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UN Environment Programme
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading advocate for the global environment and
supports implementation of the UN's sustainable development agenda. UNEP uses its expertise to
strengthen environmental standards and helps to put these into practice at the country, regional and
global levels. Its mission is to provide leadership, encourage partnerships and deliver solutions on a
range of environmental issues including climate change, disasters, ecosystem management, resource
efficiency and green economic development.
Topic 1: Strengthening disaster preparedness and relief assistance
Topic 2: Promoting sustainable production and consumption
Climate disasters, including extreme rainfall in China, brutal droughts in the US, and wildfires from Siberia to Greece, ravaged every corner of the globe in 2021. With natural disasters driven by climate change becoming inevitable, countries need to ensure their cities and communities adapt by building stronger national capabilities for monitoring, warning, and risk reduction. The international community also has a lot of work to do in improving the coordination of relief efforts to provide timely and effective assistance like ground support and financial aid. Delegates could also consider the question of climate refugees, a challenge that is yet to be officially addressed by the UN, and discuss the related responsibilities of their nations and potential international protection mechanisms.
Topic 2: Promoting sustainable production and consumption
According to latest projections, by 2050 we may need the equivalent of three planets to provide the natural resources required to sustain current lifestyles. This is despite a large share of the world population still consuming far too little to meet even their basic needs. Without a reduction in the global ecological footprint, by changing the way we produce and consume resources, it will soon be impossible to achieve economic growth and sustainable development. Discussion will focus on the key areas of cutting losses in food and water supply chains, industrial resource efficiency and improving waste management systems. The committee should review progress made towards the 2030 targets of SDG 12, strengthen the monitoring framework and revise its current recommendations.
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