THIMUN 2018 - ALL PASSED RESOLUTIONS ENV. COMM. 1 (10)

Resolution 182:

FORUM: Environment Sub-commission 1

QUESTION OF: Increasing Consumer Awareness to Achieve Better Resource Efficiency

SUBMITTED BY: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

Supporting the resolutions 39/248 of 16 April 1985, concerning the main characteristics of effective

consumer protective legislation, the 2/5 of 23-27 May 2016, delivering on the 2030 agenda for

sustainable development, the 10-year Framework on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns,

as well as The Sustainable Consumption and Production Brand of United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP) to promote and sustain resource management in a life cycle perspective,

Emphasizing the fact that educating consumers on the efficiency of the producers they buy from

increases the sustainability of the global economy,

Reminding the honorable delegates that better resource efficiency is necessary, as according to the

UNEP's Sustainable Development Goals, “If the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, the

equivalent of almost three planets will be required to sustain current lifestyles”,

Noting that consumer transparency leads to the pressuring of governments and businesses to increase

resource efficiency- the best way to convince governments to follow the lead of the EU, Germany, and

the Netherlands to increase their resource efficiency,

Expressing its appreciation for the actions of the United Nations so far to increase resource efficiency

through raising awareness and establishing the according legislation, such as The United Nations

Conference on Environment and Development (UNICED; 1992),

Recognizing the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that

promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora,

biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local

communities,

Noting that tourism is identified as one of the tools to increase [by 2030] the economic benefits to Small

Island developing States and Less Economically Developed (LEDC) countries,

Recognizing the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that

promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora,

biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local

communities,

Aware of tourism’s close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade

opportunities,

Further recognising that tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source

of foreign exchange and employment for many developing countries,

1. Suggests that to achieve large scale results it is imperative to gain collaboration between businesses,

governments, and citizens, leading to a better understanding and awareness of the impact resource

usage is having on the environment and how to implement methods of protecting the earth’s

resources, adhering to the United Nation’s policies and current mandates;

2. Urges local governments to take action through campaigns on environmental sustainability and

natural resource conservation by highlighting the impact of citizens’ shopping behaviour on the

environment thus sensitizing them to opt for sustainable alternatives, such as, but not limited to:

a) local markets and seasonal products

b) bulk buying and zero packaging

c) supporting of small enterprises through investments, provision of advice and linking

sustainable Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) with Multinational Corporations

(MNC);

3. Recommends that local governments in rural areas encourage organic farming, since its aim is

producing food while establishing an ecological balance to prevent soil fertility or pest problems by:

a) providing incentives, such as funds, subsidies, or tax cuts to farmers willing to transition

from regular to organic farming

b) organizing campaigns and seminars, where locals will be taught about the benefits of

organic farming on the environment and their profits

c) getting farmers in touch with experts, organic groups as well as certifiers, in order to

facilitate the transit to organic farming

d) organizing fields trips for students so that children will be acquainted with sustainable

farming from an early age

e) investing in resource development to encourage the invention of devices which utilize

clean and green technology for agricultural purposes;

4. Encourages all governments, especially those that have not yet done so, to implement an eco-

labelling system and those who already have such a system in place, to adopt harmonized criteria

both for food and consumer products intended to make it easy for citizens to take environmental

concerns into account when shopping by:

a) establishing a private third party which will ensure that the products comply with the

criteria under which they can be certified as ecologically friendly and prevent companies

from green washing their products

b) ensuring that the label is widely recognized by raising citizens’ awareness through

communication campaigns

c) highlighting the methods of production of the products, with special mentions to

genetically-modified or organic agricultural products;

5. Encourages the investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism by

both the governmental and the private sectors to solve the problem of resource inefficiency, in ways

such as but not limited to:

a) creating small and medium sized enterprises

b) facilitating access to finance, including through micro-credit initiatives for the poor,

indigenous and local communities in areas with high ecotourism potential

c) requesting tour agencies to inculcate good sustainable practices and habits in the tourists;

6. Calls upon member states to encourage the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs), as they do not pollute the

air in any way and have a significantly reduced carbon footprint, in ways such as, but not limited to:

a) establishing charging stations across the country, taking into consideration

i. the charging level and the number of charging stations that will be necessary in

various areas based on estimated electric vehicle usage

ii. the need for easy-to-use charging stations

iii. the possible need for establishing fines to parked cars blocking access to the

designated charging areas

b) establishing government incentives for plug-in EVs such as

i. tax exemptions and credits

ii. waivers on charging and parking fees as well as on tolls

c) making all the above mentioned actions known to the public through television, bus and

radio advertisements, so that the motivation of citizens to opt for an EV can be achieved;

7. Further invites non-governmental organizations to cooperate with their national educational systems

and urge them to incorporate sustainability issues in their curricula, with the mantra of “waste not,

want not”, so that children are taught about the importance of protecting the environment, such as;

a) environmental consciousness

b) consumer awareness

c) active citizenship;

8. Suggests that awareness is raised in all member states with the help of NGOs about important

consumer choices that can prove detrimental to the environment, in ways such as:

a) campaigns and seminars, where ethical fashion pioneers will be present to inform the

public about the environmental harms that the fast fashion industry is causing, hence

sensitizing citizens to purchase from ethical brands

b) holding public events where citizens can be informed about the benefits of buying organic

food on the environment, their health and their well-being;

9. Requests that all UN member states, implement legislation that require companies to disclose the

resources disposed of or wasted in the creation of products, to a governmental organization for

evaluation of potential threats to those listed below and placing taxes or fines on all those that

exceed 30% in any of these:

a) water resources

b) resource efficiency

c) the surrounding flora and fauna;

10. Calls upon businesses of the world to develop policies involving sustained commitment to increase

consumer awareness and focus consumer attention on the issue of resource efficiency:

a) emissions and waste production, such as considering the use of more renewable energy

sources and provide means for collection of waste produced for recycling

b) informing its patrons and consumers through the use of advertisements in various medias

(such as television or radio) to employ sustainability in their lifestyles, incentivized by

government subsidies, as well as inviting celebrity personalities to advocate for such

practices;

11. Recommends the implementation of the Green Marketing program for business policy, thereby

incorporating rules of business based on consumer efficiency, further recommending that businesses

share these practices with other businesses to ensure better resource efficiency:

a) revoking the rights of supermarkets to throw out “deformed” and “undesirable” (based on

appearance) food, which contributes to one third of all food produced being thrown away;

12. Strongly recommends that governments around the world take immediate action to enact legislation

informing consumers of the importance of resource efficiency:

a) using in home or city-wide composters instead of discarding food waste, situating recycling

plants and collection areas centrally to facilitate this process

b) Showing solidarity through an international “Day Without Electricity” in addition to the

day-to-day publicity of reminding residents to cut down on their energy use

c) implement different technologies to increase the resource efficiency of the production of

food, water, and energy.

13. Call upon those members who already possess the technical knowledge on and maintenance of

recycling systems to share this information with those states which do not have it, so as to facilitate

the transition towards these systems, by taking measures such as:

a) Participating in international forums and congresses on the subjects

b) Sharing information bilaterally between environmental agencies of each country

c) Providing those nations without recycling systems with experts and technicians to oversee

their development.

Resolution 225: FORUM: Environment Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Ocean acidification and its impact on ecosystems

SUBMITTED BY: Republic of Peru

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

Defining ocean acidity as the increase in pH levels within oceans due to an excessively large intake of

carbon dioxide,

Noting with concern a 30% increase in acidity since the Industrial Revolution and that the acidity is

projected to increase by 150% before the end of the century,

Recognizing the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a significant cause of

ocean acidification, with almost half of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere being saturated into the

waters and releasing hydrogen ions, thus rising the acidity of the oceans,

Acknowledging that the continuance of ocean acidification can cause the extinction of a huge majority of

sea wildlife, which can greatly affect the economy,

Further recognizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals as the prime focus for sustainable

development advocated by the United Nations, and the burden on all member states to comply and enlist

the Sustainable Development Goals as its long term goal,

Affirming the recognition of ocean acidification as a threat economically and ecologically by the United

Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit 2012),

Recalling General Assembly resolutions 68/70 on 9 December 2013, 71/257 on 23 December 2016, and

64/71 of December 4 2009 on Oceans and Law of the Sea,

Further recognizing the Paris Agreement as an attempt to combat ocean acidification by limiting the

emissions of carbon dioxide,

Emphasizing the Intergovernmental Conference on Oceanographic Research that recognizes that ocean

acidification can only be addressed through international and intergovernmental cooperation,

Further defining dead zones to be areas of bodies of waters with low oxygen-saturation or concentration,

where the native biome has faced destruction and minimal native species remain,

1. Expresses its hope that all nations will recognize the imminent threat of Ocean Acidification and

that its root cause are carbon emissions;

2. Suggests all member states to work toward the gradual decreasing of carbon dioxide concentration

in the atmosphere, with the objective of decreasing the rate of acid formation or the concentration of

acid in the waters as a whole, with actions such as:

a) diversion of civilian economic activity into alternative industries, relieving the stress on the

marine environment in densely populated regions where civilians depend on the marine

ecosystem for financial security

b) the regular monitoring of hydrogen ion concentration in large bodies of water, to alert

states of emergency situations where a significant change of pH values indicates the effects

of ocean acidification by pinpointing the affected areas

c) the formation of an international scientific panel on ocean acidification consisting of

scientific experts from various fields, whose research and experiments will be subsidized,

with the purpose of applying a merit-based and competitive environment in order to

accelerate progress

d) recognition that deforestation can increase ocean acidification and suggests cooperation

with the said international scientific panel outlined in subclause (c), for more effective

methods to prevent and reduce deforestation

e) the continual investment in the research into and implementation of more effective

renewable energy sources in lieu of nonrenewable resources, in order to reduce the carbon

footprint of said states

f) the introduction of aquatic plants or chemoautotrophs, such as phytoplankton, that depend

on carbon reactions, first in laboratory environments specifically simulating regions of the

ocean where calcification have already upset the equilibrium of biome or the food chain,

for instance in dead zones such as the Baltic Sea, in order for photosynthesis or carbon

reactions to decrease the concentration

g) providing tax benefits or subsidies to organisations that use sustainable energy sources to

replace a certain percentage based on their industry with sustainable energy;

3. Encourages education of the public about the causes and dangers of ocean acidification, through

methods such as integrating the discussion of ocean acidification into the curricula of secondary

schools and creating public service announcements, with specific actions enlisted as follows:

a) obtaining content from acclaimed scientists, suitable NGOs, or UN organizations, in place

of local-level governmental authority, in order to ensure the minimization of political

biases

b) integrating curricula in schools emphasizing the importance of maintaining the equilibrium

of natural habitats and ecosystems

c) supporting students globally, through scholarships, in contributing to international

scientific associations to apply for internships and to further the developments within

solving the issue of ocean acidification in preparation for their possible future career in

research

d) generating public service announcements that will be communicated through television,

radio, billboards, and the internet, along with distributing newspapers, pamphlet, or other

paper-based communication utilities

e) the promotion of recycling in all willing member states through incentives and rewards to

reduce carbon emissions by giving back a certain percentage of the price when returned for

recycling;

4. Requests governments to limit carbon emissions and ocean acidification through methods,

especially urging More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs) to use their resources in an

eco-friendly way, with assistance from both the United Nations Environment Programme and the

Division for Ocean Affairs, by actions and regulations such as:

a) creating governmental legislation for the prevention of further acidification of the waters

within the territorial seas of states and within international waters

b) using their funds to pursue further research and to create advertisements targeting ocean

acidification

c) endorsing the production of renewable and recyclable plastic bottles as well as the

reduction of over packaging in stores

d) discouraging the use of unnecessary packaging for all products and encourage reusable or

recyclable packaging instead through subsidizing products that use sustainable packaging

such as cardboard and paper, biodegradable materials, and aqueous barrier coatings

e) encourage nations to implement a policy stating that plastic bags are not to be provided for

free;

5. Enables the private sector to work in concordance with the UN through expanding the Joint-

Implementation and Clean Development Mechanism under the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to include a special Emission Reduction Unit amount

designated to reversing ocean acidification in each individual country;

6. Calls upon the subsidization of individuals and companies from less economically developed

countries (LEDCs) to combat ocean acidification with actions such as, but not limited to:

a) prioritizing local investment, foreign direct investment by large multinational corporations,

or economic policies providing adequate aid in the direction of organisations involved in

the reduction of acidification

b) expanding the usage of micro-financing opportunities for citizens in LEDCs with feasible

solutions to the prevention and inversion of ocean acidification, in collaboration with

NGOs to regulate such micro-finance endeavors

c) acceleration and priority of financial support and loans from the IMF, the World Bank, and

international NGOs for member states contributing to aid;

7. Hopes to remain actively seized on the matter.

Resolution 282:

FORUM: The Environment Commission, Sub-Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Improving water purification methods to increase access to clean water

SUBMITTED BY: Germany

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

Reaffirming access to clean and safe drinking water is an inalienable human right which must be upheld,

Fully aware that member nations regularly submit reports to various United Nations bodies detailing the

status of access to safe drinking water in their territories,

Aware of the World Health Organisation’s Water Safety Plans which recommend the most effective way

of ensuring continuous provision of safe drinking water,

Recognizing the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water in this

field,

Regretting that billions of people are still denied this basic right, and that denial of this right causes

millions of deaths annually,

Understanding that a large number of adult and child deaths can be prevented by improving access to

safe drinking water,

1. Declares safe drinking water as drinking water which meets microbiological and chemical standards

prescribed by the Drinking Water Quality Guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO);

2. Endorses government support and promoting incentives for the production of water purifying

systems and water purification treatments and investment in this sector through:

a) monetary incentives such as subsidies and grants

b) aid which may also be in the form of tax concessions and interest-free loans or subsidised

loans given to entrepreneurs starting companies which produce water purification systems

and treatment

c) other forms of aid may also include resource allocation in a manner which benefits

sustainable production of these systems and treatments

d) the recommendation of the implementation of policies which will increase sustainably

production capacity of factories producing these water purification systems sustainably, so

that more of these systems are available for the public to purchase

e) requesting governments to reduce patent costs to make them more affordable for potential

developers of water purification technologies;

3. Calls for the creation of a body under the Joint Water Development Programme, consisting of

scientists, economists and development experts from member nations to collect data on and publish

reports on the following topics every five years:

a) the effectiveness of different combinations of water purification systems, considering the

following:

i. effectiveness of large-scale water purification systems in urban areas and small-

scale water purification systems in rural areas

ii. effectiveness of large-scale water purification systems in both urban and rural

areas

iii. effectiveness of small-scale water purification systems in both urban and rural

areas

iv. effectiveness will be determined based on criteria such as purity of water

produced, time taken and costs involved

b) the causes of widespread interruption of water supply in a particular region

c) the methods to make water purification systems found to be the most effective by the

WHO’s International Scheme to Evaluate Household Water Treatment Technologies, and

by UNICEF’s Water Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WASH FIT), such

as flocculation-disinfection, membrane ultrafiltration and UV treatment more affordable for

the general public

d) the methods to purify rainwater and the infrastructure required to collect and purify

rainwater, especially to make safe drinking water more accessible in remote areas

e) the investigation of ways to make large-scale water purification methods such as

desalination cheaper, and more effective when used as a small scale treatment method

f) researching on ways landlocked countries can procure safe drinking water, or purify water

available to them;

4. Recommends increasing awareness of simple water purification methods, the need for and benefits

of water purification and the need to prevent water pollution among the public through:

a) instruction on how to construct water filters from common items such as cotton and gravel,

b) advertising, pamphlet and flyer distribution, and workshops,

c) education of children using tools like Greenpeace’s Water Warrior Toolkit, using tools like

UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools guide, and integrating environmental

education into school curricula,

d) education on the need to use water sustainably, and to prevent its wastage

e) awareness campaigns on the ills of dumping untreated household waste, open defecation,

and other unhygienic and unsanitary practices

f) compulsory biannual workshops on water purification, sanitation and related topics for

employees in companies

g) instruction on how to reduce run-off from farms, gardens, etc.

5. Further recommends the following measures to increase access to and affordability of safe drinking

water through:

a) making point-of-use (POU) and household water treatment systems more affordable and

available by subsidising the production of these systems and/or allowing payment for these

systems in the form of equated monthly installments (EMIs)

b) government provision of these systems to poorer sections of society for free or at highly

subsidised rates

c) government provision of free water to the poor, provision of water subsidies to those

earning below a certain amount to make safe drinking water more affordable, or provide

tax exemptions on any taxes levied on safe drinking water;

6. Strongly recommends establishment of local water boards in rural and smaller urban areas, keeping

in mind the following details:

a) these water boards will deal with grievances with supply by:

i. setting up and administering a hotline or a website through which grievances can

be conveyed

ii. researching the common grievances while working with the government and

international organisations to come up with customized, area-specific solutions

and suggestions to improve the water quality and the infrastructure needed to

supply it, as well as the funding

iii. helping carry out any training and workshops mentioned in this resolution

b) members of these water boards will be provided with the training necessary to ensure the

success of this measure

c) investing in a water treatment system for their use if funding is unavailable, then the water

board will be responsible for coordinating and raising the necessary funds

d) responsibility of these water boards for watershed management in that region

e) These water boards will also be responsible for ensuring that the locals have access to

sanitation, that the sewage and urban run-off generated is treated properly and that the local

water sources do not get polluted through:

i. the water boards addressing any grievances to the best of their ability, and contact

higher authorities only when they are unable to do so

f) these water boards acting as a bridge between government and public

7. Further calls for sustainable improvement and upkeep of existing infrastructure, as well as provision

of more and better infrastructure, especially infrastructure directly related with the issue, to ensure

that more people have access to safe drinking water by depending of the terrain, the distribution of

settlements, and the atmosphere in the nation, countries should consider solutions such as networked

water treatment in rural areas by:

a) instruction of the military by countries in areas of civil unrest and conflict to avoid

damaging any infrastructure needed to treat or transport water for consumption, and they

should have backup plans in place in case they are attacked or damaged

b) recommending construction of tube wells, borewells, piping, road networks, sand dams,

artificial waterways and reservoirs through sustainable methods

c) exploring for groundwater sources in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly manner,

d) providing nomadic people and people living in informal settlements with point-of-use

technologies as a temporary measure to ensure they have access to safe drinking water until

a more permanent solution is arrived at;

8. Emphasizes the need for government action and NGO to ensure access to safe drinking water in

medical facilities, and to prevent contamination of water by biomedical wastes, and thus:

a) suggests that attention be given to improvement of infrastructure needed to improve the

access to safe drinking water first, since 15% patients globally get infected on hospital

visits, which poses a major threat to public health

b) further suggests that hospitals be provided with their own water purification systems at

subsidised rates, or be given interest-free or subsidised loans to procure the systems

c) recommends that through legislation, governments make it mandatory for all employees in

medical facilities to undergo training on how to identify safe water, how to operate water

purification systems and how to safely dispose of contaminated water;

9. Urges governments to prevent pollution of water in the following ways:

a) prevention of pollution of affluence by imposing fines or other punitive measures for

irresponsible waste management by corporations, and suggests measures such as pollution

taxes, tradable permits and tax cuts or exemptions to provide corporations with an incentive

to reduce the quantity of water they pollute

b) prevention of pollution of poverty by taking measures such as tightening of policies to

reduce consumption of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on agricultural land to reduce the

quantity of pollutants in agricultural run-off, and educating farmers about the negative

effects of the use of these chemicals

c) provision of proper sanitation and hygiene facilities to the public

d) construction of plants to treat sewage and urban run-off before allowing it into a water

body;

10. Further understands that recognition of the right to safe drinking water as a basic human right is

instrumental in ensuring worldwide access to clean drinking water, and that consistent effort in this

regard is needed to achieve this goal and thus requests nations to recognize this as a constitutional

right if they have not done so already;

11. Encourages research and development of newer and better water purification technologies as well as

improvement of existing ones, and thus:

a) requests government cooperation with the JWP and similar bodies and programmes to this

effect

b) encourages research and development of these technologies with particular focus on

removal of pathogens and harmful or toxic chemicals from drinking water

c) advises governments to encourage such research through loans, grants, subsidies or tax

concessions, among others, given to laboratories, corporations or other entities wishing to

take up such research through:

i. governments advertising their willingness to fund such research so that more

people take up such endeavours

ii. collaboration of governments with other willing nations and with non-

governmental organizations if they are unable to fund such schemes

d) governments may also conduct research in areas listed in clause 3 independently

12. Further encourages collaboration and sharing of findings of research with other nations so that they

may benefit from the findings;

13. Draws the attention of governments to reports published regularly by different parties, such as the

JWP, UN Water, WHO, and the Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water,

and recommends that they keep the findings of these reports in mind when forming policies;

14. Requests governments to cooperate with the UN and bodies affiliated with it, NGOs and other

parties in the following respects:

a) provision of expertise and training, as done by the Water Project and the Global

Environment Monitoring System, Water Is Life, among others

b) distribution of water purification systems and water purity testing kits, as done by

organisations such as WaterisLife and WaterAid

c) funding and collaboration, as well as joint programmes;

15. Proposes research, funding and raising awareness on short term solutions regarding clean water,

such as small scale personal filters or waste to water solutions, with measures such as:

a) researching cost-effective ways to manufacture personal water filters with UNEP Science

Division, as well as other NGOs in order to make access to products easier

b) fund raising campaigns with cooperation of NGOs advocating human rights, such as

Amnesty International, in order to:

i. raise consumer awareness on the global situation regarding clean water,

ii. raise funding for the free distribution of personal filters

c) 0rganizing local educational campaigns with organizations like UNESCO and WFF in

order to provide knowledge on waste to water methods such as solar sills, for emergencies

regarding water.

Resolution 288: FORUM: Environment Sub-Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Improving water purification methods to increase access to clean water

SUBMITTED BY: United States of America

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE,

Alarmed that 783 million people do not have access to clean water and an estimated 1.8 billion people

globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated,

Recognizing that the need for improved purification methods is most evident in developing countries

such as Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and 12 others because of open

defecation and only around half of the population having access to sanitation services, as well as areas

frequently affected by droughts, with 19.1% unimproved, 9.52% surface water and 15.7% unimproved

and 30.8% surface water coverages of water services, relative;

Aware that unclean water is a leading factor of child mortality with diarrhoea killing an estimated 1.5

million children a year, mostly children under five years old living in developing countries,

Reaffirming its adoption of the summit: the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development and the sixth goal

which prioritizes water sanitation, in which it put forward the goal of ensuring availability and

sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,

Approving the conclusions made in the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and

Drinking Water of April 2017 stating that a major increase in investment in water and its purification is

necessary to reach the UN’s development goals,

Pointing out the Resolution of 1980 adopted on the Reports of the Second Committee urging

governments and non-governmental organizations to strengthen their institutional work for researching

and heightening the awareness on water purification and unclean water dangers,

1. Recommends all countries to follow the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on clean water

and sanitation, including by 2030 all having access to safe drinking water, expanding international

cooperation and support to Less economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) in water sanitation

activities, and generally improving water quality by reducing pollution and chemical dumping;

2. Considers the use of graphene filters for water purification as they greatly reduce the cost of water

purification and are easy to produce and maintain;

3. Requests further U.N. funding from Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Global

Water Fund to go towards the following:

a) increasingly developing technologies and their implementation such as Watersprint put into

effect by the U.N. in Bangladesh in 2015, which uses UV-LED technology able to remove

bacteria and viruses with low energy consumption,

b) the propagation of water purifying tablets, and plastic bag purifiers in countries in need,

such as LEDCs, by means such as but not limited to encouraging research financed by the

UN and carried out by specialized international scientists, such as members of nonprofit

organizations, to decrease prices and improve these tablets to solve problems of

contaminants in water;

4. Encourages research financed by the UN and carried on by specialized international scientists, such

as members of nonprofit organizations, to decrease prices and improve these tablets to solve

problems of contaminants in water regions whose economies are too distracted with other problems

to address water issues, such as Sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania;

5. Further encourages Member Nations to establish toilet and bathroom facilities in conjunction with

UN Water in communities where open defecation is found a prevailing problem, so as to eliminate

the likelihood of feces being transferred into water sources, leading to contamination;

6. Urges Member Nations of the UN to increase the use of desalination to a goal of 10%, worldwide,

by means such as investing in programs to develop desalination methods employing scientists hired

from UN tate members and financed by the UN to make desalination more accessible to developing

countries, limiting the process’s dependence on fossil-fuel energy like solar energy and improving

the membrane technologies used to separate salt from water;

7. Calls upon the United Nations Environment Programme to collaborate more with independent

investors working on modernizing water purification methods which will in turn increase diversity

of ideas and allow research to be carried out faster and for information to be acquired in a shorter

space of time to ensure that new projects are tested and implemented expeditiously;

8. Further urges the installation of a transparency regulation that would apply to all Member Nations

of the UN to provide information to the world and its populations regarding the quality of their

water and the adherence to international regulation laws by means such as but not limited to:

a) yearly reviews and statistics on such matters and such regulations

b) unnotified visits to industries involved in the procuration of water to the populations and

putting means in place to resolve infringements

c) resolution of problems through the intervention of UN programs

d) posting reports and awareness pamphlets on various informative platforms;

9. Calls for increased participation in international cooperation for improved water purification such as

the Water Quality and Health Strategy adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) through

2020, including a biannual conference to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss progress in

purification methods and access to clean water, ensuring that each Member Nation is taking

effective action to improve access for all inhabitants, and also allowing countries to exchange

research, financed by the UN and carried on by specialized international scientists, such as members

of nonprofit organizations;

10. Proposes the creation of a group inside the U.N.’s water organization, the International Water

Purification Strategy (IWPS), funded by donations and CERF, to:

a) address the lack of accessible purified water in many LEDCs

b) provide funding and development for technologies explicitly aimed toward cheap and

effective purification equipment

c) raise awareness for the need of clean drinking water such as developing programs in all

Member Nations of every economic status which would function as initiatives such as

conferences in universities and advertisements;

11. Further encourages all Member Nations to protect their existing freshwater supplies by reinforcing

laws, to be overseen by international organizations such as the Joint Monitoring Program (JMP),

which would:

a) promote governments to identify both clean and contaminated water sources within their

nations, and create policies which are region-specific in order to achieve the best results for

improvement or preservation

b) implement consequences such as large fines or imprisonment for the pollution of any water

source to prevent contamination;

12. Further calls upon Member Nations to create tax incentives to cut waste emissions by 40% by 2030

by industries causing pollution, to be overseen by the JMP, which would obligate these industries

to:

a) prevent pollution at the source, and if pollution cannot be prevented, to be recycled in an

environmentally safe manner

b) redesign products or machinery to become more environmentally-friendly while

maintaining cost efficiency

c) utilize non-toxic or less toxic substances, and reuse materials when feasible.

Resolution 292: FORUM: Environment Sub-Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Improving water purification to increase access to clean water

SUBMITTED BY: Cuba

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

Recalling its resolutions 54/175 of 17 December 1999 on the right to development, 58/217 of 23

December 2003 on the International Decade for Action "Water for Life" 2005-2015 and 64/292 of 3

August 2010 on the human right to water and sanitation,

Affirming Sustainable Development Goal number six, which is clean water and sanitation,

Reminding that water is the most crucial necessity of human beings and that access to consumable, clean

water is a human right, regardless of place of residence, by several conventions and treaties,

Deeply concerned about the fact that water-related diseases cause the death of 1.5 million people

annually and that many children die before the age of five from diseases caused by contaminated water,

Emphasizing that about 780 million people are suffering from lack of access to a refined water source,

Deeply disturbed by the fact that people sometimes have to walk up to six hours just to collect water,

Celebrating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of halving the amount of people

without sustainable access to clean water, which was fulfilled three years prior to the deadline by

providing over two billion people with access to improved water sources, such as piped supplies and

protected wells,

Believing that more sustainable and long-term successes can be achieved with the cooperation of

Member States and NGOs leading to the use of improved water purification systems, especially in

Africa, and thus totally eradicating the issue of access to clean water,

Aware of the fact that shortages of water could lead to conflicts,

Concerned about the fact that climate change and population growth will increase water shortages and

exacerbate the problems regarding access to clean water,

1. Recommends that, within Less Economically Developed Countrys (LEDCs) suffering from lack of

clean water, and in order to ensure access to clean water inexpensively for those people that have no

access to clean water within 30 minutes commuting distance, short-term measures are put into place

aiming to:

a) remove or decreases taxation on products that purify water such as lifestraws

b) produce said products large scale and at low cost under WHO supervision

c) implement Granular-Activated Carbon (GAC) and Powdered-Activated Carbon (PAC)

purification methods, funded by More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs) and

able NGOs, through the use of:

i. Coconut shells

ii. Wood or coals

iii. Residual petroleum;

2. Supports the creation of long term sustainable clean water infrastructure by:

a) developing technology in this area and financing its implementation through private

initiatives with support of international economic organizations such as the World Bank

Group, by:

i. focusing on the enabling of public private partnerships, including the use of Build

Operate Transfer (BOT) contracts, as they may significantly increase the

availability of capital

ii. ensuring partial local ownership or interest, for instance by letting local people pay

for the services or having local communities become co-owner of an installation,

thus reducing conflicts of interests

b) implementing independent checks of the water quality by the World Health Organization

(WHO), preferably every 3 months, which will be initiated by WHO representatives

selected by the WHO and which will consist of said representatives going to cities or large

villages to prevent a large intake of infected or unsanitary water

c) endorsing and funding research on the effects of a contaminated water supply on local

populations, in order to evaluate and assess the best long term solutions for each affected

area;

3. Encourages all Member States to help educate and spread awareness within their borders on the

paramount importance of water cleanliness and the benefits clean water can have by:

a) implementing education programs in schools and communities in order to raise awareness

of the importance of clean water and how it can be obtained

b) promoting organizations like the Water Project and the WHO that are actively trying to

eliminate clean water shortages in affected nations;

4. Urges the nations to publicly support and fund the building of infrastructure that will regulate and

improve clean water availability, such as but not limited to Community Water Treatments and

pipelines from areas with reliable water sources to rural communities where a consistent water

source is scarce, by:

a) conducting an initial investigation in the most affected communities in order to establish

which infrastructure and treatment method would be the most effective in that specific

community

b) having conducted said investigation, building the recommended infrastructure;

5. Calls for establishment of mobile water distribution centers monitored by UN-Water and UN-

Habitat which will:

a) provide clean water to the areas where potable water is an urgent need and the necessary

purifying equipment can not be built in time, which will be determined by the report

published annually by UN-Water

b) help people with their related problems until a sustainable source of clean water is

achieved;

6. Strongly encourages that nations provide donations to NGOs that work to provide the population of

countries in precarious conditions access to clean water, such as but not limited to:

a) Miya

b) charity: water

c) water.org;

7. Calls upon the Secretary General to employ all measurements to further the implementation of this

resolution, specifically guiding the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World

Bank Group and other relevant UN institutions to make this item a policy priority;

8. Further calls upon UN-water and the International Development Association (IDA) to work with

local governments to create water storage units as a means to provide a buffer for communities in

which water treatment plants have been built, to be used:

a) in case of drought

b) in case of damage to water treatment plants

c) in order to guarantee a volume of:

i. 60 liters per individual over the age of 15

ii. 50 liters per individual under the age of 15.

Resolution 295: FORUM: Environment Commission- sub-commission 1

QUESTION OF: Improving water purification methods to increase access to clean water

SUBMITTED BY: Myanmar

SPECIAL CONFERENCE,

Aware of the Global Water Summit and its importance for the water industry as it gathers people from

the water business and helps people expand their contacts, understand the process of core markets,

enlarge their businesses and understand the key role of water in economy,

Bearing in mind the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water

(GLAAS) which features the information of the member states’ capacity to achieve the Millennium

Development Goals for water and sanitation,

Keeping in mind the fact that nearly 4.5 billion people across the globe currently live within 50km of a

diminishing water resource supply,

Concerned that the demand for fresh water resources continues to accelerate and the competition for

fresh water increases while resources remain scarce,

Taking into consideration the fact that 70% of the world’s fresh water is utilized in agriculture, 20% is

used in industry, and only 10% is used for civil consumption,

Alarmed by the fact that Water-related diseases cause nearly 1.5 million casualties every year,

1. Encourages the establishment of the International Water Conservation Oversight Board (IWCOB),

that will work in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and various

non-governmental organizations by holding biennial meetings in which the board will engage in

discussions on topics such as:

a) creating neutral, multilateral platforms for policy discussion, information sharing, and

evaluations in regards to water usage and policy

b) developing specific solutions or steps that will be used to implement water conservation

mechanisms

c) finding possible solutions to eradicate the issues addressed by deciding on the most

efficient method of water treatment

d) assessing and publishing reports regarding clean water accessibility, water quality, and the

water purification methods for each member nation;

2. Stresses the importance of encouraging major companies and industries to revamp their policies in

order to minimize over consumption of water resources by using methods such as:

a) enforcing stronger and stricter standards for water appliances and usages using methods

such as:

i. putting stricter efficiency of factory wastewater purifier in factories

ii. imposing a higher tax for industries, such as agriculture and manufacturing

industries, which require a large amount of clean water supplies

iii. placing stronger penalties on companies that violated these standards and

providing regular check ups

iv. assign one UN official, in addition to the government officials, who will run the

check ups mentioned in the subclause above in order to prevent bribery

b) encouraging the development of products and appliances that use less water and labeling

these products as more environmentally friendly to encourage consumers to purchase

c) providing incentives to companies that reduce their overall use of water in production;

3. Suggests the establishment of annual international science conference focusing on water

conservation and purification methods to discover new approaches to solve the issue of water

purification using methods such as:

a) creating a platform to share technologies and research progress to develop fast and

effective water purification methods

b) funding research programs that aim for more efficient water purification technologies

c) promote public participation to gather new ideas that can be implemented for new solution

for water purification;

4. Invites nations to minimize or reduce water consumption and pollution in the agricultural sector by

implementing sustainable practices including :

a) using rainwater for harvesting and cleaning purposes to conserve freshwater usage and

reduce environmental impact and costs through methods such as:

i. using tanks to collect the rainwater and store runoff from rainy periods

ii. building structures to capture rain known as Ex-situ rainwater harvesting, with

tanks that are owned either individually or communally

iii. collaborating with NGOs, such as The Water Project or Charity Water, to fund

rainwater harvesting technologies and help nations implement the technologies

mentioned above

b) identifying when, where, and how much of the water is being used an in which areas this

usage can be minimized

c) providing financial incentives to nations so that they will be more willing to educate and

impose measures on water conservation

d) allocating funds towards projects and non-governmental organizations that will encourage

the engagement of non-state actors in reducing financial difficulties on federal

organizations and water technologies to be more efficient and cheapened for availability;

5. Encourages nations to increase education and awareness about water on the local, national, and

international level by using methods such as:

a) collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and NGOs such

as Global Water Partnership and International Water Association (IWA) to provide

unbiased information upon water

b) educating the public about the importance of conserving water and methods in which they

can get involved through use of mass media

c) setting up local plans to reduce the use of water in the domestic sector and set restrictions

especially in areas of drought

d) allowing citizens to discuss environmental sustainability and comment on the progress of

water conservation efforts in public hearings and meetings;

6. Calls upon all member states to attend Global Water Summit in order to:

a) increase the investments on the water industry

b) expand the businesses by:

i. keeping up with the recent technologies

ii. comprehending the development of core markets

iii. creating new contacts

c) determine the importance of water in sustainable economic growth

d) encounter with many feasible clients, suppliers and partners;

7. Authorizes governments to gather and peruse GLAAS, with the leadership of a UN Water

personnel, who will be responsible for the report, in every two years in order to assure that every

member state reaches the standards of WHO and their Guides for Drinking Water Quality (GDWQ)

by:

a) creating an agenda which will contain the process of tackling the issues addressed in the

report

b) finding possible solutions to eradicate the issues addressed by deciding on the most

efficient method of water treatment

c) evaluating the alternative supports proposed by the officer and the report

d) making the necessary changes in their legislation if it is needed;

8. Suggests the construction of pipelines in LEDCs, which have the suitable conditions, with the

financing of World Bank, OECD, (JMP) and UN Water to:

a) transport water from urban areas to rural areas

b) focus on the access to clean water for citizens who live in rural areas;

9. Expresses its hope to increase the number of desalination projects in populous coastal LEDCs which

suffer from lack of clean water by assigning Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and

Sanitation (JMP) officials who will be running various activities such as:

a) running tests and detecting whether the ocean or the sea is polluted and risks the human

health or if it is secure

b) erecting the outlines of possible projects for states which lack investments, equipment, and

industry on the subject or to guide them by presenting various alternatives

c) financing the projects which will be done with the help of World Bank, The Organisation

for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other NGOs;

10. Encourages member states to have at least two facilities which use a different water source due to

the reasons such as having adequate amount of clean water to supply the nation at all times and

prevent water shortages in case of a drought or a leak;

11. Endorse the new technology, of life straw, and recommends that this new technology is distributed

worldwide, by means such as:

a) the subsidizing of the production of 1 billion life straws

b) establishment of national distribution centers in countries with a severe lack of clean water

c) set up micro-entrepreneurs in villages which needs water purification, for them to sell them

at a low price to their local community

d) advertisements on the benefits of such technology, in local forms and media;

12. Calls for the support and cooperation in the establishment of localized training; programs and

provision of spare parts and back-up material to assure the long-term sustainability of the

infrastructure installed.

Resolution 328: FORUM: Environment Sub Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Ocean acidification and the impact on ecosystem

SUBMITTED BY: The Netherlands

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE,

Aware that the subject of ocean acidity refers to a drop in PH and the impacts that this has on the

ecosystem,

Realizing that although the ocean’s ability to uptake the carbon dioxide has benefited human kind by

reducing the greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere, rising levels of carbon dioxide dissolving in the

ocean can have a damaging effect on the marine environment,

Deeply disturbed by the fact that by the end of the century it is expected that the average pH level will

decrease to 7.8 if carbon dioxide emissions continue at this rate,

Highlighting that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 recognizes ocean

acidification as both an economic and ecological threat,

Strongly affirming resolution 68/70 adopted by the General Assembly in December 2013 concerning

oceans and the law of the sea, highlighting the need for global corporation in marine science and

sustainable management of the oceans and their resources

Further Highlighting the negative effect ocean acidification has on industries that rely on marine

resources, such as fishing, aqua culture and marine tourism,

1. Encourages Member States to help increase awareness of ocean acidification explaining its causes,

its effects on resources and ecosystems, and the actions that the public and companies can take to

reduce their contribution to ocean acidification, through means such as but not limited to:

a) outreach programs and social media campaigns, such as the distribution of government

publications on ocean acidification

b) public and private education, specifically through:

i. the addition of a unit in the syllabus of primary and secondary schools focusing on

the causes and impacts of ocean acidification

ii. the promotion of lectures on ocean acidification at universities, and other public

forums;

2. Endorses the efforts and means of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) in helping to protect

coral reefs globally and encourages Member States to implement coral reef management systems

and practices promoted by the ICRI;

3. Calls upon Member States to prioritize the establishment of a baseline of physical and biological

oceanographic data relevant to understanding the local effects of ocean acidification, systematically

identify data gaps and research needs, and begin forming partnerships with researchers and

institutions that can illuminate these effects and fulfill these needs;

4. Urges all nations to use the data and information collected to identify the long term effects of ocean

acidification and the implications they have for individual countries and stakeholders;

5. Suggests substantial research on the application of climate engineering, the mitigating of

temperature or pH effects of emissions and the removal of carbon dioxide using methods that

directly remove gases from the atmosphere as well as indirect methods that seek to promote natural

processes that draw down and sequencer carbon dioxide, including but not limited to to:

a) bio-energy with carbon capture and storage

b) biochar

c) enhanced weathering

d) direct air capture (DAC)

e) ocean fertilisation

f) afforestation

g) development of satellite, ship-based, and autonomous sensors;

6. Further calls upon the creation of the International Climate Fund Support aimed at making funds

available for high impact projects directed in assisting areas and populations affected by ocean

acidification, as well as, but not limited to:

a) providing guidance for investors and fund managers who are new in the area of green

finance

b) strengthening the administration of investment funds

c) discovering new businesses and projects acting against climate change

d) providing financial assistance to fisherman and shellfish farmers;

7. Further endorses the implementation of a tax on greenhouse gas emissions in each Member State,

which taxes the volume of green house gases a company or organization emits into the air on an

annual basis;

8. Further suggests the provision of subsidies for companies and organization developing and

implementing green energy sources and environmentally sustainable technology;

9. Recommends the establishment of more marine reserves that will protect the waters from over-

fishing and will limit industry and tourism, with the aim of increasing the percentage of marine

reserves covering the oceans from 1% to 5%;

10. Decides to remain actively seized on the matter.

Resolution 336: FORUM: Environment Commission 1

QUESTION OF: SUBMITTED BY: Zimbabwe

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

ISSUE: Ocean acidification and its impact on ecosystems

Defining Ocean acidification as the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the

uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,

Conscious that the increase in ocean acidification is caused by human activity such as increasing

industrialization and carbon dioxide emissions,

Noting that in June 2012 the UN conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) recognized ocean

acidification as an economic and ecologic threat,

Reaffirming the resolution A/RES/64/71 of December 2009,

Appreciating the work of Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification (BIOACID) which is considered

one of the largest research programs on ocean acidification,

Expressing its satisfaction with the research of International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project

(IOCCP) on the effects the increasing levels of carbon dioxide on our ocean and especially on calcifying

organisms,

Deeply concerned that the average pH of the Earth’s oceans is predicted to drop to 7.8 in 2094 and that

slight changes in pH levels can cause collapses in ecosystems, threatening the world's seafood supply,

Recognizing the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 in Section 14.3 which addresses the direct

need to lessen the acidity of the ocean and reduce carbon emissions,

Deeply concerned by the serious adverse impacts of certain human activities on the marine environment

and biodiversity, in particular on vulnerable marine ecosystems, including corals, hydrothermal vents

and seamounts,

Further noting seagrass beds count for 10% of the ocean’s carbon storage,

Reminding all member states of past and ongoing initiatives regarding climate-sensitive development,

such as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016

Sustainable Development Agenda (SDA), as well as other subsequent agreements,

1. Urges all member nations to participate in more sustainable development projects to mitigate the

effects of ocean acidification through measures such as:

a) restricting deforestation and promoting sustainable afforestation,

b) limiting urban sprawl by designating ‘green belts’ or parks around the city to create

boundaries for expansion,

c) encouraging the use of brownfield sites for development to prevent destruction of

ecosystems and encouraging sustainable growth;

2. Calls upon the reduction of the use of fossil fuels by transitioning to renewable energy resources

such as but not limited to the production of:

a) solar panel arrays,

b) wind farms,

c) geothermal power stations,

d) wave energy converters;

3. Recommends that the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC)

promote the growth and restoration of seagrass beds by partnering with Ocean Foundation’s

Seagrass Grow Project to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide surrounding coral reefs, through

such actions including:

a) planting seagrass beds in proportion to coral reef destruction,

b) categorizing nurseries for sea turtles, mollusks, invertebrates and the healing of coral beds;

4. Encourages all member states to raise awareness of the dangers of ocean acidification and how to

reduce personal carbon footprints, through means such as:

a) advertising carbon-footprint-limiting practices,

b) promoting recycling plastic waste by use of:

i. radio,

ii. television,

iii. public seminars;

5. Strongly recommends that all member states support ongoing and new projects and research related

to ocean acidification through measures such as:

a) granting financial sums to help them if the country has the capacities to do so;

6. Further encourages all relevant committees of the United Nations to engage in providing incentives

and information regarding the minimization of carbon output, including the introduction of

premiums or tax breaks for “low-carbon” corporations;

7. Requests the establishment of a joint agenda to be drafted by the United Nations Climate Change

Committee (UNFCCC) to work on the ocean acidification in full cooperation with UNESCO-IOC,

the NOAA and other relevant UN bodies, NGOs and IGOs which will advise all developing

countries to create legislation in order to limit the industrial waste which will:

a) give penalties to industries who do not comply with the legislation,

b) to investigate carbon footprints of such industries,

8. Invites member states to restrict the use of unsustainable fishing techniques, such as bottom trawling

and blast fishing, as these can cause ecological imbalances that worsen the effects of ocean

acidification and its respective ecological damage by:

a) imposing unannounced checks on returning fishing boats to control overfishing and quality

of hauls,

b) imposing sustainability requirements created by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) on

licensed fishers and enforcing those standards with fines or license revocation;

c) educating citizens on the risks of ecosystem destruction by humans;

9. Calls for all member states to;

a) fund research about the effects of ocean acidification and the possible solutions

b) provide aid to existing organisations such as:

i. the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network, (GOA-ON)

ii. the Global Ocean Observing system (GOOS);

10. Further suggests all member states to collaborate and create an international Marine Tourist Agency

to be responsible for encouraging sustainable tourism to avoid damaging marine ecosystems, by:

a) promoting educational guided tours led by experts explaining the loss of coral reef cover,

its causes, and its consequences,

b) monitoring tourist access to at-risk environments such as coral reefs;

11. Further calls upon UNESCO to create the Agricultural/Industrial Chemical Runoff Task Force

(AICRTF) similar to the United States coalition Mississippi Basin/Gulf of Mexico Water Nutrient

Task Force to include actions such as:

a) monitor dead zones with the granted permission of local agricultural industry traced from,

b) spread awareness through annual campaigns funded by Sea Life Trust,

c) release public press images of hypoxic ocean conditions to local social media outlets.

Resolution 353: FORUM: Environment Sub-Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Improving the monitoring of cross border environmental impact

SUBMITTED BY: Bolivia

THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION,

Fully aware that the environmental impact of actions in a Member State is not restricted to that state

alone,

Noting with appreciation the actions taken against active poachers or suspects in countries such as

Kenya, South Africa, Botswana and India,

Fully alarmed by the discharge of over 30 billion tons of urban sewage into oceans, lakes, and rivers

each year,

Pointing out that 70% of world’s fisheries are constantly under exploitation and this has a massive

impact on marine biodiversity,

Deeply concerned by the amount of birds and sea mammals killed because of pollution each year, which

exceeds 1 million and 100,000 respectively,

Observing that people who live in places with high levels of air pollutants have a higher risk of death

from various types of cancer than people who live in less-polluted areas,

Taking note of the 2010 United Nations (UN) report that suggests gorillas could disappear from large

parts of the Congo Basin by the mid-2020s because of poaching,

Emphasizing that fresh water which used to cool down machines in factories is a form of pollution itself

because the heated up water is returned to the environment and possesses high risks for the habitat,

1. Encourages a co-organization to be established which will be affiliated by International

Organization for Standardization (ISO) or UN Water and which will work as an Advisory Panel for

the improvement of cross border water management by:

a) judging specific cases of irregularities concerning the legislation set by ISO, with the

approval of the UN, which might include:

i. excessive consumption of water from sources on borders

ii. constructions being carried out near or on water sources that have the possibility to

negatively affect the ecosystem

iii. nearby settlements damaging the target areas with toxic emissions emanated from

both factories and housing structures

b) inspecting the already existing water management-transport systems that cross borders and

fix overlooked constructive issues that affect the quality of water running through by the

means of:

i. replacing the damaged pipelines with new ones

ii. reconstructing the parts of the systems where the already existing projects might

be causing water leakage or high pressure and have the risk of cracking in the

future;

2. Further encourages Member States and and private investors to fund projects such as “Smog Free

Tower” that will focus on the improvement of air quality and decrease pollution rate in the ignored

border zones in order to:

a) inhibit bordering countries from polluting the area, since they will be supporting these

projects with the enforcement of law

b) direct Member States to begin the production and the usage of these projects so that the

exportation of the system to other countries can have a beneficial effect on their economy;

3. Suggests the improvement of the cross-border rivers’ hygiene by allocating an appropriate

percentage of UN Water’s funds to these problematic areas, aiming to:

a) ensure the safety of wildlife considering the salt level of the water would change with the

poor hygiene of the rivers, something crucial for organisms that live in a freshwater habitat

b) remove the toxic and non-toxic wastes in these areas in order to prevent:

i. any kinds of spates from happening which would be caused by an overflow of

water due to the large amount of non-recyclable wastes in the rivers

ii. the animals and plants that live in that habitat from being exposed to high amounts

of radiation and chemical toxins

c) not only increase the infrastructure at these areas, but to also invest funding for inspecting

and monitoring

d) implement and enforce strict national laws that criminalize waste dumping into cross

boarder rivers

4. Urges Member States to start afforestation projects with the cooperation of neighboring countries on

cross borders areas to prevent land degradation and soil erosion on the target zones, which will plan

to:

a) increase the biodiversity on ecologically bleak areas by creating habitats for more species

to populate by:

i. following strict environmental progression plans set out by environmental

engineers in order to not introduce any damaging invasive species to the area

ii. carrying out simultaneous ecological experiments in UN’s facilities regarding

which types of populations would contribute and benefit the most from that

environment

b) decrease the degradation and soil erosion rates, therefore creating more arable area for

governments to take advantage of by:

i. sustainable farming, further decreasing the erosion rates by doing so

ii. testing new agricultural methods since these areas that are close to the borderlines

are likely not inhabited

c) increase the number of:

i. personnel who work near the borders to prevent illegal logging and lumbering

ii. research and utility facilities on predetermined strategic areas, which will be

constructed carefully in order to not damage the environment any further in these

problematic zones

d) reduce the air pollution in these areas to some extent until the legislations on factories and

other aerial waste-creating sites begin to be executed;

5. Further suggests the UN increase the funding of projects such as the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and similar organizations that fight the

extinction of organisms in such habitats and the loss of biodiversity, which projects will continue to

be carried out in the cross-border zones in ways such as:

a) building facilities within the already existing projects’ budgets to prevent the loss of

biodiversity by increasing the care of endangered animals and plants near the borders

b) carrying out tests in these NGO's research facilities about the ecological issues specific to

the problem zones

c) inspecting and analyzing which environmental or humane factors are contributing the most

to the issues in these areas;

6. Proposes Member States raise public awareness with the intention of informing civilians about cross

border environmental impact and applying the following different strategies specific to the

socioeconomic status:

a) in More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs), using:

i. brochures, billboards, newspapers and magazines, television, federal radio

broadcasting, and movies showing the populace how the issues on borders cause

environmental problems and why people should be more aware of the issue

ii. internet websites especially designed to give information about how simple or

complex political conflicts near the borders can have terrible consequences

b) in rural areas where the majority does not have enough information on political or

industrial conflicts by:

i. sending experts from relevant NGOs such as UN Water to assemble small

meetings to inform and educate the population

ii. airing radio broadcasts

iii. providing them access to written media, such as articles, newspapers, and

magazines about the importance of the preservation of the environment;

7. Asks the UN to assemble teams of environmental engineers to resolve ecologically threatening

issues near borders under the stress of multiple infrastructure projects and will:

a) contain approximately 20 environmental engineers, formed by:

i. 10 from the bordering countries to inform the rest of the about the similar projects,

resolutions, challenges specific to that part of the area

ii. 10 from foreign countries, who will be licensed by the UN to work in specific

areas of environmental stress

b) have diverse approaches to the problems at hand with the inclusion of engineers from

different countries and various types of project backgrounds such as water management,

afforestation, dam construction, renewable energy programs and land quality improvement

and prevention of soil erosion

c) prepare monthly reports to the Environmental Committee to make sure that the necessary

attention is drawn to the areas which are under great risk;

8. Further proposes Member States strengthen the control over the mining zones located near political

or environmental borders with the intention of:

a) enforcing the current law on these mining facilities to prevent any waste products from

being released to the environment, especially to the transboundary rivers

b) supporting the infrastructure of the mines in order to eliminate the possibility of any gas or

radiation leakage which can have a devastating effect on both the workers and the nearby

environment

c) inspecting future projects to make sure deforestation of the mining areas is within the legal

limits;

9. Further asks Member States to enforce the laws on cross-boundary poaching, something that can

lead to permanent damage to many ecological habitats such as the extinction of species, by the

means of:

a) increasing the controls done by the border patrols by scent tracking, which will be done by

trained canines on items such as:

i. hunting tools carried by licensed hunters or other civilians

ii. luggage or cargo that is mentioned to consist animal eggs, skin, fur or any other

animal related item that was acquired from the visited country

iii. personal belongings of authorized hunters or civilians in case they attempt to

smuggle valuable loot

b) changing and updating the current laws on animal hunting in order to prevent poaching that

emerges from the exploitation of national laws’ limits by hunters, in meetings that will be:

i. held in a place that will be chosen by the UN every two years

ii. focused on the specific and current cases of poaching and adjusting the legislation

accordingly

iii. assembling groups who will acquire information on the predominantly used

hunting fields to analyze if the biannual changes have been able to hamper the

poachers

c) raising the incarceration time for poachers to stricter punitive measures in order for future

hunters to be deterred from the act;

10. Further recommends the creation of a “Statute on Cross Border Environmental Crime” that

encourages Member States to:

a) find financial possibilities or be funded by NGOs / MEDCs towards stopping

environmental crime in creating agencies and departments that would be responsible for

investigating the cases and ultimately stopping cross-border environmental crime

b) meet the new minimum requirement created in order to guarantee action being taken to

reduce cross-border environmental crime and to ensure the safety of innocent citizens

c) create an regularly updated international database on environmental crime and:

i. share statistics of incidents and weak areas that are most heavily affected

ii. discuss newly-appeared common issues on environmental crime and attempt to

find solutions to those

iii. establish communication and cooperation between countries in order to report

incidents, to prevent cases of cross-border environmental crime.

Resolution 369: FORUM: Environment Sub-Commission 1

QUESTION OF: Increasing Consumer Awareness to Achieve Better Resource Efficiency

SUBMITTED BY: The European Union

THE ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION,

Fully alarmed that 1.3 billion tonnes of food, approximately one-third, by weight, of all food produced

for human consumption in the world, is wasted each year according to the Food and Agriculture

Organisation (FAO),

Alarmed by the other impacts that ulack of awareness is causing, including loss of fresh water supply

that can lead to mass famine and thirst, especially in Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs),

loss of fossil fuel reserves which threatens economic reduction or even collapse of countries with fuel-

driven economies, less transportation, energy scarcity, and less development,

Regretting the lack of awareness around the world of the environmental and other impacts of the

inefficient use of resources,

Supporting the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection, its point that consumer unawareness

increases resource inefficiency, and its directions to increase consumer awareness by improving access

information, increasing education, and promoting sustainable consumption,

Desiring increased focus on The Sustainable Development Goals, specifically goal 7, Affordable and

Clean Energy, so that fossil fuels are not wasted, 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities to decrease

waste in cities, for example by improving public transportation, and 12, Responsible Consumption and

Production to achieve sustainable resource use through ways including decreasing food waste, reducing,

reusing, and recycling waste and decreasing fossil fuel consumption,

Deeply concerned by the environmental impacts that wasting resources is causing, including

deforestation, soil erosion, carbon emissions, global warming, extinction and loss of biodiversity, and

many more,

Approving national and international efforts by individual Member Nations and through collaboration

within the United Nations to spread awareness about resource throughout the world,

1. Expresses its hope for resource efficiency to be dealt with by each Member as a high priority and an

issue that needs to be dealt with with strategy and long term dedication;

2. Stresses the urgent need for Member Nations to reduce the amount of food waste, and to improve

resource efficiency globally at every step of the food chain, including production, processing,

transport, storage, retail, marketing and consumption;

3. Urges all Member Nations to collaborate with the United Nations Environment Programme in order

to form a research board that will:

a) meet quarterly at appropriate times set by the administrator

b) consist of experts from each nation willing to cooperate that can contribute valuable

information from different sectors such as, agriculture, transportation, water and energy

supply and ethnic, financial and political positions regarding the issue of resource

efficiency

c) collaborate with national and international environment organisations such as Greenpeace,

WWF or the Worldwatch Institute or for cooperation and mutual support

d) be presided by an annually selected administrator responsible for organizing the research

boards meetings and ensuring an appropriate representation of the previously mentioned

sectors

e) make its protocols and results available to the public in the form of an annual report

f) set up food waste reduction indicators and binding global food waste reduction targets to be

met by 2030 on the basis of appropriate according measurements;

4. Calls for efforts to be made by Member States to invest in new and more sustainable waste

treatment systems and technologies, such as but not limited to;

a) co-incineration of waste in combustion plants and in cement and lime production;

b) waste incineration in dedicated facilities

c) anaerobic digestion of biodegradable waste

d) production of waste-derived solid, liquid or gaseous fuels

e) gasification

f) pyrolysis;

5. Endorses the use of a microfinance scheme for LEDCs, which allows smaller scale farmers in those

areas to adopt new technologies and practices, to better enhance processes such as, but not limited

to:

a) water efficiency, which can be achieved by adopting technologies and practices such as,

but not limited to:

i. drip irrigation systems

ii. improved irrigation scheduling

iii. regulated deficit irrigation

iv. practices enhancing soil moisture

b) a reduction in greenhouse gases, which can be achieved by adopting technologies and

practices such as, but not limited to:

i. selecting high quality feed for animals in order to reduce methane released due to

enteric fermentation

ii. managing manure to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions

iii. conducting on-farm, all-fuel energy assessments to identify energy saving

opportunities

iv. livestock integration

v. replacing fossil-fuel powered equipment with electrical pumps and motors

vi. using timers, sensors or variable speed drives on ventilation, heating, cooling and

lighting systems

c) A reduction of food losses along production and supply chains, which can be achieved by

strengthening infrastructure in systems such as, but not limited to:

i. storage systems,

ii. transportation systems,

iii. cooling facilities,

iv. processing facilities,

v. packaging and marketing systems;

6. Further urges Member States to take action to reduce the amount of food waste generated at the

retail and consumer levels, by means such as but not limited to:

a) raising awareness to consumers of the sheer scale of food waste and methods to reduce

food waste by means such as, but not limited to social media campaigns, radio

advertisements, tv advertisements and posters and talks held at schools or large events;

b) promotion of better consumption habits to reduce food waste by means as aforementioned

and habits such as, but not limited to:

i. making weekly meal plans

ii. buying fruits or vegetables even though they may have visual blemishes

iii. reducing and reusing the purchasing of plastic

iv. making use of leftovers

v. using at home or city-wide composters

vi. freezing surplus food items

vii. rotating older food items to the front of the refrigerator

viii. separating plastic, metal, paper, drinking cardboards and organic waste at home or

using systems ready implaced separated already at home;

7. Encourages further research and development necessary to build a platform leading to further

technologies, which could result in effective mitigation plans and strategies towards resource

efficiency;

8. Requests for efforts to be made by Member States for the consistent implementation and

enforcement of existing waste legislation, and for efforts to be made to construct waste legislation

for Member States who have not done so already.