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SOCOMUN XXV
SOCOMUN
XXV
NOT FRESHMAN A
TOPIC: BIODIVERSITY
SOCOMUN XXV
NOT Freshman A
Biodiversity
This paper was originally written by Erin Gerardo
Hello, my name is Rachel Kim and I am very excited to be one of your co-chairs for
SOCOMUN XXV! I am a junior at SMCHS, and this is my third year to be involved in the MUN
program here. My two favorite aspects of MUN is the preparatory research and the wide variety
of country policies presented during debate because both parts help enhance my awareness of
international issues, as well as the diversity of opinions. In addition to local conferences in
Orange County, I have also travelled to UC Santa Barbara and UC Berkeley in the past two years
of my MUN career. Regardless of the size of the conference, however, each conference has been
a fantastic opportunity to improve my oratorical and critical thinking skills. Regarding
committees, I particularly enjoy debating in the Security Council and the 6th Legal committee,
and some of my favorite MUN topics include the Syrian Crisis, International Law in Postconflict Regions, and Capital Punishment. Outside of MUN, I am involved in the Mock Trial
team at SM as the team captain, and I love to go figure skating or running in my free time.
I hope that our SOCOMUN conference will be a great introduction to MUN for you, and
we greatly encourage you to continue to go to more conferences in the future. We will begin by
debating the topic and proposing solutions in speeches. Then, in order to be able to find delegates
with similar policies for potential resolution groups, we will motion to caucus, which will allow
informal, yet fruitful discussion between delegates. Just keep in mind that it is very important to
fully understand your country’s policy and the solutions that you are proposing– it will lead to a
more successful debate! If you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me at
[email protected] . See you in committee, and good luck!
Background:
The problem with biodiversity arises from the fact that there is a large amount of species
richness in different areas of our planet that is being increasingly disrupted by the actions of
humans as well as changes in the physical environment. Biodiversity is largely limited because
of our own human activity through the exploitation of animals, the destruction of habitat and the
pollution of the atmosphere leading to global warming. The majority of the changes to the planet
is irreversible, meaning that the planet is unable to regenerate the resources that are being
stripped from it due to the demands of the human population. The World Wild Fund for Nature
(WWF) along with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) predict that the
number of threatened species will increase to 1 in 8 birds, 1 in 4 mammals, 1 in 4 conifers, and 1
in 3 amphibians, as well as 1/3 of the reef-building corals in the next several years. This has
begun to take a heavy toll on humans as well because of the fact that that over 350 million
people suffer from water scarcity brought on by pollution and the inability to have access to safe
and viable drinking water. On top of this, the lack of biodiversity caused shortages in food
supplies as well as increased vulnerability to pests and disease that can easily be spread between
humans and other species. Humans use 25% more natural resources than the sustainable amount
for a prosperous life on earth. Habitat destruction plays a major role in the lack of available food,
water, cover, and places to raise young for many of the species currently living in wildlife areas.
Humans tend to overlook this because of the fact that the resources in this area are necessary to
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continue production. However, activities like agriculture, oil and gas exploration, commercial
development, and water diversion are key contributors to the overall destruction, fragmentation,
and degradation of the habitats. Another topic of concern that is often overlooked is the
introduction of alien species to an area to best benefit farmers or growers, or even through
natural means of transportation of seeds or dispersion of species. This may seem to add to the
biodiversity in a given area, but it actually disrupts the ecosystem by causing the native species
to have difficulty continuing to thrive and expand. In different areas of the world, species face
different levels and types of threats that need to be combated in different ways. The growing
problem of the loss of biodiversity is not something that can be dealt with lightly. Conservation
attempts are continuing to be made. However, the extinction rates and the degree in which
biodiversity is being lost continue to outweigh these efforts.
Possible Solutions:
Organizations like the UN as well as various NGOs have worked tirelessly in order to
help alleviate the problem of the loss of biodiversity. However, the effectiveness of these
resolutions has been limited. Through the establishment of local initiatives including the start-up
of Certified Wildlife Habitats near homes, schools, and businesses, native plants can be provided
with nutrients, and clean water in places of cover in order to allow them to be preserved. This
will allow for the spread of awareness of habitat loss and the encouragement of small steps
forward on a domestic level.
Additionally, the incorporation of partially monitored estuaries on sea borders will be
able to prevent habitat destruction and reestablish ecosystems of native species that thrive in a
given location. This could include the limiting of numbers of coral reefs open to commercial use
or scientific studies and will allow for the currently damaged bionetworks to reestablish
themselves. It will also allow for a stable environment to be created without the introduction or
removal of species on a frequent basis.
Finally, through the decrease in the production of cheap, non-reusable products, countries
can reduce their output of air and water pollution that are often associated with unhealthy, noneco-friendly industrial activities. Cheap products are often low in quality and require frequent
exchange therefore fostering the need for more production which is accompanied by the release
of fossil fuels leading to global warming. Through the promotion of higher quality products to be
exchanged on the global market, production in many of the powerhouse countries will be
reduced, thus benefiting the environment as a whole. Through the implementation of solutions
such as these, the problem of the loss of biodiversity can be aided, thus benefiting both the
human species as well as all others that are threatened, endangered, or fearing extinction.
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Questions to consider:
The following questions are provided for you to consider as you research, but it is not necessary
for you to explicitly answer these at the conference.
1. Does the problem of the loss of biodiversity have a strong effect on the human race or is it
more concentrated on the species that are leaning towards being threatened or going extinct?
2. How much are ecosystem services worth in the global scale of things?
3. What are the main drivers of habitat loss in your country, and do they extend to the global
community as well?
4. Has your country had to deal with any specific incidents of large scale loss of biodiversity? If
so how did it affect them?
5. Which bodies or organizations, either domestic, national, or international have taken a stance
on the topic of biodiversity and what steps have they taken that have been beneficial or harmful
to the problem as a whole?
6. How are the topics of biodiversity and conservation related, and what can be done in regards
to conservation in order to help limit loss of biodiversity?
7. What has the UN done thus far in order to promote biodiversity, and has your country
supported these decisions? Why or why not?
8. Consider the possible threats of not limiting the loss of biodiversity. What would this mean for
the human race and the planet as a whole?
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Works Cited
"Biodiversity and Ecosystems .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform." Biodiversity
and Ecosystems .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. N.p., n.d. Web. 24
Apr. 2016.
"Habitat Loss - National Wildlife Federation." Habitat Loss - National Wildlife Federation. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
"How Does Biodiversity Loss Affect Me and Everyone Else?" WWF Conserves Our Planet,
Habitats, & Species like the Panda & Tiger. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
"How To Reduce Pollution: Some New And Old Ideas Alike." How To Reduce Pollution •
Environmental Pollution. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
"Learn About Sustainability." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
"Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions." - Global Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
Pimm, Stuart L. "Biodiversity." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.
Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
"UN-led Biodiversity Plan Aims to Expand Economy While Protecting Endangered Species."
UN News Center. UN, 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.
"Urban Environment Unit , UNEP." Urban Environment Unit , UNEP. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr.
2016.
"We Are Asking the Four Questions of Biodiversity Conservation at #NACCB2014 – What's
Your Answer? Updated (x2)!" BioDiverse Perspectives. N.p., 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.