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Southern China International MUN
Official Background Guide
Committee of ECOSOC: Promoting the Sustainable Use of Natural
Resources World-Wide
Agenda overseen by Chris Kim
1. Description of the issue
In the past two centuries, the human population has leaped in great amounts, leading to the increase of
consumption regarding to natural resources. While exponential leap of human population lead to the
scarcity of resources, humans have been seeking ways to combat the augmenting scarcity of natural
resources.
Renewable energy, which may replace the use of some natural resources such as coal and fossil fuels,
may cause great benefit to the environment. Renewable energy is known to be infinite due to its
availability to be replaced naturally and reused. Examples include biomass, solar, wind, rain, tides,
and waves. However, implementation of renewable energy may cost much, which suspends LEDCs
from utilizing renewable energy.
1.1. History of the issue
The sustainability of natural resources was derived from the traces of earliest human civilizations. In
about 8,000~10,000 years ago, as the agrarian communities began to flourish, they happened to
depend grandly on the environment as local food supply and surplus had became crucial to their
communities.
As human civilization initiated in Sumer, southern Mesopotamia (now Egypt) they declined due to the
overuse of natural resources. Sumer cities had mainly concentrated on agriculture leading to surplus,
which developed its economy and agriculture itself. Consequently, growth of population was enabled
which the increase of laborers and prompting the construction of the irrigation system. However, the
deforestation and the overuse of the irrigation system due to the unstoppable expansion of human
population led to the raised soil salinity. Ultimately, the raised soil salinity alleviated the agricultural
production, which became one of the main factors of declining civilization. As evidence states, from
the year 2100BC~1600BC, the population of Sumer was reduced by 60 percent. Similarly, the
Mayans, Aniasazi have declined due to the neglect of the sustainable use of resources.
In the year 1798, an English economist Thomas Malthus had argued the rate of population increase is
going to far outrun the world’s rate of food supply. In one of Malthus’ essay, it states that the
population had increased geometrically, while the food supply had increased arithmetically
concluding that the demand for resources would collide against the potential the world consists of
producing food. This assertion had soon created supports arguing that characteristics of the population
growth today had become more threatening due to Malthus’ failure to anticipate the minor developing
countries had rapider growth of population according to the demographic transition. During the era
when Malthus had led to controversy, the English population had been nimbly increasing and the
society itself had high restriction on grain imports. The whole assertion happened not to be valid,
however bestowing people in support of the assertion evidence to argue that Malthus’ assertion was
partially correct. Ultimately, Malthus was seeking for efficient ways for the sustainable use of natural
resources.
The advancement of technology and the industrial revolution during the 18th to 20th century had
caused economists to be concerned about the possible depletion of resources such as fossil fuels, and
coal. This technological movement had caused the exponential increase of human consumption
regarding to natural resources. In the 1930s, economists such as Hotelling and Hartwick developed
rules of sustainability of welfare, and the management of non-renewable resources.
1.2. Recent developments Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) initiated in RIO+20, suggests specific goals desiring the
eradication of adversity in Earth, and to make a better place for humans to live. SDG includes: The
eradication of poverty, hunger, insurance of healthy lives, quality education, gender equality, access
to affordable modern energy, availability of sustainable management of water and sanitation,
promotion of sustainable economic growth and productive employment, construction of resilient
infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, reducing inequalities between
countries, ensuring surveillance and sustainability for cities, ensuring sustainable consumption,
combatting climate change, conservation of the ocean, protection of terrestrial ecosystems, promoting
peaceful and inclusive societies, and strengthening the means of implementation. All of these goals
lead to sustainable development, which many of them relate to resource management. These
sustainable development goals have specific sub-goals, which are to be achieved by the year 2030.
SDG applies on all nation states to promote for the development of the human society.
The United Nations Environmental Programme established the International Resource Panel (IRP) to
give independent reliable assessments of the use of natural resources worldwide. The IRP had urged
to promote the effective utilization of natural resources by advocating the sustainable development
goals mentioned above. Based on the goals being proposed on various natural resources such as food,
water, and energy the IRP has submitted scientific researches and reports to the world, in attempt to
reach SDG, which motivated the panel.
2. Emphasis of the discourse
Includes the following:
2.1. Right wing approach
Conservative politicians majorly considering the Republican Party, or any conservative party in a
democratic government, seek humans as the most vulnerable resource environmentally. Conservative
politicians back away from change and tend to be alert unless there is a solid evidence to show that
the change is actually worth to be utilized. The Republican Party believes in environmental policies,
which are made for the needs of localities, which are legitimate for them along by focusing on
succeeding their processes to achieving the desired results.
The American Republican Party supports the development of renewable energy sources.
Nevertheless, the American Republican Party is defiant if the taxpayers would have to pay for the
energy sources. The Republican Party’s perspective conveys an attempt to promote the sustainable
use of resources without hindering the country’s economy. However, the lack of monetary use may
hinder the development of renewable energy, which may be crucial in promoting the sustainable use
of resources.
Some conservative thinkers agree with liberals on attempting to preserve the Earth, and its natural
resources. However, the conservative thinkers disagree on the ways of preserving the Earth. They
view that natural resources are being utilized “to the point of exhausted”, and desiring to enhance
privatized rights to the various sources where natural resources are produced prominently.
2.2. Left wing approach
Liberal politicians such as the Democrat Party had advocated on the development of renewable
energy resources. In contrary to the Republican Party, the Democrats had favored the development of
new energy technology, reducing oil reliance, and exploring natural gas and seeking for an alternate
fuel for coal. The major difference between the Democrat Party and the Republican Party was the
remedy they each had to provide support.
Democrats supported coal and natural gas however, were opposing to the usage of oil. The Democrats
criticized major oil companies by stating Americans should shorten their reliance on oil. Democrats
were in favor of coal, which was environmentally responsible and sufficient. In addition, both the
Republican Party and the Democrat Party had conveyed the importance of alternative energy,
however, the Democrat Party was willing to provide monetary support through tax, promoting
alternative fuels. The Liberals find the burning of coal and fossil fuels impacts human livelihood
either directly or indirectly, which makes them seriously consider about alternating the medium for
fuels.
2.3. Stance of intergovernmental organizations
The international resource panel (IRP) created by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
in the year 2007, concentrates on the links between economic growth and environmental degradation.
The IRP seeks solutions based on evidence such as the statistics of the Global Footprint Network.
Some of the needs the IRP finds urgent is the reduction of the volume of resources used worldwide,
doing ‘more with less’, lifting efficiency and improving rates of recycling, using resources in ways
that cause less harm to the environment, decoupling economic growth from environmental impacts,
developing new ways to use scarce resources more efficiently, and moving the world towards a ‘green
economy’.
The steering committee members of the IRP includes Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt,
Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Netherlands,
Norway, Russian Federation, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, and USA.
The IRP had investigated critical issues along with solutions such as ‘International Trade in
Resources: A Biophysical Assessment’ (2015) for government policymakers, industry, and society.
2.4. Stance of developed countries
Norway: In Norway, there are vibrant forests, which needs sustainable utilization in order to not spoil
the environment, and utilize them efficiently. Hence, Norway decided to initiate a project in the year
2013, emphasizing areas with low accessibility, steep and difficult terrain, and fragmented forests.
The objective of this project is to provide data on increasing wood flow in Norway concerning various
sectors such as social, economical, and environmental.
Canada: In Canada, economic activity majorly depends on its natural resources. Several industries
directly depend on Canada’s natural resources such as forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture.
As of in 2011, 1.9% of Canada’s total GDP depended on Canada’s forest sector, including logging,
pulp, paper, and wood products. In 2010, $7.4 billion were the insignificant values of products for
aquaculture, consisting 85,000 employees. Therefore, insufficient management of these resources
could threaten Canada’s economy as it depends so much on the resources. Canada’s goals of
sustainable use are urging to conserve its landscape, marine areas, and wild species.
European Union: The EU and the UN came together to create a multi-agency EU-UN Partnership.
The UN agencies and the EU’s Instrument for stability have worked together to benefit from the
World Bank and the OECD to create on-line training modules to assist nation states in identifying
certain policies to prevent conflicts which may happen over natural resources. Their goal is to aim at
more effective use of natural resources throughout the 25 years initiating from December 2005. One
of the EU’s strategies to reduce the negative impact of the use of natural resources was replacing
resources causing pollutions with alternatives.
2.5. Stance of developing countries Honduras: Honduras forestry law accompanied by the national forest program has initiated the
framework for the sustainable management of ecosystems. As local actors assist on protecting natural
resources, they are limited on implementation and management capacities. The national institutors
needs more power in order to be able to support the local actors. Hence, Honduras’ objective is
preserving the ecosystem and sustainably utilizing natural resources along with the local actors.
Niger: Niger receives support from the UNDP, and adopted a “Charter of Good Governance”
establishing basic legislations, committing to support in taking control of mineral resources. In the
year 2010, Niger’s Constitution demands publications of natural resource contracts and revenues
through a segregated way. Niger currently has a strategic goal for mobilizing and allocating various
resources from agriculture and livestock, to develop rural credit systems, which could promote the
sustainable sharing of benefits of biodiversity.
3. Possible solutions
Includes the following:
3.1. In favor of developed countries Developed countries have fewer limitations on available resources, money, and technology, enabling
them to take in burdening solutions, leading to rapid results. In developed countries, the alternation of
several polluting resources such as coal and fossil fuels, to renewable resources such as solar, wind,
biomass energy would benefit a country’s environment, and efficiency considering the vast amount of
energy solar and wind energy could produce. Furthermore, countries could initiate projects relating to
the conservation of natural resources for the future. In case of depletion, or an epidemic crisis,
situations would not cause a major deviation if there were enough ‘seeds’ stored for the future.
Sustainable use of natural resources may happen only under the circumstance where natural resources
itself are able to flourish. Hence, countries could seek for ways of increasing the amount of
production for natural products in ways such as utilizing fertilizers.
3.2. In favor of developing countries In developing countries, they have a limitation on various aspects, which makes them less flexible. So
the resolution may concentrate on increasing flexibility in many different ways. Some ways would be
calling out for organizations to do a transparency investigation every once a while to behold whether
any manipulation in the production of natural resources is happening. Since it is usually the
developing countries which covering up the bases of the transparency measure, they are especially
vulnerable from corruption and manipulation of data or profit. Furthermore having the chances of
threatening the country’s economy itself, and being a clear example of demoting the sustainable use
of natural resources. Another solution would be the protection of natural resources itself from any
kind of factor, which may lead to harm. The protection could happen by reducing pollution, creating
boundaries for protected areas, etc.
In order for developing countries to accomplish any kind of solution more efficiently, they would
need to seek for monetary support from a certain organization to receive the funding for any kinds of
solutions, which requires monetary burden.
4. Keep in mind the following How would the promotion of natural resources differ in different stances?
What is the difference between sustainable use and sustainable development?
What is the difference between natural resources and artificial resources?
How could developing countries be flexible enough to bear burdening solutions?
5. Evaluation Natural resources are anything nature provides to human beings, which humans could successfully
utilize. Humans have been gifted with the vast spectrum of natural resources available to us.
However, as human population increase, and are limitations to some of the widely used natural
resources, nation states have to be adaptable enough to combat crisis of any kind. As the United
Nations spent effort in various ways such as forming the International Resource Panel, countries have
spent effort to benefit their economy through projects regarding the sustainable use of natural
resources.
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