TAS Model United Nations 2015
Forum:
Advisory Panel on the Question of Natural Resources, Seas, and
Oceans
Issue:
Measures to reduce pollution and promote the protection of the
environment wherever affected by fast growth of the economy at local
and global scales
Chair:
Hellen Jang
Introduction
The world is developing at a rapid pace, and the protection of the environment has been
neglected in the process. Environmentally friendly methods of industrialization are considered monetarily
inefficient and incapable of meeting the energy demands of today’s population. However, the need to
reduce pollution is becoming increasingly urgent. Industrialization pollutes various aspects of the
environment: the air, water, and even soil. Energy production and use account for two-thirds of
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which lead to climate change and air pollution, with exposure to
unhealthy air resulting in respiratory diseases. Over one billion people in the world don’t have access to
clean water. This present issue must therefore be addressed at both the local and international level to
ensure sustainable methods of environment protection.
Definition of Key Terms
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of harmful contaminants into an ecosystem.
Economic Growth
Economic growth is the increase in the capacity of an economy to produce goods and services.
Economic growth is measured by analyzing a nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) over time.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The GDP of a country is the value of all the finished goods and services produced within the
nation’s borders in a specific time period, usually a year.
Fossil Fuels
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Fossil fuels are fuels formed by the decomposition of buried organic materials. The three major
forms of fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas.
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are resources that can be replaced naturally and used again. Examples
include oxygen, fresh water, wind, solar energy, timber, and biomass.
General Overview
Types of pollution
Industrialization and fast-growth of the economy can result in a variety of pollutions.
Caption #1 – Health effects of pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the Earth’s atmosphere. The
primary air pollutant is carbon dioxide, which is mostly produced from burning fossil fuels.
Economic sectors rely heavily on coal, the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel. Another cause of air
pollution is increased ownership of vehicles, especially carbon-heavy gasoline or diesel vehicles.
There are numerous consequences of air pollution. It can result in various respiratory
diseases; the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified diesel as a lung
carcinogen. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 3.5 million people die
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annually from outdoor air pollution. Smog created by ozone is both harmful for the human body
and results in hazardous road conditions. Air pollution and GHG emission also result in climate
change, most notably global warming.
Soil pollution
Soil pollution is the contamination of the natural soil environment by the presence of manmade chemicals. The primary cause of soil pollution is inefficient waste disposal, consequently
resulting in toxic or hazardous substances that weren’t treated properly prior to disposal into
landfills. Examples of such substances are household waste, sewage waste, chemicals and
waste material from factories (and even radioactive waste from nuclear power plants). Leakage
of such contaminants from landfills can destroy the surrounding land and bodies of water.
Landfills also produce methane gas, which is one of the major contributors to air pollution.
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, including both freshwater
contamination and marine pollution, the contamination of oceans. One of the major factors of
water pollution is the dumping of industrial waste into water systems. Marine eco-systems are
also damaged with solid waste dumping and oil spills. Additionally, excessive nutrients introduced
into the water from farming processes result in extensive algae growth, which depletes the water
of oxygen.
Major Parties Involved
China
China is the leading fast-growth economy of the world; consequently, its environment is in
a poor condition. In an official government study conducted from 2005-2013, it was found that
16.1% of China’s soil was contaminated. In another study, it was discovered that 59.6% of
China’s groundwater sites are of poor quality. However, the most serious type of pollution China
faces is air pollution. China’s government has taken initiative to resolve air pollution through ways
such as the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution, which aims to reduce air
pollution by over 10% by 2017, alongside the reduction of coal consumption, and the
development of alternative energy resources. In fact, China is one of the biggest investors in
renewable energy.
India
India is another fast-growth economy with grave environmental repercussions. It is the 3rd
largest producer of greenhouse gas. As 41% of India’s total energy consumption is through coal
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and there are currently 7 million registered vehicles in New Delhi alone, India faces severe air
pollution. India has also been involved with protection of the environment, even creating a
permanent branch of the Earth Day Network.
United States
Pollution is also a pressing issue for the United States, which has one of the biggest
economies in the world. 47% of Americans live in areas with dangerously unhealthy air pollution.
The United States and its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working to reduce
pollution in US through the Clean Air Acts and the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Timeline of Events
Date
Description of event
April 22, 1970
First Earth Day
September 8, 2000
“Ensure environmental sustainability” established as 7th Millennium
Development Goal (MDG)
February 16, 2005
Kyoto Protocol enacted
December 21, 2009
First UN GA resolution on Harmony with Nature adopted
UN Involvement, Relevant Resolutions, Treaties and Events
The United Nations has been deeply involved in developing and ensuring a sustainable
environment. In fact, the 7th MDG established at the 2000 Millennium Summit of the UN is to ensure
environmental sustainability.

Promoting Effective Measures for the Prevention and Control of Marine Pollution, 13 Dec 1969
(A/RES/2566)

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 16 Sept 1987

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 22 Dec 1989 (A/RES/44/288)

Kyoto Protocol, 11 Dec 1997

Harmony with Nature, 19 Dec 2014 (A/RES/69/224)

Promotion of new and renewable sources of energy, 19 Dec 2014 (A/RES/69/225)
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Possible Solutions
Reduction of pollution and promotion of protection of the environment requires initiative both at
the local and global level. Locally, individual people should reduce their usage of personal vehicles,
especially those that use carbon-intensive gasoline or diesel. A possible way to encourage such
behavior is for nations to improve their public transportation systems.
Globally, the most important aspect of resolving the issue at hand is reducing dependency on
fossil fuels and increasing the use of renewable energy. Nations must especially curb the use of coal, as
38.2% of world’s carbon emissions come from coal. A possible method of effectively doing so might be
placing taxes on carbon emissions.
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