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International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey General Assembly
Topic: ​
Preventing a future energy crisis in the face of our changing climate
Director: ​
María Zambrano (MS), Juan Pablo de la Garza Evia (HS)
Moderator: ​
Isabel Cantú (MS), Montserrat Martínez del Campo (HS)
I. Committee Background
The General Assembly, along with the creation of the United Nations, was established
after the atrocities that resulted from World War II. The first meeting was held in London in
1946, right after the conclusion of the war. The General Assembly is one of the UN’s main
organs; it serves as a forum where all UN members assemble to discuss conflicting issues,
mainly those regarding international peace and security. It can be said that the reason the UN
was created was to serve as a background for the General Assembly. It also oversees the UN’s
budget, the overall functioning of the organization, the admission of new member states, and
amendments to the UN’s Charter (Bloom, Vriens, & Park, 2011).
Currently, there are 193 members states in the General Assembly and each has a single,
equally important vote. The sessions are held from September through December, but “special
sessions” can be summoned if an emergency arises which requires them. In the regular sessions,
member states strive to formulate resolutions that they then vote for. The more important
questions require a ⅔majority for the resolution to pass, while the rest only require a simple
majority. Unlike the Security Council, the General Assembly’s resolutions are not binding; they
only serve as recommendations. The resolutions do not need approval from any other organ;
however, the General Assembly does receive resolutions from subsidiary organs for them to take
into consideration. This year they will meet for the 70th session (“General Assembly of the
United Nations”, n.d.).
II. Introduction and Description
Description and Definition of the Topic
An energy crisis is a worldwide concern which demands the use of limited natural
resources for industrialization. As the demand rises, the resources diminish, therefore limiting
the supply and use of it. The usage of natural resources is also limited because the process is
naturally occurring, and takes up to hundreds of thousands of years to restore. Usage of
renewable resources is a priority, and preserving these natural supplies is crucial.
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey The fact that the demand for energy is growing exponentially further increases the
severity of the energy crisis. As population increases, the demand for fuels and all products do so
as well. Therefore, the demand for any type of transport and trade causes a significant drain on
our energy resource. Aging infrastructures are yet another reason for energy shortages, because
of the outdated equipment utilized in the production of energy; it is crucial that these utilities
remain updated. New material such as machinery has proven much more efficient in the storage
of energy. In many parts of the world, the importance of the conservation of energy, as well as
the correct way to use these utilities stands unknown. Countries then end up hampering the
supply of energy, causing a global energy shortage. (“The Global Energy Crisis”, 2004)
The Problem
The energy crisis is a complex topic to address, as most of the world’s population lacks
understanding of the problem or is unaware of the existence of this problem until the price of
petrol rises and affects them directly. The reality of the issue is that sooner or later,
non-renewable resources will run out. The waste of energy by an increasing world population is
the main problem to be addressed. Many people around the globe don’t realize the importance
of conserving energy. The energy crisis is the result of a strain of limited resources and
overconsumption of fossil fuels that will make global temperatures rise and pollute other
important humanitarian resources such as water and oxygen. When the waste of energy starts to
limit energy sources, it is important to note the effects it can have on the world economy, as
prices of fossil fuels and energy sources will rise and destabilize global payments, damaging
financial systems. Limiting the interaction of important companies in the fossil fuel industry,
which are major powers in the world's economy, can also cause significant problems across the
globe. In addition, when energy sources rise in cost, a significant number of developing
countries will be unwilling to invest in high oil prices that are crucial for their growth.
A fundamental aspect of the energy crisis is the lack of scientific exploration and research
regarding new or renewable energy options. Renewable energy options can help prevent the
global temperature from rising, as well as diminishing our dependency on fossil fuels such as
coal. Many countries today lack the investment on renewable energy research and exploration
due to their constrained budgets, which they must prioritize towards other important internal
issues. When moving from non-renewable fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, it is
important to address the transition that will occur and how to smoothen out said transition
around the world – especially in countries of low resources that will lack the technology and
infrastructure. (“The Global Energy Crisis”, 2004; Pollack, 1974)
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey III. History of the Topic
Chronological History of the Topic
The disastrous effects of global warming can date back to the the year 2000 BCE when
the Chinese first started using coal as an energy source. At this same time, Europeans developed
water energy to power mills. During the first century, the Chinese were also the first to innovate
and use oil as an energy source. Soon, coal started to replace other uses of energy such as wood,
wind, and water due to its efficiency, afterwards reaching the United States in 1748. Due to the
use of coal, unusual North Atlantic Oscillations began bringing warm weather around the globe.
Around this time, CO2 levels were 290 ppm (parts per million). As unusual temperature started
to appear, French polymath Jean-Baptize realized that an unusual atmospheric effect was
causing the global temperature to rise. Baptize was the first to use the greenhouse analogy. This
process would later provide an alternative to fossil fuel energy. As a result, William Robert
Grove developed the first hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity in 1838. Soon after, windmills
started to become a popular water-pumping tool in the Western world; however it wasn’t until
1888 that the first windmill was used to generate electricity; the first solar power system was
developed in France in 1860. It wasn’t until September of the year 1882 that the first electric and
the first hydroelectric plants were established.
The beginning of the twentieth century marked the commence of the modern oil industry
when vast oil fields were found in Texas. During these times, alcohol fuel (Ethanol) was found to
be an efficient fuel source that had advantages over petroleum fuels such as gasoline. Through
these discoveries, Ford built the first flex fuel vehicle that ran on gasoline and ethanol fuel.
Then, in 1939, Albert Einstein started investigating the possibility of using nuclear power as an
energy source. Canadian physicist Gilbert Plass proposed the idea of using more CO2, this idea
would warm the atmosphere, and consequently, keep on warming the planet.
The alarming scientific claims caused the United States Federal Government to establish
laws that controlled pollution emitted by oil industries. The global warming problem and
disastrous global temperatures did not receive any world attention until the United States Santa
Barbara oil spill that created a slick of over 800 miles in 1969. It was until the 1970’s that the
global warming problem started to gain global awareness by scientists and governments due to
the overconsumption of energy and the excessive production of fossil fuels. The Yom Kippur
War in October of 1973, between the Arabs and Israeli, caused the Organization of Arab
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to declare an oil stoppage, cementing itself as the first
energy crisis in the world. Einstein’s Nuclear discoveries eventually led to the first nuclear power
plant in Shippingport, Pennsylvania in December 23, 1975; six years later the United States also
began to operate the first solar power plant in California.
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Pripyat, Ukraine, exploded,
causing a nuclear disaster that devastated the region.. This disaster caused radiation to spread
around a large area, with many of the disaster’s consequences still being handled today. The
disastrous effects caused people to oppose the idea of using nuclear energy. By 1992 the CO2
levels were 356 ppm. In 1996, the solar plant established by the United States demonstrates the
low cost method of storing energy. That same year, a hydrogen future act was passed to further
expand hydrogen power development. A year after, EV1 electric cars were released to the public
in order to create a fuel emission vehicle and the Kyoto Protocol was drafted. In the year 2003,
United States President George W. Bush established the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative to ‘promote
Hydrogen fuel cell development as an alternative to fossil fuels’. The Kyoto Protocol was put into
effect until 2005, the same year Greenland suffered a maximum ice sheet melt. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2007 that climate change was
mostly caused by humans, and in 2009, the United States started the first wind energy
development in search for alternative energy sources; however a year later while digging for oil,
the US caused the largest oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (CO2Now, n.d.; “Timeline: Climate
Change”, 2006)
Historical Case Studies
United States and Saudi Arabia
During the early 1970s, the consumption of gasoline and products increased oil
production worldwide, yet led to the declining and dependence on oil imports around the world.
The supply, plus the increase in prices were mainly encouraged by the United States, despite the
fact that the Arab oil exporters couldn’t afford the new resources to increase revenue. During the
Arab-Israeli war, Egypt and Syria attacked Israel, and consequently, the United States joined
forces to aid the Israeli. Therefore, three years later, facing the assumptions feared by many, an
oil embargo imposed by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) led
to the shortage of fuel and the increase of prices. The reduction of this petroleum then lead to
the embargo between the United States and Netherlands. Soon enough, the embargo and
limitation of this oil production sparked the beginning of the international energy crisis.
(“Energy Crisis 1970s”, 2010)
South Africa
In the midst of summer 2007, the energy supply in South Africa began increasing and
the disruption of energy levels from 2007 towards 2008 began changing exponentially. It’s main
company, Eskom, lacked the capacity to meet the demands requested by its customers;
therefore, the supply and demand corrupted the whole energy system. Soon after, the company
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey had to shut down in certain areas, reducing supply at an alarming rate, which rendered a
shortage of energy. Due to high breakdown of equipment and the maximum capacity of plant
usage, the public demand failed to be met. Moreover, the generating capacity of coal-powered
stations decreased by over ninety percent, giving yet another reason for the energy crisis to
endure in South Africa. Short-term solutions for the purchase of these energy supplies were set
in the company to happen that same winter, but once again failed. The unplanned outages due
to this shortage of equipment and lack of plant space then led this issue to persist to date in this
region of Africa. (“Energy Crisis - The case for South Africa”, n.d.)
Pakistan
In the 1990’s, after the effect of the 1970’s energy crisis, the mismanagement of the
Mangla and Tarbela dams led to a short-lived energy crisis in the Middle East. Although it
occurred during a strong economic period, the demand rose and the supply could not keep up.
The government was therefore unable to satisfy and collaborate with consumers and by
consequence worsened the issue. Electricity shortfalls then reached a peak that was never
reached before and the supply and demand in Pakistan was never the same. By 2010, the
demand increased by a shocking 40%. (Kugelman, 2013)
Past UN Actions
During the late 1970’s people began to question the use of energy resources around the
world. The United Nation’s involvement in the topic has been significant. The United Nations
has its own committee, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), focused on working to reduce the disasters of climate change and fossil fuel
emissions, or those that could arise from the continued developments of these. After the
recuperation of the war, the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held a meeting
in 2002 in which the access of energy and energy security was discussed.
Furthermore, the United Nations created the UN-Energy interagency collaboration to
ensure coherence with the control of these resources. The main focus would be the growth on
investments, plus the growth and regulation of energy to control it coherently and consistently –
having an increase in the sharing of information plus the facilitation of the development of
stakeholders for sustainable development. In the search for solutions and the reduction of CO2
emissions, the United Nations Secretary General has started a carbon pricing panel which
consists on putting a price on carbon that eventually lowers the carbon growth and reduces
greenhouse effects. As well, the United Nations has created ‘Climate Friendly’ policies that
should be enforced around the world. Numerous drafts and conferences such as the the Kyoto
Protocol and the Universal Climate Change Agreement have been created by the United Nations
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey with the goal of controlling country's fossil fuel emissions and reducing the possibility of climate
change disasters.
Other than conferencing and working on the table, the United Nations has allied with
mobile film companies to encourage filmmakers to produce films that encourage viewers to act
on climate change. Contests dedicated to finding solutions to climate change are also being
orchestrated by the United Nations in order to encourage citizens of the world to act towards
solving the problem. When the disastrous effects of climate change, such as tsunamis and
hurricanes, hit countries worldwide, the United Nations contributes to the cause by providing
food, shelter, and protection for those affected. In order to be quick and effective, the United
Nations is intent on tackling and solving every single aspect of this issue. (UN-Energy, n.d.)
IV. Key Players and Points of View
Elon Musk
Finding ways to smoothly transition from the two different types of energy has been
tough, but not for Elon Musk. He is a renowned billionaire who has made it his life’s goal to help
this planet. Throughout his life, he has created many companies such as TESLA, SolarCity, and
SpaceX.. The first two are the most important to this topic, seeing as they have drastically helped
the transition into renewable energy. TESLA, an electric car company, has designed
automobiles that are much less harmful to the planet – even less than hybrid cars. They are
thought to be the future of automobiles around the world. Additionally, SolarCity is his greatest
achievement; it is a company that installs solar panels on people’s roofs for free. They gai
n money by working as developers for new projects, and being financed by other companies that
want to implement their designs, charging a “developer fee”. This is a formidable business, and
not only is it successful economically, but it is also helping the world. (“Two views”, 2013)
Predominant View
This point of view is the idealized one by any economist. It states that the world economy
will continue to grow and that jobs will be available for most people. People will be motivated by
the possibility of vast wealth and will live happy lives. The only problem these people will face, is
the future increase in pollution and climate change. People will try to reduce this by having less
children, therefore creating a more sustainable society. Yet this idealized point of view is not
likely in our society. Therefore, it is important to take into account a second perspective. (“Two
views”, 2013)
Alternate View
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey The world largely depends on oil. It is the most important part of the economy and is
also a resource that is steadily declining. It is declining because of its scarcity and the cost of its
extraction. Prior to the 2000s, there was a large gap between the cost of extraction and the
selling cost, making oil extraction a very profitable business. But this has changed; it is now
much more expensive to extract oil and prices have drastically decreased. It is estimated that it
may soon not be of interest to extract oil because businesses would be losing money. Joseph
Tainter, a renowned oil expert, theorized that if this were to occur, businesses would have no
option than to increase the price of oil and therefore create an economic decline. It is clear that
this stipulation is far more likely than the previous, which is why a transition to renewable
energy and/or better efficiency in infrastructure is vital. (“Two views”, 2013)
V. Possible Solutions
Finding a solution to this complex problem is tough and requires not only significant
efforts, but many years as well. The key to preventing an imminent energy crisis is by smoothly
transitioning from non-renewable energy to renewable energy. This is the best chance at
avoiding a world economic depression that may occur with the elimination of gas and oil from
the market.
The first step towards solving this problem is raising awareness. Few people know about
the shortage of non-renewable energy supplies until it directly affects them. Raising awareness
will not only incite people reduce their current energy usage but may prompt people to act and
actively find solutions towards this issue. Second, companies should smoothly transition to use
renewable resources. Efforts towards this can already be seen with an increase in electric and
hybrid cars, wind and water turbines, solar panels, and LED lights. Studies have shown that
these four more efficient solutions vastly reduce the amount of energy consumption. But more
has to be done. Quickly, yet carefully transitioning towards renewable resources is key.
Another method can be through the improvement of infrastructures of energy producing
companies (improving all infrastructures would be ideal, yet is too costly). It is therefore of
utmost importance to upgrade current energy extractors, transporters technology and tools to
drastically reduce the amount of energy lost. This can also be implemented in everyday
households with the change of traditional light bulbs to LED lights or the implementation of
solar panels on roofs.
Finally, a broad stance on climate change needs to be taken. Countries should “adopt a
common stand on climate change” in order to seek to cut their current energy consumption by
half by the year 2050. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital, which would drastically
reduce the consequences of climate change. Countries can motivate their companies,
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that will make the most difference. (“Causes and Solutions”, 2014)
VI. Current Status
Today, billions of people have the privilege of having easy access to electricity and
seemingly boundless energy, however, at the same time, there are others around the globe who
lack access to this vital resource. Throughout the past years, the world has faced both
environmental and economic problems due to the waste and overconsumption of energy.
Around the globe, countries struggle to find solutions towards energy consumption and control.
Economically stable countries show high energy waste and consumption, while developing
countries fight to provide energy to the nation. Recently, the world faced the hottest year ever
recorded in 2014, and research predicts that even hotter years are yet to come. Even though not
all the people around the world have the privilege to use and consume energy, the world is facing
an energy crisis that will be the cause of multiple and severe economic global hardships.
India
300 million of India’s 1.25 billion people currently live without electricity, and another
quarter-billion live from the country’s decrepit grid with a maximum of four hours of electricity
a day. The lack of power in India is affecting both rural and urban areas, limiting citizens and the
country itself from advancing. The attempt to administrate electricity has been pledged by prime
Minister Narendra Modi for more than two years now and the increase of renewable energy
capacity has been set in the country. India as the world’s third largest greenhouse gases emitter,
is attempting to build a modern industrialized economy and trying to bring power to its entire
population. Attempts as such are keeping up with the demands for electricity but drawing
attention to utility sectors in which electricity has been lost exponentially for the past three
years, leading India to an accumulated debt of 70 billion dollars, leaving 600 million people in
the dark. (Martin, 2015)
South Africa
For the past few years, South Africa’s electrical supply commission, Eskom, has had to
implement load shedding and electricity cuts all around the country. In order to reduce the
consumption during periods of shortage supply, the government took action and involved it’s
own vice president to collaborate with the company directly. Alongside plans for Ghana, the
government invested a 5 point plan to improve the power stations overall. Although South
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey Africa’s position is tough, the willingness of the people and the government to invest in over
200,000 rooftop solar panels and generate more energy has helped incredibly. (Hogg, 2015)
Egypt
Over the last few decades, Egypt has faced around six power cuts a day for up to two
hours at a time in which the country has fallen into blackouts. These blackouts only lead to
frustration and a downturn in production because of the disruption of a daily life. Analysts have
predicted that the shortage of electricity is also due to terrorist attacks on energy infrastructures.
The control of supply has led Egypt to these cuts and blackouts. Due to the former dictator,
Hosni Mubarak, reserves from gas fields and mines have been exported at marked down prices
and lost notoriously, leading the government to owe debts all around the whole country.
(Kingsley, 2014)
VII. Bibliography
Browne, J. (2009). Proposal - The Energy Crisis and Climate Change. Retrieved from
http://www.global-economic-symposium.org/knowledgebase/the-global-environment/t
he-energy-crisis-and-climate-change/proposals/the-energy-crisis-and-climate-change
Causes and Solutions to the Global Energy Crisis. (2014, October 5). Retrieved from
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is.php
CO2 Now. (n.d.). Retrieved from
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%5D.pdf
Hogg, C. (2015, May 18). Energy Crisis in South Africa. Retrieved from
http://impakter.com/energy-crisis-south-africa/
Kingsley, P. (2014, August 20). Egypt suffers regular blackouts due to worst energy crisis in
decades. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/20/egypt-blackouts-energy-crisis-power
-cuts
Kugelman, M. (2013, March 13). Pakistan's Energy Crisis. Retrieved from
http://www.nbr.org/research/activity.aspx?id=323
AVE. MORONES PRIETO 1500 • SANTA CATARINA, N.L. MÉXICO 66190 TELEPHONE: (81) 8288­4400 • FAX: (81) 8288­4455 www.immuns.org International Monterrey Model United Nations Simulation American School Foundation of Monterrey Martin, R. (2015, October 7). India Tries to Electrify without Creating an Emissions Disaster.
Retrieved from
http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/542091/indias-energy-crisis/
Pollack, G. (1974, April 1). The Year of Economics: The Economic Consequences of the
Energy Crisis. Retrieved from
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uences-energy-crisis
Solving the world’s energy crisis. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.rit.edu/showcase/index.php?id=36
The Global Energy Crisis. (2004, May 12). Retrieved from
http://planetforlife.com
Timeline: Climate Change. (2006, September 4). Retrieved from
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9912-timeline-climate-change/
Two Views of our Current Economic and Energy Crisis. (2013, October 14). Retrieved from
http://ourfiniteworld.com/2013/10/14/two-views-of-our-current-economic-and-energycrisis/
UN-Energy Knowledge Network. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.un-energy.org/about/overview
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