Download CER Country Proposals

GROUP OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (GDC)
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES (CER)
COUNTRY PROPOSALS FOR THE DRAFT RESOLUTION ON ENVIRONMENTAL
REFUGEES
BANGLADESH
1. The definition of the term environmental refugee:
Environmental refugees are displaced persons who are forced to leave their home/ traditional
homeland/ place of residence temporarily or permanently due to inhabitable consequences of
environmental changes such as desertification, rise of sea level, drought, pollution, floods,
volcanic activity (a volcano in itself is not a disaster), seismic activity/
environmental decline (disruption, degradation), and are consequently in a vulnerable
position because their country of residence (originally 'country of origin',
but for example, what if a person of Indian origin residing in
Bangladesh is a victim of an environmental catastrophe in
Bangladesh,
would
the
responsibility
not
be
held
to
Bangladesh?) is not willing or able to protect their basic human rights or their safety.
*the underline is where the spelling or wording has been changed to make it more
grammatically correct
2. The management of the forced migrations:
Bangladesh recommends that the headquarters be based at the current UN headquarters in
New York for convenience and cost savings. New York is a major air hub so is cost effective
in terms of global reach and flights, and could make use of the existing facilities at the site.
It could either finance nation states through 'aid' to do the work and relief required, or a new
task force could be created (such as the UN peace keepers) to do the work of the 'management
of the forced migrations' under the jurisdiction of the UN.
As the body has the make quick and effective decisions in the event of a crisis, Bangladesh
recommends that the body be limited to 20-30 members maximum. As the body is made of
experts and experience rather than insuring impartiality is essential when managing
environmental disasters, it would make sense to have a long mandate of the worlds leading
experts in the field. A system could also be incorporated that each continent has a certain
amount or representatives, but Bangladesh certainly would strive to ensure that the body is not
used to express national interests and so would like the idea of national representatives
eliminated.
3. The financing:
Bangladesh offers two proposals; that a figure is calculated on the estimate cost of large scale
environmental damage to the world per year. Then the cost of this is burdened to nations by
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percentage of their carbon dioxide emissions. It could then be distributed when needed by the
'management of the forced migrations'.
But the sheer costs of financing the repair of environmental damage is so huge that the most
significant contributors to carbon dioxide emissions would want to avoid this at all costs (they
also happen to be the most powerful and influential members of the UN).
It is also not possible to finance the repair fund by equal contribution of all nations, not only
would it be morally unacceptable-especially to our group, but also financially impossible for
the worlds poorest nations to make the payments. This will be one of the most heavily
negotiated issues.
There is also the problem that many environmental disasters are not related to carbon dioxide
emissions, so there will be protesting along these lines.
A better and more accepted alternative might be to distribute the burden of paying for the
repair fund by GDP. Financially viable, as the richer countries will pay more and the poorer
countries will pay less, it will also more likely gain the support of the U.S who have shown
scorn at efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the past by failing to ratify the Kyoto
agreement.
It will also financially coincide with Bangladesh's moral insistence that we maintain the right
to use cheap, but potentially environmentally damaging energy sources. As we have stated
before: Such are the economic conditions in our country that we cannot afford to use solar
panels and wind power. To use only 'green energy' to prevent carbon emissions, would
compromise efforts to tackle poverty and childhood diseases by consuming vast amount of
funds. Tackling Global Warming has to be done in a way that will not be at the expense of
efforts to tackle poverty, or vice versa.
BRAZIL
1. Definition of environmental refugee:
Environmental refugees are displaced1 persons forced2 to leave their home/ traditional
homeland/ place of residence3 temporary or permanently4 because of unbearable
consequences of environmental changes/ environmental disasters such as desertification, rise
of sea level, drought, land, water and air degradation (pollution), floods, volcanoes,
earthquakes/ environmental decline (disruption, degradation), and are consequently in
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Rather than somebody who flees a country, because it means that it can also stay within the borders of country
of origin, so internally displaced persons are indirectly included
2
Because that is their only way to protect them self
3
Avoid mentioning country of origin because we want to include internally displaced persons
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Asylum question, international protection
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insecure position because their country of origin is not able5/ unable to provide basic
human rights for them/ to protect them.
2. Management of forced migrations:
1. Establishment of special body: composed of independent experts and regional
representatives with rotation system (1-2 years), odd number (15 experts + 12
regional representatives), each one vote, for decision qualified majority is needed.
2. Main tasks :
1. promote progress with ecological awareness
2. comprehensive approach to help “environmental refugees” through durable
solutions, integration (employment policies, legal assistance, medical help,
scholarships for educating refugees), protection policies for refugees in line with
international standards and human rights
3. special division: refugees, asylum seekers and returnees
3. Budget:
Countries contribute proportionally to their creation of the problem. Countries effort to
minimize the pollution has to be taken into consideration. Budget will be composed of each
countries contributions and donations.
IRAN
1. The definition of the term environmental refugee
The proposed definition of Ghana:
“People, who can no longer gain a secure livelihood in their homelands because of drought,
soil erosion, desertification, deforestation and other environmental problems, together with
associated problems of population pressures and profound poverty.”
Definition of a refugee according to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of refugees:
“A person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the
country of their nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail
him/herself of the protection of that country”.
Iran suggests merging these two definitions:
An environmental refugee is “a person, who is due to no longer being able to pursue a secure
livelihood in its homeland because of drought, soil erosion, desertification, deforestation,
rising of the sea level and other gradual environmental changes, together with associated
problems of population pressures and profound poverty, or owing to a well-founded fear
thereof, forced to temporarily or permanently leave the country of his nationality and to seek
refuge in a different country”.
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That is why international help is needed
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2. The management of the forced migrations:
Regarding this issue Iran wishes to stress the importance of independent experts, the role of
which is crucial for an efficient management of environmental migration. Iran is open to
various suggestions regarding the structure and functioning of these experts, as long as
impartiality is best pursued and different regions of the world are represented.
3. The financing:
Regarding this issue Iran insists that the countries, which do not want to accord to
international standards on environmental protection should bear the greatest financial burden
of environmental migration. Furthermore Iran suggests that the financial management of
environmental migration mainly focuses on gradual environmental changes, including to
some extent financing preventive actions, which will slow down the processes of climate
change, and providing assistance to environmental refugees in order for them to integrate into
their new environment.
NICARAGUA
1. The definition of the term environmental refugee:
The representative of Nicaragua claims that both definitions are appropriate if they are
combined.
We believe that the suggestion, made by Ghana is clear, but we should not mention other
problems, especially because of the misunderstanding in case of natural disasters.
We prefer the definition, made by Brazil, but the we believe that it is not appropriate to
mention that country of origin is not able/ unable to provide basic human rights for them/ to
protect them.")
2. The management of the forced migrations:
The Government of Nicaragua claims that the international community, especially the
Caribbean countries, should establish a climate change centre for the Caribbean region, whose
main function will be an advisory body on climate change policy and a source for the
technical and scientific information for climate change in Caribbean region. We also can
make a suggestion that we should establish a new Commission for the environmental
refugees, but it should include CCC, which is mentioned above.
The headquarters can be located in several regions, for example in Europe, Asia, Africa,
North America and Central and Latin America, but the location of the Commission should be
considered through the discussion and made by the consensus. The representative of
Nicaragua suggests that Commission should have the location in Latin America.
We also claim that the mentioned Commission must not be a political organization! It is also
highly recommended to cooperate with WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and
UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees).
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The structure of the body is:
1. How many members? and how would they be chosen: those countries which sing the
declaration and the resolution of the definition of the environment refugees,
2. How long would the mandate be?: We suggest a 3 year-mandate
3. The committees working within this body?: 6 regional associations: for Europe, Asia,
Africa, North America and Central and Latin America,
4. What would be its main objectives? To help environmental refugees to renovate their
homes, to ensure them a dissent life, financial help, to facilitate worldwide cooperation in the
establishment of networks of stations for the making of meteorological observations and
climate changes, promote the establishment and maintenance of systems for the rapid
exchange of meteorological and related information
5. How regularly would the experts be meeting? Committees every day, Commission every
week or two weeks.
3. The financing:
The Government of Nicaragua suggests that 2 per cent of the UN total resources should be a
regular budget contribution. All other contributions should be voluntary. The Commission
should also develop a clear strategy and guidelines on private sector fund raising.
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