head of Press Corps

Honourable RVMUN press delegates,

In this 3-day conference, your fellow peers will gather to debate on various issues. They are asked to

share their perspectives, while you are given a unique perspective in these debates. In my years of

debating, everything is somehow clearer from the side lines. Details are picked up with more ease,

lines of logic are broken down more coherently when we’re just taking everything in. As journalists,

we are offered this precious opportunity to take a step back and break down the information handed

to us. We are given the time to review and review and review the same sentence, to craft the perfect

argument in our head.

Don’t get me wrong, the role of a journalist is rather active – not passive. In opinion articles, journalists

are tasked with analysing a debate and shaping arguments. Even for factual reporting of conferences,

journalists have autonomy in the presentation of their article. From visual art, political cartoons to

articles – it depends how adventurous you are. How you present your thinking, how you go about

collecting your evidence, how much you are willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone – it’s all

up to you. Thus, press delegates are strongly encouraged to something new. If you think your abilities

in art are questionable, drafting your first political cartoon could prove you wrong – or at least spur

you to keep trying again. Taking that first step and approaching strangers for an interview or quick

conversation could be the next milestone for you. As much as we are here to report on and analyse

the debates happening, joining press corps is about learning and becoming better versions of

ourselves.

Lastly, we are also tasked with making RVMUN 2017 memorable for all. Remember to keep tabs on all

the unforgettable moments – from the terrible puns, hilarious speeches to controversial perspectives.

Thus, on behalf of the RVMUN team, I wish you all the best and hope the press corps experience is

fulfilling for you.

Nicolle Ng

Deputy Secretary General for Admin

Head of Press Corps

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Contents

Note from Head of Press Corps ................................................................................................. 1

Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 2

Pre-Event Press Release ............................................................................................................. 3

Media Forms .............................................................................................................................. 4

News Articles ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Editorials ............................................................................................................................................. 7

Visual Graphics .................................................................................................................................... 9

Press Networks ........................................................................................................................ 10

Reuters .............................................................................................................................................. 10

BBC .................................................................................................................................................... 11

Fox News ........................................................................................................................................... 12

Deliverables .............................................................................................................................. 13

Expectations ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Awards Description ........................................................................................................................... 14

Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 15

Annex A: Sample Press Statement ........................................................................................... 16

Annex B: Sample News Article ................................................................................................. 18

Annex C: Sample Editorial ........................................................................................................ 20

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Pre-Event Press Release

Before the conference, all press delegates are required to submit a press statement. These press

statements serve the same purpose as position papers done up by regular delegates. Through this

press statement press delegates should introduce themselves, as well as the press agency they

represent. Each press delegate will also be assigned a specific committee which they will based their

articles on. Hence, the press statement should also include a brief outline of the delegates’ views on

the issues that will be debated upon during committee sessions. Press delegates are also required to

highlight the focus they will adopt in their articles. It is recommended for press delegates to read the

study guides of their respective committees, so that they can develop an informed perspective

regarding the issue.

These perspectives, written in the press statement, are to be in line with the biases and perspectives

of the delegates’ assigned press agency. However, delegates may add in their own insights and

thoughts to accompany the stance adopted by their assigned press agency.

The press statement is to be submitted in Microsoft Word format (via email) by 16th May 2017 to:

rvmunpresscorps@gmail.com

The paper must be written in Arial, Font Size 12, and will be single spaced. The paper should be written

within one page. The paper should also include the press delegate’s name, assigned press agency, and

assigned committee.

If delegates are confused about the requirements of the press statement, please refer to sample press

statement in annex A. All queries may also be directed to the above stated email address.

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Media Forms

During the conference, press delegates are expected to sit in committee sessions to observe and note

down any relevant information for their articles. Press delegates may either take note during debate,

or interview specific country’s delegate during breaks. It is not advised for press delegates to approach

the other delegates during formal debate, as this will be highly disruptive during council. However, if

the press delegate deems it absolutely necessary, please approach the chairs and seek permission

before interviewing the specific delegate.

Press delegates may choose to remain in committee for any length of time, until they have retrieved

sufficient information for their articles. There will be strictly no repetition of articles from the same

press agency- therefore, please communicate with your fellow press delegates effectively to prevent

repetition.

Press delegates may choose to remain in the committee room or proceed to the press corps room, to

write their articles. Please note that no press delegate is allowed to leave the conference before the

official release time. Press delegates may use this time to consult their editors for feedback or advice

on how to write their articles.

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Press delegates have the option of submitting any of the following articles:

1. NEWS ARTICLES

News articles are a factual reporting of the events that ensue during council-- such as debate,

caucuses, resolutions and/or interviews. Press delegates should include relevant quotes and

background information to ensure that the information is comprehensible to the common reader.

Some questions press delegates should strive to answer include:

o What is the issue being debated?

o Why is it being debate in this committee?

o Who are the key players in committee and how are they influencing debate?

o Is there a polarity developing in council?

o What are the solutions proposed by the delegates so far?

o What are the possible consequences to these actions?

Press delegates are reminded to always write with the bias of their press agencies in mind. News

articles generally belong to one of two categories:

Committee Reports

Committee reports are general reports on the events that happen during committee sessions. These

reports should aim to effectively depict the various dynamics that occur between delegates during

debate. Press delegates can choose to insert some of their own comments or use critical diction.

However majority of this article should still be focused on the events and key developments in

committee sessions.

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Country Reports

Country reports are articles with a deliberate focus on the actions, stance and motivations of a specific

country’s delegate. These reports should highlight the key actions of these delegates and how they

either reflect or contradict the typical stance of their assigned country. Press delegates may choose to

either appraise or criticise the delegate by targeting their stances, as long as they are relevant to the

interests and biases of your press agency. Press delegates are encouraged to conduct interviews with

these delegates if they choose to write such articles.

Press delegates are reminded that news articles are not supposed to be opinion pieces. Most of the

news article should be dedicated to the reporting of facts, though press delegates are still expected

to be critical and analyse the fact that they are to present. Press delegates may refer to Annex B for a

sample News Article.

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2. EDITORIALS

Editorials are opinion pieces (unlike news articles). Through editorials, press delegates can

‘participate’ in committee debate by expressing their own insights on the issue and giving

recommendations on how to resolve the issues at hand. However, press delegates are reminded to

adopt the stances and biases of their press agencies even when writing these editorials. Press

delegates should aim to write their editorials to follow the format below:

Introduction

Press delegates should aim to start of their editorials with an interesting tagline to capture the

attention of the reader. This can range from quotes, shocking statements, interesting facts etc. In

general, the introduction is meant to provide brief background information about the issue that will

be discussed, and also explain why this issue is of great concern.

Body

Following which press delegates will proceed to the body of the editorials where delegates will express

their insights on this issue. This can stem from the press delegates own perspectives or be in response

to statements made by delegates during committee sessions. Press delegates can choose to either

dispute or support the claims made in council, however they must be reasonably supported with

relevant evidence. Evidence can take the form of graphs, images or even quotes from key political

figures or delegates in committee. Press delegates may also choose to criticise debate in committee-

highlighting the flaws in committee debate such as misdirection or misinterpretation. Essentially, the

body of the editorial should aim to highlight the key concerns regarding this issue which will then be

targeted in the proposed solutions.

Proposed Solutions

In this section of the editorial press delegates are expected to express what they feel to be the ideal

solution to resolve this matter. These solutions should be written specifically and should not contain

general statements.

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o For example:

“Singapore and Indonesia should continue talks about resolving the haze issue” This statement is

very general and do not provide any specifics on how or when these proposed talks will occur.

As opposed to “Singapore and Indonesia should continue to use ASEAN as avenue to further discuss

ways to properly regulate the excessive slash and burn tactics employed by private companies in

Sumatra”. This statement offers more specificity and also dictates a targeted focus of these talks

to achieve a specific aim.

Conclusion

To wrap up the piece nicely, press delegates should briefly summarise the contents of the editorial in

the conclusion. This can be done by highlighting the key concerns the delegate feels committee should

focused on, or how their proposed solutions will help resolve the issue.

Press delegates may refer to Annex C for a sample editorial piece.

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3. VISUAL GRAPHICS

Press delegates can also produce original graphics to accompany their articles or be formally

published. These visual graphics should be accompanied by a brief caption of the subject matter

depicted. These visual graphics can range from political cartoons, sketches of committee proceedings,

polls, charts or any relevant graphs.

Press delegates may choose to either produce their own works or obtain images from the Internet.

However, press delegates are reminded that plagiarism will not be tolerated and all images obtained

from the Internet should carry a Creative Commons license. Graphics submitted must also be relevant

and appropriate or they will not be utilised nor published by the editors.

Reference site for websites that have a Creative Commons license: https://www.sitepoint.com/30-

creative-commons-sources/

Press delegates are reminded that all written works should be between 250 to 800 words. Hence,

delegates are encouraged to be concise and precise with the language employed in the articles. Once

again, press delegates are encouraged to approach their editors should they need any help with the

crafting of their articles.

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Press Networks

1. REUTERS

Reuters is an international news agency

that is a division of the Thomas Reuters

group. Reuters prides itself of being

independent and free from bias. It has a

strict code of neutrality and mandates that their journalists employ a neutral tone of reporting at all

times. This is encapsulated is their “Handbook of Journalism” which emphasises on ten absolutes that

are to be upheld by all Reuter’s journalists. Among these absolutes include “Always hold accuracy

sacrosanct” and “Always strive for balance and freedom from bias”1. However, Reuters insistence of

neutral language has sparked criticism in the past. For example, Reuters has only recently begun to

adopt the term “terrorist” in their articles. This is despite widespread criticism even from other news

sources for years, especially after the September 11 attacks. This avoidance of the term “terrorist”

was due to Reuters’ acknowledgement that “one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter”2.

Reuters were among the news agencies that were allowed to take part in the off-camera question-

and-answer session with President Trump on 25th February 20173.

Press delegates of Reuters are encouraged to read the official “Handbook of Journalism” to get a

clearer understanding of the principles behind Reuters journalism.

1 "Standards and Values." Reuters. 2 "Reuters." Wikipedia. March 05, 2017. 3 Rascoe, Ayesha. "White House bars some news organizations from briefing." Reuters. February 24, 2017.

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2. BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a

British public service broadcaster. They are the

oldest national broadcasting organisation and is also

the largest broadcaster in the world in terms of

employees. The BBC is established under the Royal Charter which means that the BBC is independent

of the British government. Per its charter the BBC is expected to be free of political and commercial

interest. The BBC also prides itself as one of the most credible news sources in the world. In a study

done by Ofcomm in 2015, it was found that 62% of British citizens who watched BBC news found it to

be accurate and reliable4. This score out ranks the BBC’s counter parts such as Channel 4. However, in

the same study it was found that 48% rated the BBC highly for being “impartial and unbiased”.

Since its formation, the BBC has been in the spotlight of various accusations questioning its credibility.

Some of the accusation made of the BBC include being pro-left, pro-right, liberal, pro-establishment,

anti-business, pro-EU etc. Essentially, the British government has consistently accused the BBC of

being biased towards the opposition. However, in 2013, the Daily Telegraph reported a study that

concluded that the BBC was actually “Conservative, Eurosceptic and pro-business”5.

In general, the BBC focuses on the British perspective of any issue. Most of their articles are about the

actions undertaken by the British government or the analysis of the next action Britain should take

regarding any issue.

The BBC were among the major networks that were barred by the Trump administration to take part

in the off-camera question-and-answer session with the President on 25th February 20176.

4 Jackson, Jasper. "BBC rated most accurate and reliable TV news, says Ofcom poll." The Guardian. December 16, 2015. 5 Mike Berry Lecturer, Cardiff University. "Hard Evidence: how biased is the BBC?" The Conversation. March 03, 2017. 6 Siddiqui, Sabrina. "Trump press ban: BBC, CNN and Guardian denied access to briefing." The Guardian. February 25, 2017.

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3. FOX NEWS

Fox News is an American news agency founded on

October 7th 1996. Fox News is a subsidary of the 21st

Century Fox group and their current CEO is Rupert

Murdoch. Since its founding Fox News has been

accused of having a conservative bias. Though Fox

News continues to insist that they are objective and

try to present a balanced point of view, many studies

have disputed such a claim.

A 2006, Project on Excellence in Journalism report found that 68% of Fox cable stories contained

personal opinions, as compared to 27% in MSNBC and 4% in CNN7. A 2012 survey done by Pew

Research Centre showed that Fox’s audience were the most ideological compared to its two main

competitors, with 60% of its viewers identifying themselves as conservative.8 Another study done in

2006 by professors from UC-Berkeley and Stockholm University estimated that Fox News swayed

about 3-8% of their viewers to vote Republican in the 2000 presidential elections9.

Fox News were among the news agencies that were allowed to take part in the off-camera question-

and-answer session with President Trump on 25th February 201710.

7 "Fox News controversies." Wikipedia. February 23, 2017. 8 Holcomb, Jesse. "5 facts about Fox News." Pew Research Center. January 14, 2014. 9 McCarthy, Ellen, and Paul Farhi. "How Fox News changed the face of journalism." The Washington Post. October 14, 2011. 10 Siddiqui, Sabrina. "Trump press ban: BBC, CNN and Guardian denied access to briefing." The Guardian. February 25, 2017.

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Deliverables

During the conference press delegates are required to produce at least 3 pieces of work of any media

form as highlighted above. All articles that the press delegate wishes to submit must be submitted to

the respective editors by 2000 hrs every evening, for editing and publication. All submissions after this

time will be voided.

Press delegates are once again reminded that any form of plagiarism is strictly prohibited. If a press

delegate submits plagiarised materials, the press corps team withholds the right to confiscate the

delegate’s certificate of participation, and the delegate will be automatically disqualified from all

awards.

EXPECTATIONS

Press delegates should strive to achieve the following:

o Accurate, concise and interesting writing

o Consistent quality of articles

o Close adherence to stance and biases of assigned press agency

o Effectiveness of article in delivering information

o Adherence to deadline stipulated above

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AWARDS DESCRIPTION

1. Best Press Delegate

This award is awarded to the press delegate who has showed the most consistent and best quality

work during the conference. Delegate should be punctual in their article submissions, and all articles

should highlight the delegates’ proficiency in the English language.

News articles submitted by the delegate must be objective and accurate, while considering the biases

of their assigned agencies. Editorials, should contain thoughtful analysis and comprehensive solutions.

Visual graphics submitted should be relevant and effective.

2. Best Press Statement

This award is awarded to the press delegate who submits a comprehensive press statement,

encompassing all requirements mentioned before. The press statement should showcase the

delegate’s effective mastery of the English language. The press statement should also clearly outline

the delegate’s intended focus in their articles. It should also highlight the delegate’s perspective, while

being coloured by the biases of their assigned agency.

3. Best Press Agency

This awarded is awarded to the overall best performing press agency who has consistently produced

good quality articles and have properly adhered to the deadline. The winning press agency should also

accurately reflect the biases and reporting style of their assigned agency. Press delegates should note

that this award is based on the overall performance of the news agency and not the individual

performance of delegates.

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Bibliography

1. Jackson, Jasper. "BBC rated most accurate and reliable TV news, says Ofcom poll." The Guardian. December 16, 2015. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/dec/16/bbc-rated-most-accurate-and-reliable-tv-news-says-ofcom-poll 2. Mike Berry Lecturer, Cardiff University. "Hard Evidence: how biased is the BBC?" The Conversation. March 03, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. http://theconversation.com/hard-evidence-how-biased-is-the-bbc-17028 3. Siddiqui, Sabrina. "Trump press ban: BBC, CNN and Guardian denied access to briefing." The Guardian. February 25, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/24/media-blocked-white-house-briefing-sean-spicer 4. "BBC." Wikipedia. March 02, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC 5. "BBC News." Wikipedia. March 02, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_News 6. "Standards and Values." Reuters. Accessed March 05, 2017. http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php?title=Standards_and_Values 7. "Reuters." Wikipedia. March 05, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuters#Criticism_and_controversy 8. Rascoe, Ayesha. "White House bars some news organizations from briefing." Reuters. February 24, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-media-idUSKBN1632JG 9. Holcomb, Jesse. "5 facts about Fox News." Pew Research Center. January 14, 2014. Accessed March 05, 2017. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/14/five-facts-about-fox-news/ 10. McCarthy, Ellen, and Paul Farhi. "How Fox News changed the face of journalism." The Washington Post. October 14, 2011. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/how-fox-news-changed-the-face-of-journalism/2011/10/07/gIQA9IiujL_story.html?utm_term=.5bc083b95939 11. "Fox News controversies." Wikipedia. February 23, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News_controversies 12. "Fox News." Wikipedia. March 03, 2017. Accessed March 05, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_News

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Annex A: Sample Press Statement Name: John Lee

Press Agency: The Straits Times

Assigned Committee: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

The UNEP will be debating on the issues of “Transboundary Haze” and “Overfishing”, both of which

are extremely pressing issues which I personally am concerned about. Both are extremely pertinent

problems that need to be resolved so as ensure long term environmental sustainability.

As a member of the Straits Times, I have a keen interest regarding the debate that will ensue over

“Transboundary Haze” as it is an extremely localised problem within the Southeast Asian region.

Singapore is frequently blanketed with thick smoke near the monsoon season which has caused

significant problems for the populace. All the while, the problem regarding haze has been kept within

the discussion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), hence it is interesting to see it

finally being escalated to the UNEP for more in-depth discussion on a global stage. I believe, that this

is a necessary escalation as regional discussions have significantly stagnated and there is a need to

increase pressure placed upon Indonesia to properly regulate slash-and-burn agriculture that is

contributing to the haze.

I believe that one of the key things to the resolution of this issue is the increased moral pressure placed

upon Indonesia. This way there will be an increased incentive for Indonesia to adopt a more active

role in regulation, which has thus far been rather sporadic. At the same time, I believe that the UNEP

should provide immediate assistance to Indonesia, to build up their national infrastructure to deal

with large scale fires like those that occur due to slash-and-burn agriculture.

Regarding the issue of “Transboundary Haze” I will be mainly focusing on the practical yet innovative

solutions that emerge during council. I will also be noting the dynamics between the Singapore and

Indonesian delegates as both states have had significant tensions since the 1990s due to this issue.

For the topic of “Overfishing” Singapore is much less involved, hence it will not be of especial interest

to the Straits Times. However, I am concerned about the political implications that may arise over any

resolutions formulated by the UNEP. The South China Sea dispute has been gradually escalating in the

recent months, and fishing rights is a perennial source of conflict. Though the UNEP’s concern is solely

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with environmental sustainability, I hope that delegates will also be aware of the possible political

implications of both over and under regulation.

I believe that more international agreements and regulatory bodies should be put in place to monitor

overfishing, as well as unethical fishing practices such as ocean trawling. These regulations must

become more stringent to provide a large incentive for countries to mandate responsible fishing

practices among their fishermen. Furthermore, I believe that the UNEP should discuss alternative

solutions to overfishing to meet the growing demand for fish. Only by considering the problem

holistically will a peaceful resolution be passed.

For this topic, my primary focus will be on the resolutions that will be passed that will shape the future

direction and attitudes regarding overfishing. I will also be taking special note of any solutions that will

implicate the Southeast Asian region or Singapore in it, to give critical evaluation of the possible

repercussions on the region.

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Annex B: Sample News Article

Bipolarity in the UNEP Over International Fishing Regulations

By John Lee, Straits Times

A clear divide has emerged between the member states of the United Nations Environmental

Programme (UNEP), over the issue of international fishing regulations.

After hours of debate over definitions and legal rights the UNEP has encountered yet another

deadlock. The two camps are: countries vying for stricter regulations such as the Iceland, and the EU,

and countries vying for less restrictive regulations such as Thailand, Indonesia, India, and China. The

latter is mainly comprised of less economically developed countries who fear that additional

regulations will stifle economic growth. While, the former is led by the delegate of Germany who

believe that additional regulation is the way forward to protect the aquatic environment.

This deadlock has emerged during the UNEP’s debate regarding the prevalence of overfishing in the

recent decade. Overfishing is a result of growing demand for fish because of the world’s rapidly

growing population. To meet this demand, many fishermen have turned to fishing in waters beyond

their exclusive economic zones (EEZ). This has resulted in mounting tensions between member states.

Though most UNEP members agree that regulations need to be put in place, the main conflict is

regarding the nature and enforcement of these regulations.

Some delegates such as the delegate of India have voiced out that regulation will “hurt the poor the

most, while leaving barely a dent on big companies” to sway the council to be in favour if looser

regulation to protect the livelihoods of the underprivileged. While countries such as Australia have

noted how many fishermen in the less economically developed countries use environmentally

unfriendly methods of fishing such as bottom trawling and blast fishing.

Toward the end of the session, there appeared to be a breakthrough, as the council united to seek a

compromise under the leadership of countries such as Laos, South Africa and Singapore. These

countries spearheaded debate to the end of the session to discuss ways to educate the small

businesses to adopt more environmentally friendly methods of fishing, while formulating appropriate

regulation to govern the actions of fisherman from local and international businesses alike.

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The UNEP will reconvene tomorrow to finalise discussions and draft a resolution to end present debate

over overfishing.

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Annex C: Sample Editorial

Difficulties in Transboundary Haze Debate in the UNEP

By John Lee, Straits Times

And now we are back at square one. Despite Indonesia’s ratification of the ASEAN Agreement on

Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2015, the Indonesian delegate in the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP) has been singing a vastly different tune. The issue regarding transboundary haze

has plagued the Southeast Asian region since the 1990s. Annually, around the monsoon season, thick

smoke because of slash-and-burn activities by private agricultural companies have blanketed the

region. Among the most affected are Singapore and Malaysia. In 2013, Singapore reached a record

high of a 401 PSI reading. In the same year, some regions in Malaysia were forced to temporarily close

schools. The UNEP has become increasingly concerned with this problem as these business practices

are not only unsustainable but also detrimental to the environment. Yet, Indonesian reluctance is

holding discussions back.

Over the past day, the UNEP has engaged in constant debate over the issue of transboundary haze.

Unfortunately, debate has mainly gone in circles stemming from the Indonesian delegate’s reluctance

to pledge Indonesia’s continued dedication to regulating private companies who engage in slash-and-

burn agriculture. The Indonesian delegate has insisted that “Indonesia does not wish to impose overtly

harsh regulations on said private companies, as Indonesia is heavily reliant on these industries for their

economy.” Despite the efforts of other delegates, he remains adamant about his position. Due to this,

a deadlock has occurred within the UNEP. The committee is unable to move forward, because without

Indonesian cooperation any resolution is essentially ineffective.

Indonesia’s perspective is understandable, as agriculture is a key industry for the state. Agriculture

contributes to 14.43% of the nation’s GDP, and it employs close to 41% of the total Indonesian

workforce. Losing investment in this industry could prove to be detrimental to Indonesia’s economy.

Furthermore, private companies use slash-and-burn techniques to clear land, as it leaves the cleared

land with a layer of nutrient rich layer if ashes, which help to fertilise the crops. However, I share the

sentiments of many other delegates within the council that economic progress should not come at

the cost of environmental destruction.

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Figure 1: Daily Emissions by Indonesia in 2014

As seen in Figure 1, when private companies are conducting slash-and-burn agriculture, the emissions

of Indonesia increase exponentially. This shows that these techniques are directly contributing to the

increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere at worrying rate. Furthermore, significant studies

have also shown that slash-and-burn agriculture leads to other environmental problems such as soil

erosion, landslides and water pollution. The effects of slash-and-burn agriculture is not only

detrimental to the environment but also human life. Indonesia must recognize this for the UNEP to

move forward.

As the delegate of France mentioned “the UNEP cannot afford to dedicate resources to an unwilling

party”. Therefore, it is crucial that the committee aims to convince the Indonesian delegate to

recognize the harms done by these private companies and initiate crackdowns on their operations.

However, UNEP members must also remember that Indonesia is a developing state, and they lack

sufficient infrastructure to tackle the immediate threat of hot spots due to slash-and-burn agriculture.

These hotspots are often significantly harder to extinguish then regular fires, and the local Indonesian

fire fighting forces have consistently struggled with containing them. Therefore, another approach the

UNEP should consider is equipping local Indonesian forces with the skills and infrastructure to deal

with these hot spots.

Finally, the UNEP can consider reaching out to private companies to educate them on alternative

methods of agriculture such as Inga alley cropping, where agricultural crops are grown between rows

of Inga trees. Inga trees are fast growing crops that form thick canopies above crops, once that occurs

farmers can prune these excess leaves, and they will decompose to become fertilizer for the crops.

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This is not only a more environmentally friendly method of agriculture, but it also allows for long term

usage of the land, since the land is continuously re-fertilised with every agricultural season.

Overall, this issue is of utmost importance due to its great threat to the environment. Hence, it is my

belief that the UNEP must become more aggressive in their debate regarding transboundary haze.

Only when significant pressure is put on Indonesia, will they find a moral incentive to take harsher

measures against slash-and-burn agriculture. At the same time, members need to consider how the

UNEP can facilitate the effective training of local Indonesian forces, and aid in the development of

relevant infrastructure, so that Indonesia can better deal with the immediate threat of hotspots. The

UNEP can also delve into reaching out to local companies to educate them about alternative forms of

agriculture to dissuade them from using slash-and-burn agriculture. Regional efforts both bilaterally

and through platforms like ASEAN must also persist for this problem to be effectively resolved.