MUNUM XXXVIII

View Original

Dead Polar Bears!

By: Jasmine Jacobs

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) started debating Arctic Exclusive Economic Zones in 2020 but their inability to work together and come up with a solution has caused a great tragedy. Five years have passed since they started debating in 2020. It is now  2025 and the polar ice caps have melted, the entire coast is submerged in water, and all the polar bears have died. Many delegates are deeply distraught over the extinction of the polar bears. France expressed her sorrow and anger towards this loss of polar bears at UNCLOS and claims that “it’s all their fault we lost a species.”

Russia’s greed for money and power has caused environmental ruins. Russia violates the national sovereignty of Norway and continues to drill for oil in Antarctica. Even with most of their coast underwater, Russia is still determined to drill for oil and states that it is “not my problem I’m making money off this...I will not back down.” The United States of America worked with Russia before it was discovered that Russia’s oil industry was the main contributor to the polar ice caps melting. However, during an interview, the US stated that she was still willing to work with Russia despite this newfound knowledge. The US did also mentioned that some changes would have to be made to her and Russia’s Working Paper due to the severity of the crisis. U.S and Russia both expressed a desire to work together, but the tension is increasing between the dream team as, according to the US,  Russia reflects no concern towards them as they mentioned in a conversation with Russia that “if we work together you have to care about my problems.”

The committee is divided by those who want to protect the environment from Russia, countries who want to continue to drill for oil, and those who want to fix the environmental crisis. 

Delegates have brought up the idea of using renewable energy like hydropower and solar power instead of oil to help reduce the profits from Russia and to help create a more sustainable environment. One of the working papers details a  recommendation in regard to WWIII to the Security Council and the deployment of peacekeepers, which would place sanctions on Russia and encourage military action if Russia does not comply with these new implementations. 

Russia is one of the main countries that control the oil industry which took a large part in the melting of the polar ice caps. However, the one true cause of this melting was the lack of action and compliance from the committee as a whole. Now, the committee must work together to fix a problem that could have prevented. As the delegate of Belgium stated, “stop using Russia as a scapegoat.” These powers all took part in the problem, and now they must collectively take part in the solution.