WELCOME LETTER

Dear Delegates,

It is our honor to welcome you to the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP) at Chitwan Model United Nations 2017. We hope
that the experience participating in the UNEP will aggregate
knowledge and experience in all delegates.

This study guide will provide you the basic information concerning the
topics. Please note this document only provide the basis for your study
and the general information to guide your preparation. The more
knowledge and information you acquire on topic, the more you will
be able to contribute to the committee and to the final resolution.
Please feel free to contact us if you face any challenges in your
research or while preparing your Position Paper, we are here to help
and provide the best experience for all delegates.

We are looking forward to seeing you grapple with the economic and
policy issues that will come up in committee. We are confident that all
of you can write a resolution with solutions that would make a positive
impact on the lives of others. Please feel free to email us if you have
any questions or concerns about the committee. We are excited to
meet you all at conference.

Sincerely,

Delegate Affairs Team

Chitwan Model United Nations’017

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait
for some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We
are the change that we seek” – Barack Obama
INTODUCTION TO UNEP

The United Nations Environment Programme is an agency of United

Nations and coordinates its environmental activities, assisting
developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies
and practices . It was founded by Maurice Stong, its first director, as
a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment (Stockholm Conference) in June 1972 and Environment
has overall responsibility for environmental problems among United
Nations agencies but international talks on specialized issues, such as
addressing global warming or combating desertification, are
overseen by other UN organizations, like the Bonn-based Secretariat
of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

The UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-

WCMC) is an executive agency of the United Nations Environment
Programme, based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. UNEP-
WCMC has been part of UNEP since 2000, and has responsibility
for biodiversity assessment and support to policy development and
implementation.[1] The World Conservation Monitoring Centre was
previously an independent organization jointly managed by IUCN,
UNEP and WWF established in 1988, and prior to that the Centre was
a part of the IUCN Secretariat.

The activities of UNEP-WCMC include biodiversity assessment,

support to international conventions such as the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), capacity
building and management of both aspatial and spatial data on
species and habitats of conservation concern. UNEP-WCMC has a
mandate to facilitate the delivery of the global indicators under the
CBD's 2010 Biodiversity Target on the rate of loss of biological
diversity, and works alongside the CITES Secretariat producing a
range of reports and databases. It also manages the World
Database of Protected Areas in collaboration with the IUCN World
Commission on Protected Areas. A series of world atlases on
biodiversity topics have been published by UNEP-WCMC
through University of California Press. UNEP-WCMC itself is composed
of multiple Programmes that are concerned with different
conservation sectors: Biodiversity Informatics, Business and
Biodiversity; Climate Change; Ecosystem Assessment; Food Security,
Biomass and Biodiversity; Marine Decision and Support; Protected
Areas; and Species.
AGENDA A :
CONSERVATION AND REHABILITATION OF ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE ANIMALS

INTRODUCTION
Ecosystems and biodiversity are crucial to the planet, and human
survival. Animals are an important part of that equation, and they also
play an intrinsic role in food chains, which are an important part of
any ecosystem. Yet, the planet is currently in the sixth wave of
extinction thanks to human activities, and it is likely to wipe out
thousands of species, from animals to fish and insects. In 2012, the
IUCN Red List featured 5196 and 3079 as vulnerable(VU) and
endangered (EN) animals worldwide. Therefore, it is important that we
protect, conserve, and rehabilitate those that are particularly
vulnerable or are endangered.

Humans are largely responsible for the rapid rate of species extinction,
so they should also be the ones to address the root causes, and try
and seek solutions that will benefit our animals, biodiversity, and
ecosystems. With a growing global population, there will only be
increasing pressure on resources and unless action is taken, the
destruction of habitats, pollution, and over-exploitation will continue.
These root causes could lead to food shortages, decrease in the
quality of life, and inhabitable areas. Therefore, it is important that
they are addressed, and the animals who are endangered by these
human actions are protected and rehabilitated where possible.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Although life and death is a quite natural phenomena of animals to
complete a food chain or more broadly food web, we, humans
have been creating a serious threat and altering the food web.
Industrialization and development have made our life comfortable,
but animals seem to struggle for their existence.

Food
The Human population has been alarmingly expanding these days,
increasing more and more mouths to eat and stomach to fulfill, but
the current percentage of agricultural land isn’t sufficient to produce
food for more than 7 Billion mouths. Thus, it requires the conversion of
forest, natural habitat of several animals to the agricultural lands,
which is not good for endangered or vulnerable species.
Population and Pollution
The luxury of skyrocketing human population demands more and
more places to live, sacrificing the natural habitat of the vulnerable
and endangered species. Moreover, the pollution invited by this
growing population has caused more damage to the animals. Water
becomes polluted from toxic substances dumped or washed into
streams and waterways and the discharge of sewage and industrial
waste. These pollutants come in many forms: organic, inorganic, even
radioactive, and therefore create an immense threat to freshwater
wildlife. Similarly, artificial light and noise often drown out natural
landscapes. In the Arctic, the sounds of oil and gas explorations are
so loud that belugas, bowhead whales and other sea life have had
difficulty feeding and breeding. Light pollution also can impact sea
turtles. Adult and hatchling sea turtles are drawn toward lights along
the beach, thinking they are heading toward the moon.

Climate Change
Sea levels are rising and oceans are becoming warmer. Longer, more
intense droughts threaten crops, wildlife and freshwater supplies. From
polar bears in the Arctic to marine turtles off the coast of Africa, our
planet’s diversity of life is at risk from the changing climate.
Respected scientific organizations such as the National Academy of
Science, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
and World Meteorological Association (WMO) have all identified
climate change as an urgent threat caused by humans that must be
addressed. Burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, to
generate energy has the greatest impact on the atmosphere than
any other single human activity. Global warming has resulted in the
rapid melting of ice due to which polar bears are starving during the
long summer months as they rely on ice to hunt for foods. Similarly,
Ducks, geese and other waterfowl across the country are changing
behaviors and migration patterns and suffering the consequences of
more extreme weather, including drought and floods. Climate
change is predicted to eliminate more than 35% of the Panda's
bamboo habitat in the next 80 years and thus the population is
projected to decline again, reversing the gains made during the last
two decades.

STATUS QUO
WWF’s 2014 Living Planet Report found wildlife populations of
vertebrate species— mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish—
have declined by 52 per cent over the last 40 years. There has been
a decline in the global Giraffe population of 36-40% over 30 years
(1985-2015), making it a vulnerable animal while the Eastern Gorilla
has been promoted to Critically Endangered from Endangered
animals. It has been predicted that if the ongoing population
decline of the Eastern Gorilla continue, 93% of them will be gone by
2054. In contrast to this, the Giant Panda has been listed as
Vulnerable from Endangered due to effective forest protection and
reforestation, however, climate change still acts as a threat to
natural habitat of the Giant Panda.
Moreover, a bitter truth that the world has to acknowledge is the
extinction of many beautiful animals, some of which are listed below:

The West African Black Rhinoceros- last existed in Cameroon,

declared extinct in 2011, thanks to increased poaching and
demand for rhino horn
Pyrenean Ibex - once found throughout the French, Spanish
and Andorran Pyrenees, declared extinct in 2000, thanks to
overhunting

Quagga – native of South Africa, last known Quagga died in

1883

Caribbean Monk Seal – found in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf

of Mexico, declared extinct in 2008, due to overhunt for
their fur, meat and oil by fisherman and whalers.

Tasmanian Tigers - once existed across the Australian continent,

declared extinct in 1936.

The Great Auk- found in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the

British Isles and
Scandinavia, went extinct in 1844.

Similarly, the most endangered and vulnerable ones include:

Africa:
1. Riverine Rabbit – South Africa
2. Ethiopian Wolf – Ethiopia
3. Black Rhino – Sub-Saharan Africa
4. Grevy’s Zebra – Ethiopia, Kenya
5. Pickergill’s Reedfrog – South Africa
6. African Wild Dog – Sub-Saharan Africa
7. Eastern Gorilla – Congo, Rwanda, Uganda
8. Rothschild’s Giraffe – Kenya
9. Chimpanzee – Africa
10. African Penguin – South Africa
11. Northern White Rhino – Africa
Asia:
1. Snow Leopard – Central Asia and Middle East
2. One Horn Rhino – Nepal
3. Lar Gibbon – Indonesia, Thailand
4. Chinese Pangolin – Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, India,
Thailand
5. Red-Headed Vulture - China, Nepal, India, Thailand, Pakistan,
Indonesia(Extinct)
6. Sumatran Tiger – Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal,
Russia, Thailand
7. Bacterian Camel – China, Mongolia
8. Russian Sturgeon – Russia
9. Giant Panda – China
10. Saiga – Russia, Central Asia

Europe:
1. Iberian Lynx – Spain, Portugal
2. Bavarian Pine Vole – Austria
 3. Mediterranean Monk Seal – Greece, Turkey
4. North Atlantic Right Whale – Atlantic Ocean
5. European Mink – France, Russia, Spain, Ukraine
6. Azorean Bat – Azores Islands
7. Madeira Pipistrelle – Azores Islands
8. Roach’s Mouse-tailed Dormouse – Bulgaria, Turkey
9. Sandy Mole Rat – Ukraine
10. Aeolian Wall Lizard – Italy

America:

1. California Condor – USA

2. H.J. Franklin's Bumblebee – USA
3. Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle – USA, Mexico
4. Pygmy Raccoon – USA, Mexico
5. White Headed Capuchin Monkey – Colombia, Ecuador
6. Golden Lion Tamarin - Brazil
7. Blue Morpho Butterflies – Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia

Animal extinctions are mainly due to four factors: human activity,

biological pollution, trade & trafficking and climate change. We will
now look at what these factors entail.
Human activities: the planet’s constant demographic increase leads
to phenomena that constitute a peril to the most vulnerable species
of animals. These activities include urbanization, industrialization and
exploitation of natural resources (deforestation etc.) and lead to the
destruction of fragile ecosystems. Human buildings have also
impacted the repartition and meeting of species. For example, the
digging of the Suez and Panama canals put in contact species that
had lived in separated areas for millions of years
Biological pollution: it is the artificial bringing of species that are
foreign to a natural environment. For example, introduction of the
Asian hornet in Europe, probably through containers from China,
and its proliferation have had devastating consequences on
beehives.41 This kind of hornet eats bees, which are known as the
main pollinator insect, hindering the growth of crops and other
plants. Another example is the carnivorous snail Euglandina rosea
brought to Hawaii to control the population of invasive snails like the
giant African snail. Instead, it became a predator to some other
vulnerable species, leading to the extinction of 50 to 75% of
Hawaiian land snails.
Trade and trafficking: this category refers to more ‘famous’ animals
such as elephants, rhinos, parrots, gorillas etc. Trade of wild animals is
authorised under certain conditions and supervised by the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES), which will be further explained later on.
However, poaching and trafficking of endangered species still
continue for different reasons. As long as there are clients who can
buy with impunity, the traffics will keep going. For example, in
Vietnam it is a widely spread belief that rhino horn powder helps
curing cancer and even hangovers.43 Consequently, it makes rhino
powder a very lucrative business, and a rhino horn is now worth more
than its weight in gold. Tackling such beliefs could help with a
progressive decrease in the demand of rare animal products.
Climate change: global warming has and will continue to have an
impact on the animals’ environment. It triggers some changes in the
abundance and repartition of species on the planet. In Canada, he
earlier than usual arrival of spring made the ice floe melt earlier,
pushing polar bears to go on the land where it is harder for them to
find food. This has led to a decrease in the polar bear population.

References:
1. https://limun.org.uk/FCKfiles/File/LIMUN_2017_STUDY_GUIDES/LI
MUN_2017_Study_Guide-_UNEP.pdf
2. http://www.iucnredlist.org/about/summary-statistics
3. https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/earth-could-
face-another-mass-extinction-next-200-years-study-n268746
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/11-extinct-
animals_n_4078988.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IUCN_Red_List#2012_release
6. https://www.africanbudgetsafaris.com/blog/6-endangered-
animals-to-see-on-safari/
7. http://earthsendangered.com/continent.asp?gr=M&view=c&I
D=3
8. http://www.iucnredlist.org/photos/2016
9. https://www.currentresults.com/Endangered-
Animals/europe.php
Sample Position Paper*

Country: The Republic of Finland

Committee: UN General Assembly
Agenda: Racial Discrimination Faced by Muslim and Arab People in
the Aftermath of 2001 Terrorist Attacks
[The first paragraph describes the background information of the
topic. In this section, it overviews the historical background and
causes of the issue, it also reviews those countries getting involved in
the issue and analyses the effect. In the last sentence, give your
country’s brief standpoint on the issue.]
In the aftermath of 911 terrorist attacks, the world began to highlight
and concentrate on the tangible and intangible terrorism along and
terrorism-related problems. Under the influence of the mass media,
governmental preachment and some real cases, people in the non-
Muslim countries hold an extreme concept that all Muslim and Arab
people are related to terrorism. With the inapprehensive
understanding on this issue, people from Muslim world are insulted in
many fields. Finland government highly concerns the societal
discrimination and disrespect and stresses the law restraint to
eliminate the bald-faced discrimination. Government has remained
at the forefront to improve the dignity and mutual understand
between intercultural citizens.
[The second paragraph focuses on the international society’s
involvement concerning the topic (Especially, detailing how UN
functions in this issue). It mentions the relevant actions (i.e.:
resolutions, conferences, declarations, programmes, etc.) taken by
UN, NGOs and other UN affiliated organs.]
The international community has devoted a lot to the elimination of
racial discrimination and has made a remarkable progress in this
field. Early in 1963, take the elimination of racial discrimination into
consideration with the global concern, United Nations General
Assembly took the formal step of adopting the Declaration on the
Elimination of the All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In 1969 CERD
came into existence as the first international mechanism for the
implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Racial Discrimination. In 2001, World Conference against
Racialism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance was held in Durban, South Africa.
[The third paragraph is dedicated to your country’s involvement in
the issue. It articulates the country’s past actions regarding the topic
(i.e. resolution sponsored, conference attended, conventions signed,
policies adopted, etc.)]
Finland Government insists on advocating the international
consensus on the elimination of racial discrimination. The Non-
Discrimination Act (21/2004) came into force on 1 February 2004; The
Non Discrimination Act (21/2004) came into force on 1 February
2004; the Council Directive (2000/43/EC) implements the principle of
equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic
origin. On 25 January 2007, the Ministry of Justice set up a
Committee with the task of reforming the Finnish legislation on non-
discrimination. Finland also established a consummate system to
monitor the Act. The obligation to supervise equality planning in
workplaces and educational establishments alone covers estimated
5000-6000 workplaces and over 1000 educational establishments.
Finland is always staying in the front line to perfect its legislation to
eliminate the racial discrimination.
[The final paragraph reiterates your country’s standpoint and
elaborates its viewpoints based on UN’s past and present actions on
the topic. It also brings forward your country's constructive proposals
in dealing with the issue. It’s the most crucial part of a position
paper.]
Finland asserts that legislation functions as a mere measure to check
superficial discrimination and conflicts between Muslims and non-
Muslims. Therefore, this government believes that the main reasons
for racism and xenophobia on Muslim are the horrible ready-made
images exaggerated by mass media and government officials. The
all-important task for international community to do now is to redress
the ready-made images of Muslim and reinforce the mutual
understand through intercultural communications in any acceptable
forms. To change the biased attitudes and establish a peaceful and
stable relationship between the West and Muslim world is our
preoccupation. Finland appeals to the reconstruction of the positive
images of Muslim through the intercultural communication,
especially among the young generation. The mass media should
take the responsibility to avoid the exaggeration of the danger from
Muslims. Finland respects Islam, and hopes that in this realm people
can live in harmony in the spirit of tolerance of cultural diversity,
universal human rights, and liberty of religion.
Ref: unachina.org
Sample Working Paper*
Committee: The General Assembly 1,
Topic: World Food Summit: five years later

Working Paper 1 - World Food Summit

Recalling its resolution 51/171 of 16 December 1996, in which it

welcomed the outcome of the World Food Summit, held in Rome
from 13 to 17 November 1996,
Recalling also its resolution 55/2 of 8 September 2000, by which it
adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration,
Recalling further its resolutions 55/162 of 14 December 2000 and
56/95 of 14 December 2001 on the follow-up to the outcome of the
Millennium Summit,
1. Welcomes the holding of the World Food Summit: five years
later, which was organized by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations in Rome from 10 to 13 June
2002;

2. Urges Member States to implement in a coordinated manner

and in close cooperation with relevant bodies of the United
Nations system, as well as international and regional financial
institutions, the Declaration of the World Food Summit: five
years later International Alliance against Hunger;

3. Requests all relevant organizations of the United Nations system,

in particular the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, the World Food Programme and the
International Fund For Agricultural Development, as well as the
international and regional financial institutions, to pursue, at the
 global, regional and country levels, the implementation of the
outcome of the World Food Summit: five years later in the
context of the achievement of the internationally agreed
development goals, including those contained in the United
Nations Millennium Declaration, in particular the goals of
halving the levels of hunger and absolute poverty by 2015, and
in the context of relevant follow-up to the Fourth Ministerial
Conference of the World Trade Organization, the International
Conference on Financing for Development and the World
Summit on Sustainable Development.

Sponsors: USA, France, UK, Brazil and Mexico

*Ref: sorbonenmun

Sample Resolution*
General Assembly Third Committee
Sponsors: United States, Austria and Italy
Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada, Mali and the
Netherlands
Agenda: “Strengthening UN coordination of humanitarian assistance
in complex emergencies”
The General Assembly,
 Reminding all nations of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the
inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all global citizens,
[use commas to separate preambulatory clauses]
Reaffirming its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages
Governments to work with UN bodies aimed at improving the
coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance,
Noting with satisfaction the past efforts of various relevant UN bodies
and nongovernmental organizations,
Stressing the fact that the United Nations faces significant financial
obstacles and is in need of reform, particularly in the humanitarian
realm,
1. Encourages all relevant agencies of the United Nations to
collaborate more closely with countries at the grassroots level to
enhance the carrying out of relief efforts; [use semicolons to
separate operative clauses]
2. Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN
Department of Humanitarian Affairs to streamline efforts of
humanitarian aid;
3. Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to
better enhance the coordination of relief efforts of humanitarian
assistance in complex emergencies;
4. Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that
encourages voluntary donations from the private transnational
sector to aid in funding the implementation of rapid deployment
forces;
5. Stresses the continuing need for impartial and objective
information on the political, economic and social situations and
events of all countries;
6. Calls upon states to respond quickly and generously to
consolidated appeals for humanitarian assistance;
7. Requests the expansion of preventive actions and assurance of
post-conflict assistance through reconstruction and development.
[end resolutions with a period

THANK YOU AND ALL THE BEST