General Assembly Junior Committee

From 2010 until mid-2014 world oil prices had been fairly stable at around
$110 a barrel. In June of 2014, the price of crude oil was at $115 per barrel. By
January 23, 2015 the price dropped to $49 per barrel. This drop in oil prices has had
a large impact on the global economy, with ramifications for every country in the
world.
The 2000s created a strong thirst for oil from the civil war in Libya. In
addition, Iraq was facing terrorist threats, and Iran oil exports were reduced as a
result of the United States and EU administering trade sanctions. Those conflicts
increased oil demands by over 3 million barrels per day. Rising oil consumption in
countries like China grew the demand for oil as well.
In response to the need for oil worldwide a boom in "unconventional" oil
production began. The growth of oil production in North America, particularly in the
United States was astonishing. The United States alone has added 4 million extra
barrels of crude oil per day to the global market since 2008, as oil production levels
were at their highest level in nearly 30 years. This growth in United States oil
production was accounted for by the United States and Canada drilling for new
crude in North Dakota's shale formations and Alberta's oil sands. The drilling efforts
were profitable because of the enormously high prices that spurred investors to
invest.
The price of oil had risen so much that the United States supported fuelefficient cars, causing gasoline consumption to plummet. At the same time
countries like Indonesia and Iran cut back on subsidies for fuel users, and the
demand for oil in Europe and Asia began tapering off, due to weakening economies
and more efficient modes of transportation. By mid-2014, world oil supply was on
track to increase much higher than the actual demand.
As prices began sliding, many observers waited to see whether OPEC, the
world's largest oil provider contributing to 40% of oil production, would reduce
production to stabilize prices. Many OPEC states, like Saudi Arabia and Iran, need
higher prices to balance their budgets. There was heated debate among OPEC
members in regards to what would be the best course of action in order to solve this
problem. Some countries, like Venezuela, Iran, and Saudi Arabia wanted the OPEC to
cut back on production in order to increase the price. Oil makes up a large portion of
these countries economy`s, playing a key role in the value of their currency and
profit they make. In the end, OPEC could not come to a consensus on what to do
which resulted in no course of action being taken.
The price then dropped from $80 per barrel to $70 per barrel in just a few
days. Afterwards, the price decreased again to $60 per barrel by mid-December and
$50 by January. This had varied effects in different countries.

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Russia is extremely reliant on oil production as it accounts for 70%
of export incomes and oil revenues making up 45% of the government budget. In
fact, Russia loses about $2 billion in revenue for every dollar fall in the oil price. The
World Bank has warned that Russia's economy will shrink by at least 0.7% in 2015 if
oil prices do not recover. The crippling interest rate will close businesses and require
the Russiato cut spending. Economists now estimate that Russia's GDP will shrink at
least 4.5% in 2015.

Many Russians, worried that their savings may vanish, have been rushing out to buy
cars and washing machines, anything that has more lasting value than currency.
Iran, Venezuela, and many other smaller oil producers are having trouble
balancing their budgets, and most of their economies will decrease 1 3% in 2015 if
the price of oil does not stabilize.
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter and OPEC's most influential member.
Saudi Arabia requires oil prices to be around $85 in the long term, but they have a
reserve fund of over $700 billion, so it can withstand lower prices for quite some
time. Saudi Aradia could support global oil prices by cutting back its own.
In the United States, the reduction in the price of oil will have both positive
and negative impacts. For many people, it will offer an economic boost of cheaper
oil and lower gasoline prices, with current prices being at $2.04 per gallon. On the
other hand, eight states including Texas and North Dakota will be badly affected and
are likely to see a drop in revenues and economic activity. The US Energy
Information Administration had expected that overall US oil production would have
grown another 700,000 barrels per day in 2015 before prices dropped. Shale
projects are especially vulnerable and risky when oil dips below $60 per barrel.
Fracking wells tend to deplete quickly, so expensive new wells have to be drilled
constantly. Many companies have responded quickly by scaling back on new drilling.
Already, firms are ceasing operations in places like the Texas' Permian Basin, and
the number of US rigs has already fallen by 15% from December to January. Like the
United States, Canada has postponed new oil projects because of the oil sands,
which make drilling very expensive.
Europe now has the opportunity to recover from the recession and is greatly
benefiting from the new price of oil. Economists predict that Europes economic
output will be substantially greater this year. China is set to become the largest net
importer of oil and will gain from falling prices. However, lower oil prices won't
completely offset the far wider effects of a slowing economy. Japan imports nearly
all of the oil it uses. Lower oil prices though have had many benefits as high energy
prices were helping to increase the rate of inflation a key part of Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe's growth strategy to combat deflation. India imports 75% of its

General Assembly Junior Committee

oil and falling oil prices should ease its current account deficit. At the
same time, the cost of India's fuel subsidies could fall by $2.5 billion this year.

Works Cited
"Falling Oil Prices: Who Are the Winners and Losers?" Bbc.com. BBC News, n.d. Web.
29 Jan. 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29643612
Plumer, Brad. "Http://www.vox.com/2014/12/16/7401705/oil-prices-falling." Vox.com.
VOX, n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. http://www.vox.com/2014/12/2/7319307/gas-pricesfalling
Gordon, Sarah. "Oil Price Fall Offers Far More Good than Bad for Europe." Ft.com.
N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015. http://www.ft.com

Sponsors:
Signatories:
Topic: The Decline in Oil Prices
The General Assembly,
Alarmed by, the dramatic decrease in the price of oil, negatively affecting
major world economies,
Concerned by, a lack of collaboration between countries to contribute to
mutual economic stability,
Further concerned, by OPEC countries Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia,
Venezuela, Qatar, Indonesia, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Nigeria,
Ecuador, Gabon, and Angola for their lack of action against the threat this
recessions poses on them,
Aware of, Russia, the United States, and Saudi Arabia being uninclined to
reduce their oil production,
Bearing in mind, that some countries are benefiting from the low price of
oil,
1.

Encourages, all oil producing countries to cease growth in oil

production for the next 18 months;

2.

Calls upon, all oil producing nations to create a committee made up of

delegations and market experts to govern and prevent oil-induced recessions
and encourages oil trade coordination between countries;

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3.

Condemns, all oil overproduction or unconventional oil

production;

4.

Calls upon, the implementation of a ten-year mitigation-crash

program that would prevent a future recession;

5.

Promotes, the monopolization of oil to allow for higher oil prices.

Substantial amounts of greenhouse gases are being released every year

which leads to an increase in pollution, and negatively affects the climate. This is a
very serious problem as climate change is directly responsible for over 600,000
deaths worldwide every year as it is forcing people and animals to find new
habitats. Climate change causes a reduction of ecosystems and biodiversity, a rise
in water levels, loss of land, poor air, water, and soil quality and increases the
likelihood of natural disasters and diseases, such as an increase in the amount of
drought and floods, and a rapid spread of malaria due to the warmer temperatures
which allow mosquitos to reproduce in places that were not suitable for them
before.
Some aspects of climate change include deforestation, pollution, emissions
and waste. The people who are affected most by climate change are those living in
poorer, developing countries. If emissions are not reduced now, the temperature is
projected to increase by more than 5 degrees by the end of the century. The last
time this occurred over 90% of all living things went extinct.
Possible solutions to this problem include the use of renewable energy,
reducing emissions, upgrading infrastructure, encouraging public transportation,
using more efficient materials, recycling, and helping countries implement policies
and procedures for dealing with climate change. Developed countries are the
biggest polluters and are the most responsible for climate change. Developing
countries also contribute greatly in the production of greenhouse gases.
The Kyoto Protocol, signed in 1997, is an effort signed by 192 countries to
reduce emissions. Brazil will reduce deforestation rates by 80% and reduce carbon
emissions by 35-40% by 2020 by encouraging the use of renewable energy and
biofuels. The EU has implemented a carbon tax and it aims to reduce emissions by

General Assembly Junior Committee

20% by 2020. India is planning to generate 20GW of energy using solar
power and cut energy consumption by 5% by 2020. Germany invested heavily in
renewable energy and aims to reduce emissions by 40% by 2020. In the US different
states have their own policies. California aims to cut emissions by 80% by 2050.
Over a million solar roofs are planned to be installed and stricter vehicle emissions
standards are planned to be implemented. California also has a cap-and-trade
program that covers 85% of emitters. Canada aims to reduce emissions by 20% by
2020, implement new fuel efficiency standards, start cap-and-trade and increase
the usage of renewable energy. Russia aims to reduce emissions by 15% by 2025.
China hasnt made any pledges to reduce carbon emissions and it is placing
economic growth over emissions reduction, fearing that carbon taxes and other
emissions-reduction policies will limit economic growth. China does not have to
follow the Kyoto Protocol. India wont commit to emissions reductions, saying that it
interferes with their plan to lift millions of people out of poverty. India does not have
to follow the Kyoto Protocol. Canada failed to cut down on emissions from major
polluters, the emissions from fossil fuels are increasing by over 30% per year, and
Canada dropped out of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012. Russias climate policy has no
validity, as the country has not taken steps into implementing it. Although Russia
has agreed to cut emissions by 15-30% it is failing to follow through on that goal.
The US has failed to meet its emissions goals and is the worlds number one
consumer and second largest emitter. The US is the only country in the world to
have not signed the Kyoto Protocol.

Developing nations do not have to follow the Kyoto Protocol. This means that
many of them are not lowering their emissions or doing anything to fight climate
change. Developing nations are urged to find ways and implement policies to
reduce emissions and become more efficient, especially since their populations are
increasing dramatically.

Overall

temperatures
to increase, this

are projected
results in the melting of ice, a rise in sea level, and an

increased amount of floods, hurricanes, droughts and heatwaves. The amount of

General Assembly Junior Committee

floods and droughts has more than doubled and the sea level has already
risen by one metre, which affected millions of people. Storms have also increased
dramatically. Many species will also move their habitat and some will become
extinct. In addition, there will also be an increased risk of disease and health
problems as increases in pollution can cause more and more health aliments. There
will also be widespread loss of agricultural products, land, and economy.

Works Cited
-Brewster, Murray. "Federal Government Falling Further behind on Emissions
Reductions, Audit Finds." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 09 Oct. 2014. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.

-"Carbon Calculator - Effects of CO2." Carbon Calculator - Effects of CO2. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Jan. 2015.
-"Climate Change Facts - Global Warming Problems and Solutions." Climate Change
Facts - Global Warming Problems and Solutions. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
-"Climate Change Solutions." Climate Change Solutions. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
-"Common Menu Bar Links." Action on Climate Change and Air Pollution. N.p., n.d.
Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
-"Developing Country Action to Reduce Global Warming Pollution: Copenhagen (part
3)." Grist. N.p., 04 Dec. 2009. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
-"Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions." Government of Canada, Environment
Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.

Sponsors:
Signatories:
Topic: Reducing Carbon Emissions to Fight Climate Change
The General Assembly,
Concerned by, the projected increase in temperatures by 5 degrees Celsius
that possess a potential threat to safety worldwide,
Recognizing, the over 600,000 deaths worldwide as a result of the inaction
to reduce emissions,
Noting with deep concern, that climate change contributes to an increase
in the likelihood of natural disasters and their damage. These including Hurricane
Sandy in 2012, and the wildfires in the Sierra Nevada region of California in 2013
and the 2015 wildfires in Australia,

General Assembly Junior Committee

Emphasizing, that the worlds greatest contributors to pollution,
including the US, China, and Russia, are not doing enough to reduce their emissions,
Recalling, the UN Millennium Development goal
sustainability compromised by increasing carbon emissions,

of

environmental

1.

Proclaims, that an increase in carbon emissions is a security threat to

the wellbeing of people worldwide, and shall be treated as such;

2.

Endorses, further funding of research on alternative energy sources

and modes of transportation such as the Hydrogen Cell car;

3.

Congratulates, the efforts made by Germany and other EU countries

to reduce their pollution outputs by more than 30%;

4.

Encourages, developed nations to invest 150 million, in improving

and building sustainable infrastructure that promotes communal
environmental sustainability;

5.

Designates, a committee to oversee carbon emissions in developing

nations, and working with them to increase their sustainability;

6.

Further reminds, that the committee, in case that a country does not
cooperate with UN emission goals, shall report back to this assembly with
proposals in which course of action shall be taken;

7.

Further invites, countries to reduce their carbon emissions and

mutually cooperate to achieve environmental sustainability, a UN Millennium
Development Goal.

A GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) is any organism whose DNA has been
modified through genetic engineering. GMO refers to plants and animals modified
through this method although not necessarily for consumption. This backgrounder
will refer specifically to GM foods, which are foods whose genetic sequence has
been altered to speed growth, increase size, etc. The first GM food created was the
Flavr Savr Tomato, which was approved by the FDA for consumption in 1994. This
led to the rise of very powerful multinational companies, the one most popularized
being Monsanto. Since then, GM varieties of food ranging from corn to canola have
been developed by Monsanto and farmed here in Canada. Cottonseed oil, papaya,
and even milk products are imported from the US all trademarked by Monsanto.
Most of the food we eat come from some sort of GMO or has been fed a GMO.

General Assembly Junior Committee

As clearly seen above Monsanto takes a prominent role in the
distribution and creation of many GMOs. Monsanto has patented over 2,000 types of
seeds across 20 species of plants. As of 2012 the US has the most amount of land
dedicated to cultivating GMOs (69.5 million hectares). Canada follows closely behind
at number 4 with 11.6 million hectares, cultivating canola, maize, soybean, and
sugarbeet. Almost 80% of all the food we eat is genetically modified.
Many countries support the production of GMOs as they play a key role in
their economic growth, as hungry people are not as productive and innovative.
These include the US, Brazil, Argentina, and Canada. GMOs do have many
advantages, these include the use of less pesticides and the ability to grow more
food in less space. In addition, many GMOs need less resources than their organic
predecessors allowing the farmer to sell his product at a lower price. GM seeds also
produce larger crops that can be cultivated faster. Some GM vegetables have been
modified to be more nutritious. Finally, GMOs can provide a path to abolishing world
hunger in third world countries, this being one of the United Nations millennium
development goals.
GMOs are also untested and are considered to be dangerous as they have
only been entered into the market recently. This means that we do not know the
long term effects of consuming GMOs. GMO genes can also pose the danger of
mutating as we do not know if the introduction of new genes into the organism
could cause them to mutate in future generations of plants. The mutation of genes
from a GMO after being consumed could have bad health effects on a person. In
addition, the process of creating GMOs which consists of the combination of genes
from different organisms, can lead to the transfer of allergenic genes. For example,
certain tomatoes and strawberries are modified with fish genes in order to prevent
them from freezing. This could cause a person that is allergic to fish get an allergic
reaction from eating a strawberry. The fact that in North America GMO products
dont have to be labeled can contribute to incidents like this occurring. GMOs can
also have bad effects on small framers due to the fact that only a few big
companies carry out research for new GMOs, this means that they have dominance
over the agricultural market. This could force farmers to pay for varieties of seeds
whose genetic material derives from their fields.

The European Food Safety Authority oversees the cultivation of GMOs within
the European Union. It has strict regulations only allowing a fraction of the GMOs
the FDA has approved. In addition countries such as France, Italy, Poland, and
Greece are considered to be GMO free and are against the cultivation of GMOs.
Unlike the US the EU recognizes that GMOs have the potential of having dangerous
long term effects. This happened after a report was released in 1999 detailing the
effects of a certain GMO on mice.

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has
opposed the cultivation of GMOs, and encourages nations to use more conventional
agricultural methods. FAO believes that the potential dangers that GMOs pose to
future generations and the environment are not to be taken lightly.

Works Cited

"The Genetically Modified Food You Eat Every Day." Co.Exist. N.p., 13 Nov.
2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.

"GMO Defined." GMO Awareness. N.p., 29 Apr. 2011. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

"The Good, Bad and Ugly about GMOs - Natural Revolution." Natural
Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.

James, Clive. "Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops:

2012." International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications.
N.p., 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.

Lee, Jaeah. "CHARTS: World's GMO Crop Fields Could Cover the US 1.5 Times
Over." Mother Jones. N.p., 26 Feb. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

"Maps of GMO-free Zones in Europe." Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.

"Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms in the European

Union." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2015.

"United Nations Millennium Development Goals." UN News Center. UN,

n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

"Weighing the GMO Arguments: Against." Weighing the GMO

Arguments: Against. N.p., Mar. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.

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Sponsors:
Signatories:
Topic: The Cultivation of GMOs
The General Assembly,
Declaring, that strict restrictions of GMOs is countries like Italy and France,
are not allowing consumers to finding cheaper alternatives to purchasing food,
Recalling, that GMOs are developed by experts and sold through companies
that offer the best a research and study for each one of their products,
Further recalling, that all GMOs are thoroughly before being approved by
food agencies in our corresponding countries,
Noting with satisfaction, that GMOs have resulted in no deaths worldwide
since the release of the first GMO the Flavr Savr tomato in 1999,
Emphasizing, that the cultivation of GMOs in developing countries can help
abolish hunger worldwide, a UN Millennium Development goal,

1.

Encourages, EU nations to reduce restrictions on the cultivation of

FDA approved GMOs.

2.

Supports, the development of GMO cultivating technologies in subSaharan African countries to combat hunger, a UN millennium development
goal.

3.

Requests, countries to facilitate the patenting of GMOs so that bioengineering companies can continue perfecting and ensuring the safety of
their products.

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Member Countries
1. Canada
2. United States
3. China
4. Russia
5. India
6. France
7. United Kingdom
8. Germany
9. Saudi Arabia
10.Venezuela
11.South Africa
12.Japan
13.Mexico
14.Brazil
15.Colombia
16.Argentina
17.Italy
18.Sweden
19.Australia
20.South Korea