web viewcommittee chairs: lucas conti and anant pai. director of english committees: benjamin...
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OAS Permanent Council
Topic A: Addressing Climate Change in Latin America
HACIA Democracy XXIV Summit of the Americas
Committee Chairs: Lucas Conti and Anant Pai
Director of English Committees: Benjamin Schafer
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Introduction
What do you think about when you hear the word energy? Often it is a mere buzzword
for most people, one that has been used with increasing frequency in recent years. Depending on
what you do, what you study and how old you are, you may hold different interpretations of the
word and have different ideas of what it really means. Some just know it as “the thing that turns
my lights on” or “what I need to power my phone and my TV.” As it turns out, energy is much,
much more than that. Throughout this bulletin, I will expose you to what energy really is, teach
you about the enormous amount of power it gives to the nations who control it, and describe how
the way humans produce energy today threatens life as we know it. Finally, I will work with you
to learn how nations can come together in order to solve what is one of the greatest issues
humanity has ever faced.
Energy makes up everything in the universe. This has been known since Einstein
published his famous equation e = mc2 in 1905, stating that energy is just mass multiplied by the
speed of light squared.1 This implies that everything in our world is made of energy: people,
animals, computers, and even the air that we breathe to fuel our bodies. This energy is stored in
the bonds of molecules and inside the atoms that make up all of the elements in the universe, and
can be accessed when these bonds are broken to generate power and heat.
Since energy makes up everything in the known universe and all animals rely on energy
to survive, it should come as no surprise that energy is one of the most important resources for
humanity to thrive, and it holds an intrinsic ability to make things happen. Throughout human
history, the energy capacity of a society has determined the rate of growth of a population, and
how much energy a country has access to determines how successful or how powerful it may be.2
Combusting coal and petroleum produces incredible amounts of energy, but while these
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resources may appear to be “free energy” for governments who own and control them, the gases
emitted by combustion cause a lasting impact on the conditions of this planet and on the health
and safety of the animals who inhabit it. Models supported by scientists like Stephen Hawking,
one of the world’s most respected scientists, predict that humans, among many other species of
animals, will no longer be able to survive the harsh climates of Earth in the next few centuries if
current trends persist, abruptly ending all forms of known intelligent life in the universe.3,4
Seeing as energy and climate change are such an important and powerful concern for
humanity, governments must come together and collaborate on the best transition to a society
where humans produce energy without threatening life as we know it. The mandate of the
Organization of the American States reports that it seeks to provide solutions to political,
juridical, and economic problems that may arise among the member states.5 Additionally, the
OAS strives to promote by cooperative action economic, social, and cultural development in the
Americas. The current issue of climate change is intrinsically linked to possible economic
growth and collapse, cultural development, and revolutionary social movements towards science,
education, and empowerment of civilians through affordable energy. Scientifically speaking,
climate change and renewable energy are among the most important issues that humanity must
face in order to sustain long term population growth and habitable conditions on this planet.
The tone in this committee will be primarily scientific and economic with a focus on how
governments can use science and technology to shape policy, which will later develop into a
multitude of cultural and social transformations.
History and Powers of the Committee
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The OAS was formed in 1948 in Bogotá, Colombia, with the signing of the Charter of the
OAS, which entered into effect in December of 1951.6 The Organization was established in order
to achieve “an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their
collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence”
among member states as stipulated in Article 1 of the Charter.7
There are 35 represented countries in the committee, each an independent state of the
Americas. These countries have agreed to the terms of the OAS and decided that it is in their best
interest to cooperate with the other member states to work towards solutions of broad scale
impact to the region. More specifically, the Permanent Council consists of one Permanent
Representative of each member state, especially appointed by the respective government with the
rank of Ambassador.8
The charter of the OAS--which outlines the principles of the organization, its members,
the fundamental rights and duties of the states, the powers of the General Assembly, and the
duties of the Permanent Council--is the most important document for the OAS because it dictates
how the body functions, who can be in the organization, and what powers the body holds. The
document can be found at the OAS’s website.5 Additionally, delegates should become familiar
with the Statute of the Permanent Council of the OAS, as this document serves the foundation
for this specific committee of the Organization of American States.9
The Organization of American States acts more as a forum of political dialogue among
the member nations than as an enforcing entity among the states. The General Assembly of the
OAS, with help from its different councils (such as the Permanent Council), can make
recommendations to member nations on how to best approach the problem at hand, but no
member nation has the power to intervene with the sovereignty of any other nation. The
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committee’s resolutions are thus non-binding; they should act as detailed recommendations used
to battle an issue of transcontinental proportions such as the problem of climate change and
renewable energy.
Aims of the Committee
Although the topic of climate change and renewable energy is very broad and
encompasses many different sectors and industries, this committee will focus on the role of
government in controlling carbon emissions, providing economic incentives for both companies
and consumers to go green, and investing in the green energy economy and research sector in
order to stimulate job growth in the area.
If a plan is reached among the member states, Latin America could become one of the
leading regions in renewable energy, which will undoubtedly become one of the biggest
economic and research sectors of the future. According to Bloomberg, the renewable energy
market will hold values upwards of US $20 trillion within the next few decades.10 Furthermore,
adopting a green plan and implementing it efficiently will serve as an example for the rest of the
world that a shift to renewable energy can be done.
Much like the industrial revolution fundamentally changed the social and economic
structure of 19th-century England, the impending energy revolution has the potential to do the
same for adopting nations. Energy is one of the most expensive commodities in the world, and
the development of affordable renewables has the potential to power entire countries for a
fraction of the cost of today, facilitating growth and prosperity in Latin America and the globe.
Insofar as the primary goal of this committee is to address global climate change reform
and to put the issue on the forefront of the political agenda of the OAS, resolutions should be
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tailored to address policy reform and economic incentives in the nation with a focus on education
and job growth leading to sustainable industries. The coal and oil sectors will be disturbed by a
rise in renewable energy infrastructure, and resolutions must address what will happen to the
millions of workers who will be left out of a job because of the transition away from carbon-
based energy resources.
Delegates should keep in mind each member country’s individual policies on the issue of
climate change and renewable energy. Additionally, delegates should be aware of the possible
short term and long term economic consequences that may arise from their resolutions. Will the
proposed solution incentivize job creation in one area but leave many from the coal and mining
industry behind? How can we reconcile the transition from coal to renewable resources and the
destruction of a whole industry? Can education play an important role in this transition? How so?
How will this decision affect countries that have large political or economic ties to the oil and
carbon energy industry?
Keep in mind that the basic problem to be addressed lies in a smooth transition to the full
use of renewable energy in Latin America and the world, weaving together and pushing through
economic, political, social, environmental, scientific, and corporate hurdles along the way.
The Topic in Context
This section aims to accomplish several goals. First, the definition of energy will be
explored in more detail, and the power granted to nations who control this energy will also be
discussed. Lastly, this section will describe how current energy production threatens life as we
know it.
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As mentioned in the introduction, energy, when it comes down to it, is what makes up
everything in the universe. Known since Einstein published his world-famous equation e = mc2
in 1905, energy is mass multiplied by the speed of light squared. This means that everything in
our world is made of energy: people, animals, the ocean, computers, and even the air that we
breathe to fuel our bodies. As previously mentioned, this energy is stored in the bonds between
molecules and inside the atoms that make up all of the elements in the universe, and can be
accessed when these bonds are broken to generate power and heat.11
Humans eat food in order to access energy stored in bonds between atoms to fuel our
bodies and daily activities. For thousands of years, humans needed energy solely for nutrition
and survival: hunter and gatherers went out into the world to kill other animals and collect nuts
and fruits that could provide energy. This was the way humans carried out their lives before the
advent of modern agriculture, which generated a revolution.
With the beginning of agriculture, humans realized that they no longer needed the
majority of the population working to produce food to generate energy. Therefore, many
members of the population had time to delve into other activities like teaching, manufacturing
goods, and commerce.12 Full civilizations, language, writing, and trade emerged. With this
newfound free time and increased energy capacity, the human population boomed, and with it,
humans found new ways to use energy for work and to improve the quality of human of life.13
The next huge energy transition was marked by the development of the steam engine and
the internal combustion engine, which gave rise to the industrial revolution in 18th- and 19th -
century England.14 Here, humans learned to produce cheap and reliable energy: the human
population garnered the ability to burn fuel (breaking the bonds in carbon during combustion)
inside of a machine in order to produce energy to do work. The work that was previously done
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by one-hundred horses could now be done by a single machine, enabling the construction of
assembly-line factories, the expansion of roads and networks, and the development of railroads
and steam locomotives.15 This once again revolutionized the way and the speed at which many
goods and foods were produced, making them more efficient and freeing members of society
from having to work to generate food and goods for the population.
With this newfound free time and increased energy capacity, society revolutionized both
domestic and international trade systems, and the human population boomed yet again. In fact, it
took hundreds of thousands of years for the human population on Earth to reach 1 billion people,
which finally occurred in the year 1800. Shortly thereafter, in just over one-hundred years
(1928), the population doubled to reach 2 billion people.15 Now, less than one-hundred years
after that, the population will cube itself to reach 8 billion people within the next few years.16
Coal and petroleum are good sources of energy because they have a lot of carbon that,
when combusted, generates energy. Energy sources like this are said to have a very high energy
density.17 Around the Industrial Revolution, Britain consolidated its position as a world
superpower in part because it was geographically situated above a lot of coal that could drive
industry and commerce.18 This gave England a lot of power since it controlled production and the
trade of goods. Other nations then started mining and burning coal as well, producing even more
“free energy” to generate industry and revenue.
Soon, the nations that had access to the largest amount of oil and coal became the richest
and most powerful nations in the world. Today, energy generated from these and newer methods
help power your home, fuel your car, charge your phone and computers, power your TV, keep
the internet alive, and turn on most of the lights in the world. In order for this to happen, a lot of
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coal and oil need to be burned, leading to what is now known around the world as the
devastating problem of climate change.
The science behind this phenomenon works as follows: when carbon burns during
combustion, it releases an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon
dioxide (CO2) is part of a category of gases called greenhouse gases.19 These gases trap heat
from light that is delivered to our planet by the sun and therefore raise the temperature of the
Earth.20 Although they are important for Earth to maintain a minimum temperature and not freeze
over, too many greenhouse gases can lead to devastating consequences. When the temperature of
the Earth rises, its oceans swell and expand, the polar ice caps melt, full habitats and ecosystems
become endangered, and, most notably to humans, more extreme and disastrous weather patterns
emerge.21 When the underlying causes of these disasters go untreated, humans need to expend
more energy in order to fix the issue or protect themselves from the consequences; therefore, a
downwards spiraling vicious cycle may emerge if renewable energy resources cannot be
developed in a timely fashion.
Beyond disrupting ecosystems and weather patterns, rising global temperatures would
make potable water even more scarce throughout the planet. This would mainly affect
developing countries and nations who most rely on it for survival.22 Furthermore, humans are in a
desperate need to expand their energy use every day because of a rising global population, rapid
technological developments, and increasing quality of life, but the Earth has a limited stock of
carbon-based fuel. Petroleum forms through millions of years of pressure underground, but
humans are consuming this substance and pumping it into the atmosphere at a much faster rate
than it is produced.23 Consequently, without even thinking about climate change, it should be
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clear that humans need to work on developing new modes of energy (solar, wind, biochemical)
in order to sustain the population for generations to come.
Historically, the actual problem of climate change, independently of energy science,
became apparent soon after the industrial revolution in England. At the time, scientists had
already begun to agree that CO2 gas caused the retention of heat and energy and that the Earth
had a layer of these so called “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere that contributed to the
development of the flora and fauna of the planet.24 Even back then, theories suggested that the
combustion of carbon compounds for energy could alter this atmospheric layer and have an
overall impact of increasing the temperature of the planet by a few degrees.25 Models accurately
predicted the rise in global temperatures, but the consequences of these rising numbers were not
fully understood until later in the century.
As CO2 and other greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere at an increasing rate
due to higher energy demands from the burning of carbon-based resources, the issue of climate
change has become a lot more relevant. In fact, if we do not do something about it in the next
decade, the effects of global warming and climate change on the Earth may become irreparable.
This topic is relevant and extremely pressing for the entirety of humanity, but it is
especially relevant for Latin America as the region is projected to be one of the most affected by
climate change if little to minimal action is taken in the next decade.26 If the continent decides to
invest in renewables and diverge from fossil fuel emissions, the region may also see a rise in
jobs, a decreased cost of energy (and subsequently a decreased cost of living), and better living
conditions with higher quality of life.
Several attempts have been made to address this issue in the past, and several others are
currently ongoing. The Paris Climate Agreement has emerged prominently as an example of
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such attempts, and while many debate its efficacy in fighting the problem, it is a major step
towards the goal of reducing carbon emissions and investing in so called “green,” “sustainable,”
and “renewable” energies for use by humanity.27 Other attempts at reducing the problem have
been made by private entities and corporations in both a corporate manufacturing setting and a
public awareness platform.
Many of the public awareness attempts for resolving climate change have fallen short due
to a lack of “immediacy,” a lack of considerable thought to long term consequences of the
problem, perhaps because short term consequences do not seem as catastrophic. Awareness
campaigns have focused mainly on raising a concern about climate conditions and the “health”
of the planet without emphasizing how deeply that will affect human lives and the standard of
living in the future.28 Successes have come around slowly, and support for a unified immediate
effort to combat the issue has risen recently throughout the world, but much more still needs to
be done.
Scientists, engineers, and activists have been the majority of those dealing with and
attempting to solve the problem, while governments and major corporations that profit from
carbon-based energy production have ignored the problem almost entirely. The issue here is that
the majority of money and resources are stuck with those who chose to ignore the problem due to
political or business reasons- mainly because these entities want to keep their wealth and power;
however, the costs do not outweigh the benefits in the solutions proposed. Most efforts towards
ameliorating this problem carry huge potential benefits due to the nature and seriousness of the
situation that may arise if this dilemma cannot be dealt with in time. Herein lies another piece of
the complexity of this problem: humanity is racing against time to think of better and more
efficient solutions to carbon-based energy production.
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In the last couple of years, climate change and energy have gained significant ground in
the public eye because of many different factors. Politically, corrupt government entities have
been caught in illegal deals with major oil companies (prime example in Brazil).29 Scientifically,
leading research institutions have made a huge push towards renewable energy research, a good
example being the state of California approving "more than $17 million in grants for research in
energy efficiency, natural gas, and agricultural and industrial sectors."30 In the business sector,
society is moving towards devices that consume more energy and that are accessible to more
people, while keeping energy efficiency at a maximum. As the population continues to grow,
more energy will be needed to charge all of these devices and to satisfy humanity’s needs.
Fueling this increasing demand with carbon fuels instead of building new clean energy initiatives
would be detrimental to the survival of the human race. Furthermore, industry leaders like Elon
Musk’s Tesla electric car company are making headway in getting mass produced electric
vehicles out to the public all while making it attractive and enjoyable to consumers.31
Most importantly, this topic has been relevant because of Donald Trump’s continued
efforts to move away from clean energy initiatives and to revitalize the coal industry in the
United States. Most recently, Trump left the Paris Accord even though the rest of the
representatives in the agreement stated that the deal was not renegotiable.32 The action to leave
the accord carries heavy consequences as it may lead to a domino effect of other countries also
deciding to leave the agreement, diverting government agendas away from clean energy and
climate change. However, leaving the deal also opens up room for other countries like China and
France to take over renewable energy resource research and production, possibly becoming
leaders in the field ahead of the US. Furthermore, France’s newly elected president Emmanuel
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Macron has urged American researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs to go to France to work on
their research and improve the rate of scientific advancement in the area.33
The Crux of the Debate
Throughout the last decade, climate scientists have grown increasingly concerned about
climate change as the world experiences a furthering of extreme weather conditions around the
globe. Notably, massive floods, glacial melting, and large hurricanes have tormented populations
along the Americas for the better part of the 21st century.34 Most recently, hurricanes Harvey,
Irma, Jose, and Maria of 2017's hurricane season devastated the Caribbean, Cuba, and Puerto
Rico, leaving destruction along their path.35 Member countries may come into the discussion
with slightly different priorities on how to deal with the issue based on their individual nation’s
problems and economic positions. Countries that have seen historically higher rates of
deforestation because of their individual natural resources may focus policy in combating
deforestation and protecting wildlife sanctuaries both in land and off-coast near regions of dense
coral reef populations. Other economies may have to shift the climate change argument to
slightly favor specific problems their nation may face. As an example, a number of Caribbean
states participate in AOSIS, an Alliance of Small Island States that represent 44 island and
coastal countries around the world that called for a 1.5-degree Celsius limit on global warming,
as they believe this action may be one of the only ways to prevent rising sea levels from
engulfing their homes.7
In an effort to mitigate the long-term effects of climate change in the region, six Latin
American countries, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Perú, Guatemala and Panamá decided to
create a new negotiating bloc named the Association of Independent Latin American and
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Caribbean states (AILAC) in 2014.7 These countries decided to stop waiting for wealthy nations
like the United States to take action in reducing carbon emissions and launched a compelling
case for the development of low-carbon initiatives both at home and abroad.7 This bloc was
among the first to secede from the ongoing financial/ideological stalemate between North
America and Latin America that had plagued climate change negotiations for years, where Latin
American countries had long been waiting for increased financial support from North America.36
With this new bloc, they can push and develop their own climate agenda to forward Latin
American interests with many expressing the opinion that wealthy developed countries should be
doing more to help, but if they are not going to join the movement they should stop impeding
climate negotiations.7
José Alberto Garibaldi, a key participant in the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and advisor to many Latin American countries, adds that AILAC
provides a fresh view on this fundamental problem and advances hope to stir reform, much of
which has been stunted by fragmented views on climate policy in the continent and international
inaction.7 As an example, Brazil has long been a major player in climate change discussions in
Latin America with help from its sizeable push towards ethanol biofuel production from large
sugar-cane plantations but was forced to align itself with stronger allies China, India, and South
Africa to create the BASIC bloc after political inactivity from other nations.37 This initiative lead
to an important shift in climate talks that played into the development of the Copenhagen Accord
in 2009, representing an important step as the world’s major economies offered explicit
international climate pledges to mitigate environmental threats.38
In a more radical bloc, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America (ALBA),
countries like Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Cuba focused on pressuring
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developed countries to commit to severe emission cuts in an attempt to push these wealthy
nations to pay their climate debt, reasoning that much of current carbon emissions are coming
from such states.7 This bloc believes in the principle of “Common but Differentiated
Responsibilities,” the idea that developed countries need to lead the push in climate change
reform since they have done the most to create the problem that is so severely affecting
developing nations in Latin America and the world at large. In 2012, some of the ALBA member
nations formed the LMDC bloc, the “Like-Minded Developing Countries” that share similar
ideologies with China, India, and Saudi Arabia.
Yet another ideological group, the Central American Integration System (SICA), made
up of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá, and the
Dominican Republic, have demonstrated a serious concern and pushed for increased recognition
that this region is among one of the most vulnerable and most affected by climate change, thus
focusing on maximum utilization of the Green Climate Fund, an initiative launched by 194
countries in the UNFCCC seeking to “promote a paradigm shift to low-emission and climate-
resilient development, taking into account the needs of nations that are particularly vulnerable to
climate change impacts.”39
These underlying conflicts related to climate change arise between different schools of
thought in Latin America, and are primarily centered around increasing levels of urgency in
severely affected countries. However, other important financial factors at play may underlie
many decisions related to reform. Some include quickly capitalizing on an oil market that is
seeing increased growth in Latin America due to newfound oil in the region.40 A newly
discovered reservoir off the northeastern coast of Brazil may be home to more than 14 billion
barrels of petroleum that could yield steep economic growth at the expense of nearby coral reefs
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and bustling wildlife, and damage to these ecosystems would drastically affect the lifestyle of
nearby fishing villages. Latin American countries such as Brazil have gained increasing
international influence over their oil exports in recent years, and a switch to renewable energies
may slow down the rate of this increasing economic power in a short timeline. However, many
believe that investments in renewables could prove the best economic decision in the long run as
the world advances its transition from carbon-based resources to wind and solar.
As stressed in A Fragmented Continent: Latin America and the Global Politics of
Climate Change by Guy Edwards and Timmons Roberts, Latin America must “attempt to
balance climate action with building prosperity.” They add that Brazil successfully reduced its
deforestation and continues its drive for economic growth and recognition. Furthermore, a leftist
group spearheaded by Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador agrees on the injustices and setbacks of
climate change but is heavily reliant on fossil fuel exports. Finally, Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru
offer steep cuts in their carbon emissions in exchange for increased action by others.41 In order to
get past this challenge, several approaches to climate change reform can be debated, many of
which I will describe further in this bulletin.
An emerging approach to climate change reform has focused on a rights-based
discussion, which is considered at length in the OAS’s own publication Climate Change: A
Comparative Overview of the Rights Based Approach in the Americas (I suggest a thorough
read).42 In addition, this document provides invaluable information on individual Latin American
countries’ positions and current policies regarding the issue. For a lighter yet still informative
read on key policy definitions and specific actions taken by countries like Bolivia, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, I recommend WWF Climático’s Latin
America and the Caribbean Action on Climate Change (maybe start here for context).43
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In the end, the various actors in this convoluted play are fighting against a future that
leaves the planet uninhabitable due to rising global temperatures that result in major natural
disasters that pummel current city infrastructures. On top of that, they are fighting to make the
transition to renewable resources one that does not completely disrupt one of the world’s current
most powerful industry: the oil and gas economy. The pressing need to move past this issue in
order to guarantee a safe and habitable planet for generations to come will tie countries together
during this discussion, along with a way to solve the economic difficulties that must be overcome
in order to achieve this reality.
Non-OAS Interests
Beyond the OAS, private companies and multinationals, particularly in the auto industry,
are paying increasing attention to the renewables sector as they see new potential in the market
for electric vehicles. This potential has been accelerated as batteries continue to see a sustained
drop in price and with fully electric cars seeing a 102% increase in sales in the US.44 In fact,
battery prices have fallen by nearly 80% between 2010 and 2016, with manufacturers in China
and elsewhere preparing to significantly boost battery production potentially leading to steeper
price drops in the years to come.17 This shift comes at a time when the Environmental Protection
Agency estimates that a whopping 14% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally come from
the transportation industry, with numbers claiming that as much as “95% of the world's
transportation energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, largely gasoline and diesel.”45 The
Swedish automaker Volvo has gone as far as announcing that every new Volvo will be a hybrid
or electric car by 2019, and global investors have valued billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s
electric car company Tesla Motors above conventional auto companies Ford and General Motors
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in the US market.46 The push for electric vehicles has been so significant in the private sector that
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that “France will end sales of petrol and
diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of an ambitious plan to meet its targets under the Paris climate
accord”.47
This industry-wide push toward electric vehicles and cleaner energy is not a standalone
case in the private sector. Several other initiatives beyond the transportation have started to take
hold, most recently including Elon Musk’s promise to install the world's biggest grid-scale
battery in Australia.48 This gargantuan lithium-ion battery powered by an adjacent wind farm,
will serve as the emergency backup power for the entirety of South Australia, a state constantly
racked by power outages due to recurrent storms and heat waves.49 If this deal is to succeed, it
will prove to the world that renewable energy has applications in mass energy production,
potentially leading to a paradigm shift in the green energy private industry and providing new
alternatives for South American governments.
Any serious company in the transportation or green energy industry that is interested in
investing in the future should see that the market is heading in the sustainable development
direction, and it may be worthwhile for those industries to allocate a fraction of their resources to
scientific and technological developments in the area. Many now think that humanity needs to go
green in the next few decades in order to have a chance of survival on this planet, and talks
should focus on the best way of going about to achieve this. Individual nations and multinational
corporations have posed different solutions to the same problem, and particular players should
have larger stakes and responsibilities in this issue so long as they are either contributing to the
problem or helping humanity solve it. Countries that have higher CO2 emission values (USA,
China) or countries that have the most resources to deal with this issue should play a major role
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in attempting to fix the problem. Additionally, industry leaders who are at the head of businesses
in companies that fundamentally advocate for or against climate change based on individual
interests (like Tesla, Exxonmobil, PetroBras) should have a large stake in this debate. Together,
governments, private multinationals, non-profits, public initiatives, and affected citizens must
join forces in order to tackle the monstrous puzzle of climate change reform in the decades
ahead.
Power of the Committee to Address the Topic
As discussed at length throughout this bulletin, the issue of climate change is an
international, multidimensional problem that must rely on extensive cooperation between nations
if a solution is to be eventually developed and implemented. In framing their position papers,
delegates must keep in mind what the OAS Permanent Council can do as a body in order to
accelerate reform. Article 1 of the OAS Charter states that the organization was established to
achieve for its member nations “an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to
strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their
independence.”50 In addition, the OAS wishes “to promote, by cooperative action, their
economic, social, and cultural development.”
As part of its jurisdiction, the OAS can publish reports and recommendations that regard
political, economic, and social aspects of its member states in addition to holding influence in
persuading academic institutions, local governments, and private organizations in the region.
Since the OAS is responsible for checking and addressing human rights issues in Latin America,
it must do all it can to ensure an energy-rich future for the region that does not rely on the active
destruction of the planet. In doing so, the committee’s biggest limitation stands with the fact that
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its resolutions and recommendations to the General Assembly of the OAS are non-binding,
meaning that it cannot force member countries to take specific action relating to the issue.
Different views do certainly come up on how to best deal with the problem of climate change,
but because this is such an important topic, I am confident that compromises and concessions can
be made between OAS member nations in order for Latin America to move forward as a clean
energy superpower, leading the world in the race to the future.
There is precedent in previous committee action from the OAS in climate talks and
publications. As stated previously, the OAS’s own Climate Change: A Comparative Overview of
the Rights Based Approach in the Americas provides invaluable information as you prepare for
the conference. In this document, the Secretary General of the OAS writes that:
“More frequent and more powerful hurricanes in the Caribbean, melting Andean glaciers,
diminished fish catches due to bleaching of coral reefs, and rising sea levels are just a few
of the effects either already being felt, or at risk in the near future. In this context, the
rights-based approach to addressing climate change prioritizes the needs and concerns of
the people of the Americas in the identification and implementation of solutions, and in
particular those of most vulnerable groups.”51
In addition to the aforementioned document, in a February 14 speech to the joint meeting
of the permanent council and the inter-American council for integral development, U.N.
Assistant Secretary-General Thomas Gass presented that “pursuing 60 sustainable and inclusive
market ‘hotspots’ in just four key areas (energy; cities; food and agriculture; health and
wellbeing) could create at least US$12 trillion in business value by 2030 – equivalent to 10
percent of forecast GDP – and generate up to 380 million jobs, mostly in developing countries.”52
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It is now clear that the OAS has prioritized climate change talks within the region, and to
emphasize how important this problem has become, Ambassador Hugo de Zela, Chief of Staff of
the OAS General Secretariat, stated in a press release that “the issue of climate change has
ceased to be a debate, and is an issue that involves governance and public administration, and
therefore involves all of us.”53 Most countries will agree that climate change is a topic that must
be addressed and that needs to be overcome for nations of the future to flourish, but countries
may disagree with the amount of intervention that is necessary or with the exact means through
which to solve this problem (government policy, economic incentives, science research, industry
intervention). To conclude, delegates should be approaching this issue in preparation for HACIA
thinking that countries are already suffering the effects of climate change. The question should
not be ‘if’ it is included, but ‘how’ a solution to the issue of climate change should be included in
the current agenda.54
Questions a Resolution Must Answer
● Keeping in mind that oil exports and production now make up a large portion of South
America’s economy, how can governments lead the industry away from the oil business
without shattering economic markets?
● What should we focus on in creating a cleaner, renewable future that is aligned with
serving a growing population with an increased need for energy and power? What sorts
of infrastructure changes do we need to make?
● Should the government provide increased funding to scientific research and education,
leading the change in future technologies from a basic science point of view or should
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this money be directed towards businesses and corporations that are aiming to combat
this issue? Is there a more efficient way of spreading the chips with both of these
approaches?
● What sort of government incentives and programs can be created in order to change the
public’s perspective on the necessity of having renewable energies for a cleaner future?
● What kind of new jobs can the government create in order to catalyze the transition to
green energies and renewable resources while simultaneously boosting the economy and
generating sustainable job growth?
● What can we do about the millions of jobs that will be lost in the oil and coal industries,
and how can governments help those individuals who will be most affected by this
change?
● What role can technology and the internet play in this revolution? Can automation lead us
in the right direction?
Framing Position Papers
In writing and framing position papers ahead of the conference, delegates must look into
what their country’s current policies regarding climate change and energy are, what agreements
their countries have already joined, and to which blocs their countries have already affiliated
themselves. Delegates will benefit from reading the documents mentioned in this bulletin and
referencing the citations at the end for valuable additional information. Furthermore, since
climate change and renewable energy are among one of the most discussed topics in today’s
political scene, delegates should find no shortage of sources to derive information and inspiration
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from. In looking at the collective benefit that humanity can derive from a green energy future,
delegates must not forget their country’s individual interests. Delegates must be cognizant of the
feasibility of their proposals by considering the state of dialogue and action in their individual
member nations.
Non-negotiable positions that lie outside of the limits of this simulation include
undermining the general importance of climate change, the fact that it is happening, and that it is
a problem that needs to be addressed. Domestic political or legal constraints will be dependent
on individual countries and on each country’s particular legislation that pertains to climate
reform. Furthermore, countries must be willing to cooperate with one another even in spite of
their political differences. Heavy weight must be placed on achieving maximum cooperation in
trade, policy, education and technological investments.
All positions that aim to solve the issue of climate change, each in their own way, are up
and negotiable for discussion, with the only restriction being your country’s legislation and
previous government deals and alliances. Think outside the box!
Proposed Solutions
This section is meant to provide delegates with an incomplete and non-comprehensive
list of possible solutions to the problem. This segment is intended to simply show delegates a
possible way of addressing the climate change agenda in the years to come. Beyond this list,
delegates must look into other alternatives that tie together different industries, the public and
the private sectors, human rights and economic wealth, and quality of life in their member
nations when making their recommendations.
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Carbon Tax
A carbon tax is a government policy to restrict carbon emissions made by corporations
and coal/oil plants that burn carbon in order to produce energy.55 This tax extends to and is also
applicable to the automobile industry: by taxing carbon emissions, the price of gasoline would go
up, ultimately leading to an economic incentive to buy electric cars.25 This policy works well in
controlling the amount of carbon that is being burned and released in the atmosphere as
greenhouse gases; however, this is not enough to fix the problem. This resolution slows the
problem down and is a great first step in combating the issue, but definitely not a permanent or
long-term solution. Furthermore, this solution mainly targets businesses, corporations,
agriculture and manufacturers since they are the ones who will be most heavily taxed, but it does
not create a change to the public’s culture around climate change and renewable energy or
provide any education in the matter.
Change in Public Infrastructure
This solution aims to construct energy efficient buildings, factories, airports and
transportation systems. For example, factories can be constructed with bottom up integration of a
power grid directly linked to solar panels and with the best architecture to optimize energy
efficiency, reducing energy use. Several major companies like Sony, Adidas, and Microsoft
focus on the creation of their products while still trying to be “carbon-neutral” in their factories
and facilities.56 Although this system would be very efficient to minimize carbon-based energy
use, it is extremely expensive for mass incorporation in city infrastructure. This is a change that
can be slowly implemented as alternative energy technologies become cheaper and cheaper, and
eventually mainstream with every new construction project. A massive change to green and
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sustainable public infrastructure would be an expensive front investment but will significantly
reduce energy costs in the long run. Additionally, the government can use this system to create
incentives for manufacturers and construction firms that encourage the construction of carbon-
neutral and energy efficient facilities. A renewal of public infrastructure would also start to
change public opinion about renewable technologies and the necessity to address climate change
by normalizing and incorporating this technology into the population’s everyday life.
Investment in Science and Education
A third climate change solution would focus on scientific and technological research to
develop new ways of producing renewable energies. Some of this push could focus on better
ways to harness energy from the wind, sun, water, bacteria and other types of renewables.
Change in this area could prove to be a nice way to improve and stimulate education in the
country while effectively combating climate change through education and technology
development, and it is widely known that if properly implemented, investment in science and
education is never a bad thing for a country. This would require very detailed ways in how to
change education policies and funding in member countries in order to generate research and
interest for the sciences and technology.
Closing Remarks and Recommendations for Future Research
As I conclude, I hope that you have found this bulletin informative, inspiring, and
thought-provoking. I hope that this has served as a helpful introduction to the complicated
chessboard of climate change and energy policy that will become a major part of the political
climate in decades to come. You have learned about the roots of when this problem started, what
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the OAS is and what it can do, and what the scientific community concluded about global
climate trends. You have read about political reactions to this generation-defining debate. It is
now your turn to think of how humanity can act collectively in order to solve what is likely one
of the biggest problems we face today. I remind you that if our species does not act in time, the
existence of life as we know it, both human and otherwise, in this planet is at risk. In your
additional research, I encourage you to review all of the documents mentioned in this text as well
as the references below. The internet should provide a plethora of additional material for
delegates to work with, and if at any time you have questions about this bulletin, your research,
or the specifics of your country, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at
In an attempt to end with a look at humanity’s future beyond the energy bottleneck, I will
present you with some of the potential paradigm shifts that 50 years ago would only exist in the
exciting but unreachable pages of a science-fiction novel. First, although poverty is a very
complex global issue that is dependent on many moving pieces, a solution to climate change
through cheap and easy renewable energies would tremendously help combat some of the main
factors of poverty. Food production could increase and stabilize as weather patterns revert to
more regular activities. Humanity already produces enough food to feed 10 billion people every
year, but it is too expensive to move this resource around the whole world from areas of surplus
to regions of famine.57 With cheap, replenishable energy, the costs of production and
transportation could decrease, leading to a more productive society that is able to more
efficiently manage its resources and combat inequality. Additionally, the production of fresh
water via water desalination plants would become more accessible as they require large amounts
of energy to function. Beyond the energy bottle-neck, space exploration could see unprecedented
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growth. For these reasons and many more, I know we will have a productive and constructive
debate in Cartagena filled with excitement and hope for an incredible future ahead. I wish you
the very best of luck in your research, and I can’t wait to meet you in March.
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Endnotes
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1 Deffree, Suzanne. “Einstein Paper Outlines E=mc2, November 21, 1905.” 2 “Peak People: The Interrelationship between Population Growth and Energy Resources.” Resilience, 19 Apr. 2009.3 Machine, Heartless. “When Will the Planet Be Too Hot for Humans? Much, Much Sooner Than You Imagine.” Daily Intelligencer, 9 July 2017.4 Barclay, Eliza. “Stephen Hawking: It's Time to Get the Hell off Planet Earth.” Vox, Vox, 20 June 2017.5 Oea, and Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009.6 Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/about/who_we_are.asp.7 Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/about/who_we_are.asp.8 Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/council/about.asp.9 Statutes of The Permanent Council of American States, General Secretariat, 7 July 1970.10 Shankleman, Jess, and Joe Ryan. “Paris Accord Could Make the World $19 Trillion Richer.”Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2017.11 De Leon. “Combustion Reactions.” Chemical Reactions: Combustion, www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/chemical%20reactions/combustion.html.12 “From Foraging to Farming: the 10,000-Year Revolution.” University of Cambridge, 23 Mar. 2012, www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/from-foraging-to-farming-the-10000-year-revolution.13 “Agriculture and Population Growth.” EVOLVING ECONOMICS, 17 Sept. 2012, jasoncollins.org/2012/09/17/agriculture-and-population-growth/.14 Buchanan, Robert Angus. “The Industrial Revolution (1750–1900).” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 Feb. 2017, www.britannica.com/technology/history-of-technology/The-Industrial-Revolution-1750-1900.15“The Industrial Revolution and the Changing Face of Britain.” British Museum - The Industrial Revolution and the Changing Face of Britain, www.britishmuseum.org/research/publications/online_research_catalogues/paper_money/paper_money_of_england__wales/the_industrial_revolution.aspx.16 “World Population Growth.” Our World in Data, ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth/.17 “Energy Density.” Energy Density - Energy Education, energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Energy_density. 18 “Coal Mines in the Industrial Revolution.” History Learning Site, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/britain-1700-to-1900/industrial-revolution/coal-mines-in-the-industrial-revolution/.19 “Overview of Greenhouse Gases.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 14 Apr. 2017, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases.20 “The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect.” The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect, history.aip.org/climate/co2.htm.21 “Climate Change Indicators: Weather and Climate.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 2 Aug. 2016, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/weather-climate.22 London, Grantham Institute Imperial College. “How Will Climate Change Impact on Water Security?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Dec. 2012, www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/30/climate-change-water.23 “How Much Oil Is Left In The Earth?” NASDAQ.com, 18 Nov. 2016, www.nasdaq.com/article/how-much-oil-is-left-in-the-earth-cm711409.24 “A Brief History of Climate Change.” BBC News, BBC, 20 Sept. 2013, www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560.25 “A Brief History of Climate Change.” BBC News, BBC, 20 Sept. 2013, www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560.
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26 “Climate Change Impacts in Latin America.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/climatico/climate-change-impacts-in-latin-america.27 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “Status of Ratification.” The Paris Agreement - Main Page, 20 June 2017, unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php.28 “The Fundamental Failure of Environmentalism,” David Suzuki Foundation, www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2012/05/the-fundamental-failure-of-environmentalism/.29 Watts, Jonathan. “Operation Car Wash: The Biggest Corruption Scandal Ever?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/01/brazil-operation-car-wash-is-this-the-biggest-corruption-scandal-in-history.30 Watts, Jonathan. “Brazil President in Trouble as Top Senator Quits and Says Government 'Discredited'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 28 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/28/brazil-michel-temer-renan-calheiros-quits-senate.31 Tesla, Inc, www.tesla.com/about.32 Press, The Associated. “Merkel Says Paris Climate Accord Is 'Not Negotiable'.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 29 June 2017, www.cbc.ca/news/world/merkel-says-paris-climate-accord-is-not-negotiable-1.4183296.33 Wilford, Greg. “Emmanuel Macron Offers Refuge to American Climate Scientists after Donald Trump Takes US out of Paris Climate Deal.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 3 June 2017, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/emmanuel-macron-donald-trump-paris-climate-scientists-refuge-france-us-latest-a7770606.html.34 ClimateReality. “The Human Impact of Climate Change: Personal Stories from Belize, Bolivia, and Brazil.” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Oct. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv2XxXNqZa8.35 “2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Fast Facts.” CNN, Cable News Network, 2 Oct. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/05/15/us/2017-atlantic-hurricane-season-fast-facts/index.html.36 Roberts, Timmons, and Guy Edwards. “A New Latin American Climate Negotiating Group: The Greenest Shoots in the Doha Desert.” Brookings, Brookings, 28 July 2016, www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2012/12/12/a-new-latin-american-climate-negotiating-group-the-greenest-shoots-in-the-doha-desert/.37 Wilkinson, John, and Selena Herrera. BIOFUELS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY IN BRAZIL. www.rimisp.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Paper_John_Wilkinson-6.pdf+.38 “Targets and Actions under the Copenhagen Accord.” Targets and Actions under the Copenhagen Accord | Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, www.c2es.org/international/negotiations/cop-15/copenhagen-accord-targets.39 “About the Fund.” Green Climate Fund, www.greenclimate.fund/who-we-are/about-the-fund.40 Driscoll, Kelsey. “A Massive Coral Reef System Threatens to Derail Plans for a New Oil Frontier.” AOL.com, By Marta Nogueira, 12 May 2017, www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/15/totals-plans-for-brazils-new-oil-frontier-snagged-on-amazon-re/22083358/.41 Edwards, Guy, and J. Timmons Roberts. “A Fragmented Continent.” MIT Press, 19 Nov. 2015, mitpress.mit.edu/books/fragmented-continent.42 General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. “Climate Change: A Comparative Overview of the Rights Based Approach in the Americas,” www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/docs/climate_change.pdf.43 “Latin America and the Caribbean Take Action on Climate Change.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/climatico/latin-america-and-the-caribbean-take-action-on-climate-change.44 “Big Auto’s Fully Electric Car Sales Up 102% In USA.” CleanTechnica, 5 July 2017, cleantechnica.com/2017/07/05/big-autos-fully-electric-car-sales-102-usa/.45 “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 13 Apr. 2017, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data.46 Lee, Timothy B. “Every New Volvo Will Be a Hybrid or Electric Car after 2019.” Vox, Vox, 5 July 2017, www.vox.com/new-money/2017/7/5/15922634/volvo-electric-hybrid-cars.
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47 Chrisafis, Angelique, and Adam Vaughan. “France to Ban Sales of Petrol and Diesel Cars by 2040.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 6 July 2017, www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/06/france-ban-petrol-diesel-cars-2040-emmanuel-macron-volvo.48 Packham, Colin, and James Regan. “Tesla Wins Giant Battery Contract in Australia, Has 100-Day Deadline.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 7 July 2017, www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-power-tesla-idUSKBN19S0EV.49 “Elon Musk Promises World's Biggest Lithium Ion Battery to Australia.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network, money.cnn.com/2017/07/07/technology/tesla-elon-musk-australia-world-biggest-lithium-ion-battery/index.html.50 Oea and Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/sla/dil/inter_american_treaties_A-41_charter_OAS.asp#Chapter_I.51 General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. “Climate Change: A Comparative Overview of the Rights Based Approach in the Americas,” www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/docs/climate_change.pdf.52 Gass, Thomas. “THOMAS GASS KEYNOTE SPEECH.” OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/media_center/speech.asp?sCodigo=17-0019.53 Oas. “OAS Roundtable Discussed the Challenges and Opportunities of Political Dialogue Addressing Climate Change.” OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-262%2F14.54 Oas. “OAS Roundtable Discussed the Challenges and Opportunities of Political Dialogue Addressing Climate Change.” OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-262%2F14.55 “What Is a Carbon Tax?” Tax Policy Center, www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-carbon-tax.56 “Cnn.” Climate Neutral Now, climateneutralnow.org/Pages/Companies.aspx.57 Gimenez, Eric Holt. “We Already Grow Enough Food For 10 Billion People -- and Still Can't End Hunger.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 May 2012, www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-holt-gimenez/world-hunger_b_1463429.html.