SPECPOL-Study-Guide-FINAL.Pdf
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Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Welcome Letter from the Directors 2 Introduction to SPECPOL 3 Addressing a Post-2048 Antarctica 4 Introduction to the Topic 4 Past Actions 5 Discussion 6 Natural Resources in Antarctica 6 Land Disputes in the Antarctic 7 Scientific Research in Antarctica 8 Antarctica in a Global Ecological Crisis 8 Bloc Positions 10 Pre-Treaty Claimants 10 Reserved Claimants 10 Non-Claimants 10 Points a Resolution Must Address 11 Further Reading 12 Bibliography 13 1 Welcome Letter from the Directors Hi delegates! Welcome to the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (SPECPOL) at LIMUN High School 2019! We are so excited to be going on this journey with you to address a post-2048 Antarctica. It is our greatest hope that you will find your time in SPECPOL interesting, fulfilling and challenging at the same time, especially considering the topic is of great relevance to the future you will be leading. The topic was chosen with the intention of stretching your mind consider a range of issues as well as encourage participation from all delegates, who will no doubt all bring a different approach to the issue at hand. We hope to shed more light on a topic that has not been in the spotlight that much (yet) and be ahead of the curve in what will prove to be a heated issue in the near future. It is a perfect blend of territorial disputes, scientific exploration, natural resource competition, and possible environmental catastrophe, one of which we hope will interest every single delegate in the committee. We hope to be able to break new ground with the issue and have an enlightening, engaging, and most importantly, enjoyable debate. We look forward to seeing you all soon! Your chairs, Natalie and Terry Natalie: [email protected] Terry: [email protected] 2 Introduction to SPECPOL The United Nations General Assembly Fourth Committee (GA4) also known as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) is one of the six General Assembly committees founded by the United Nations on October 24, 1945 by the founding 51 member states. The committee deals with many pressing and political issues such as dealing with outer space, decolonization of nations, peacekeeping operations and many more.1 As the Special Political and Decolonization Committee, it had previously mainly dealt with actions related to decolonization, however, due to the great joint efforts of the committee many nations became independent and since then has dealt mainly with particular conflicts. The committee in recent years has expanded its mandate and has now gone on to debate new topics such as the effects of atomic radiation, observing special political missions, provided relief for refugees and assisted in mine action. One example of a particular field that SPECPOL regularly discusses is how to preserve the safety and peaceful use of a specific area, this may be outer space or in this year's case, Antarctica.2 As a General Assembly committee it consists of all Member States in the United Nations and meets every year from late September to mid November but may also convene to adopt any resolutions relating to peacekeeping or emergency sessions. Each nation represented by one delegate has one vote and unlike the United Nations Security Council there are no vetos in the voting stage. However, like the other General Assembly committees all resolutions passed through SPECPOL are non-binding, meaning that the resolution has to be approved by the Security Council. 1 "UN General Assembly - Fourth Committee - Special Political And Decolonization". 2019. Un.Org. https://www.un.org/en/ga/fourth/. 2 "SPECIAL POLITICAL AND DECOLONIZATION COMMITTEE CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE | Meetings Coverage And Press Releases."2019. Un.Org. https://www.un.org/press/en/1999/19991007.gaspd160.doc.html. 3 Addressing a Post-2048 Antarctica Introduction to the Topic Antarctica is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere and is Earth’s southernmost continent that covers almost 10% of the Earth’s land. It does not have an indigenous population nor any occupying force but is claimed by 54 parties that have signed the Antarctic Treaty System.3 During the 19th and early 20th centuries, expeditions to Antarctica led to many surrounding islands being claimed by different countries including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, The Soviet Union, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States.4 The continent has roughly 90% of the ice in the world and so holds almost 70% of the world’s fresh water. Apart from control over the majority of supply of Earth’s fresh water, dominion over Antarctica holds many other benefits, namely ownership of any potential resources and research access. Currently, Antarctica is protected under the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) that was negotiated in 1959, where the original 12 signatories were the parties active during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58.5 It has since grown, with 42 other countries acceding to the Treaty.6 Under the terms of the Treaty, multiple countries agree to have mutual sovereignty over the territory where all military activity is banned, and it is a scientific preserve where scientific research and findings are not owned by any member state, but freely shared. Furthermore, the Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty states that it “prohibits all activities relating to Antarctic mineral resources, except for scientific research” until 2048 unless all the Consultative Parties to the Treaty agree to allow for such activities to occur.7 3 Nash, Rosemary. 2019. "The Antarctic Treaty System". SCAR. https://www.scar.org/policy/antarctic-treaty-system/. 4 "Parties". 2019. Ats.Aq. https://www.ats.aq/devAS/Parties?lang=e. 5 "Parties". 2019. Ats.Aq. https://www.ats.aq/devAS/Parties?lang=e. 6 "Parties". 2019. Ats.Aq. https://www.ats.aq/devAS/Parties?lang=e. 7 "Environmental Protocol | Antarctic Treaty". 2019. Ats.Aq. https://www.ats.aq/e/protocol.html. 4 (Image from: “Antarctic Treaty SummaryThe Treaty Covers the Area between 60°S Latitude to the South Pole,” Antarctic Treaty a summary of the 14 points, and a list of the Antarctic Treaty Nations, accessed October 25, 2019, https://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica factfile/science/antarctic_treaty_summary.php.) This is the crux of the issue to be discussed. Addressing how the international community and especially the Consultative Parties can move forward from the Protocol on Environmental Protection after 2048 while balancing the interests of all the different parties involved. 5 Past Actions The United Nations for a very long period of time did not have a view or say in the proceedings in Antarctica and only recently was the agenda discussed. One of the first countries to present the question of Antarctica was Malaysia to the United Nations General Assembly on September 29, 1982. The Prime Minister of Malaysia stressed the importance on how “the United Nations should focus its attention on Antarctica, the largest land area remaining on Earth without natives or settlers”. He further expressed how Antarctica belongs to the international community and how the United Nations should be responsible to preserve the peace and security over the region. Malaysia with the support of Antigua and Barbuda, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, Algeria, Sierra Leone and Guyana all fought to introduce the issue of Antarctica as an agenda at the thirty-eighth UN General Assembly, however, this introduction was opposed by members of the Consultative Parties of the Antarctic Treaty and the agenda just passed and was set to be discussed in the First Committee of the General Assembly. From November 28, 1983, the First Committee has discussed the question of Antarctica in 5 sessions and adopted a resolution. This resolution would request the Secretary General “to prepare a comprehensive, factual and objective study on all aspects of Antarctica, taking fully into account the Antarctic Treaty System and other relevant factors,” and in completion report to the thirty-ninth session in 1984. The resolution was adopted by the Security Council on December 15, 1983. During the thirty-eighth session it was clear that there was a divide between the Malaysia group and members of the Treaty where the Malaysian group criticized the Antarctic Treaty and urged for the management of the continent by the international community. The Consultative Party in defence reported the achievements, advantages as well as the dangers of revising the Treaty. This conflict continued across the thirty-ninth session of the General Assembly.8 Recently, the region has been discussed in greater depth across many committees both General Assembly and Specialized Agencies. An example of this is the actions by the United Nations Environment Program or the 8 Hayashi, Moritaka. 1986. "The Antarctica Question In The United Nations". Cornell International Law Journal 19 (2): 275-290. https://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1165&context=cilj. 6 UNEP. Due to the massive concern for the health of the Antarctic ecosystems and its vast array of marine and terrestrial life the UNEP has adopted and ratified many resolutions as well as international conventions regarding Antarctica. During the mid-1970s an increase in krill catching had caused a serious effect on the populations of krill and other marine life which lead to the adoption of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine living resources or (CCAMLR) which has allowed nations to work together and manage resources in the southern oceans. Other resolutions include the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty which commissioned the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). 9 9 "Antarctic Region". 2019. UNEP - UN Environment Programme. https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/oceans-seas/what-we-do/working-regional-seas/region al-seas-programmes/antarctic.