The Model United Nations is an organization based upon teaching people like me. In other words High school on up to College. Although in the node Model United Nations quality information is given, there are no examples on how a policy paper may look like. This is an example of a policy paper done on Russia for the committee World Summit on Sustainable Development. Please note, in this paper any time it refers to "We" it is referring to the Russian Federation, with my opinion of their standpoint.
Guidelines and information on how to write a Policy paper consult Writing MUN Policy. Examples are used from this paper. Please also see MUN parliamentary procedure to find out how to present in MUN committees.
Policy Example:
We, the Government of the Russian Federation considers integration of environmental and social parameters in the national development strategy and practical implementation of the concept of sustainable development as matters of utmost importance. (UN 2001) We are delighted to help the world through the WORLD SUMMIT on SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (WSSD), wish to help the committee by discussing the following topics: Access to Safe Drinking Water, Climate Change, and Responsible Globalization. We feel that Responsible Globalization is the most important, followed by Climate Change, and then Access to Safe Drinking Water. Responsible Globalization will help the world the most, and will take care of the other two problems along with it. Global companies that try to spend less in developing their products in developing countries around the world are the main cause for Irresponsible Globalization. We believe setting world standards to keep other problems from arising is the key goal in obtaining Responsible Globalization. As a Federal Multiparty Republic, we are willing to work with the world to fix problems that not only occur in Russia, but around the world.
Responsible Globalization
We the Russian Federation of whom possessing 148,518,500 people on 6,592,800 Miles of land have needs along with the rest of the world to Globalize Responsibly. (Altapedia 2000)
We feel that most of the world is currently not Globalizing Responsibly. Pollution from industries in countries around the world is a result of Irresponsible Globalization. This pollution is brought in by investors building factories who have Unchecked Emissions. This is a problem in Russia, a metal ore smelting complex near Monchegorsk, continues to pollute the air and water. To fix this problem we have opted to use Nuclear energy. Safe and efficient to today’s standards. It in turn Responsibly Globalizes the world. Other companies around the world that are being built up are also Irresponsible cases of Globalization as they are causing more pollution and other factors that are harmful. Nuclear Energy solves that problem. It is estimated at least one in five Russian babies born today is in poor health. This is also in part because of Irresponsible Globalization. (Ailing Mother Russia 1994) By eliminating Irresponsible Globalization and turning it into Responsible Globalization, the Climate Change and Access to Safe Drinking Water factors because of the Green House Effect and harmful emissions can be maintained and halted.
Globalization may be a way to eliminate poverty, but with companies taking advantage of third world countries because it will cost less to run the company there, it is another case of Irresponsible Globalization. They don’t even care about the working conditions, nor does the country as they are happy to have work for their people, even if it is harmful. (UNESCO 2002) We believe that the UN and WSSD can get rid of these factors by creating laws on safe environments and higher working standards, or countries can not invest their companies without regulations being met.
We as a country used to be communist. When it fell the only economic system was capitalism. We are now apart of this economic system and see to it that our economics goals are shared with the world from a capitalistic view. (Dictionary 2000)
Responsible Globalization is a world factor. Cases or Irresponsible Globalization can be fixed and turned into Responsible cases. To do this pacts between the three organizations need to be made and kept to turn it around. We are apart of the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We believe that the UN has rights to make laws to regulate the global economy, and to create sustainable and responsible globalization. We think that laws to regulate globalization to increase health, happiness, and world peace, should be maintained and created as needed. The UN should be very involved in these regulations to obtain high standards for Russia and the world. Money is always the bottom factor to every problem, funds can be made up in difference when companies are paying third world countries satisfactory pay to create their products. This creates Responsible Globalization, and the health and happiness of the world is increased.
Climate Change
We, the Russian Federation, find that Climate temperature is rising, causing
farmlands to die and water to evaporate. Certain things cause this to happen: Climate Change such as Global warming is occurring, which is the key problem. This is due to emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. This results in trapped heat in the atmosphere, which increases average global temperatures all together. The long term results can be devastating, causing in result the economy of the world to go into depression. Whether or not it can be proved that Green House emissions are the cause of this, we feel it would be good to try to decrease the output. (EPA 2002)
The Russian Federation considers the development of nuclear energy as an important component of its energy strategy and an economically viable, safe and environmentally clean source of energy. One of the advantages of nuclear energy is the absence of harmful emissions, first of all greenhouse gases, to the atmosphere. At present, the countries that opted for nuclear energy have accumulated significant experience in ensuring its safety, including environmental safety. (UN 2001)
We are a developed country, however, it would hurt our economy to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. It would be rather costly for us to produce automobiles with catalytic converter, which lower the emissions, or other factors of improving factories or shutting them down. We could not afford to have power plants with air refining systems. The Russian Delegation believes that the discussion should be focused on the identification of optimal ways to improve the effectiveness and practical results of the activities of the existing structures of international environmental governance for all Member-States. What we can do is better enforce already existing proposals. An example of this is having people drive cars less, maybe take the public transportation once in a while? (Climate 2002)
Russia has committed to ratify the Kyoto Protocol despite the pressure exerted by the Bush Administration. (World Resources Institute 2002) The Kyoto Protocol, named after the city where it was negotiated, needs to be ratified by at least 55 parties to the treaty, including rich countries which contribute 55 percent of the world's output of climate-changing carbon dioxide. As of August 30, 2002, 89 countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, including countries which account for 37.1 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. The Russian Federation contributes 17.4 percent of the world's emissions, leaving only 0.5 percent before the treaty can come into full force. (World Resources Institute 2002) In spite of serious difficulties of the transition period, Russia is fulfilling its main Rio commitments. The emissions of greenhouse gases in Russia have been reduced by 25% as compared to 1990. Since 1992, the area of natural sanctuaries and other special protected natural territories has been increased by more than 1.7 times. (UN 2001)
We feel that Climate Change is a factor to be dealt with accordingly; UN regulations have been made and should be kept. The Kyoto Protocol when in full effect will help the cause of Green House Emissions and perhaps lower the chance of global Climate Change. With the hope for a better future, and less Climate Change, we the Russian Federation are doing their part to help the world.
Access to Safe Drinking Water
The natural resources of our country play a significant role in the preservation of global environmental equilibrium providing unique environmental services of global magnitude. 25% of world's freshwater reserves are located on the territory of Russia. Russian boreal forests absorb annually more than 200 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere. (UN)
We have 99% of Russia to have Access to improved and Safe Drinking Water. (WB 1999) We feel as though all countries have the right to drink fresh and clean water, and the world should help those in need. Bottled water, even though expensive, is one possible way to reach those in need of clean drinking water.
Laws enforced by the UN need to be ensured to continue private companies, and national governments to continue and improve safe methods of industrialization to keep the Access of Safe Drinking Water out to all of the world. Factories that defile laws should be closed and/or improved. In our country an Aspirin factory was polluting the water of our people, we closed it and only reopened it a month later because the entire country had no access to the medication. Access to Safe Drinking Water should be behind the health of people of the world. But by improving the Water, health is improved. By this order does Russia stand. (Ailing Mother Russia 1994)
The Russian Federation considers the development of nuclear energy as an important component of its energy strategy and an economically viable, safe and environmentally clean source of energy. One of the advantages of nuclear energy is the absence of harmful emissions, first of all greenhouse gases, to the atmosphere. Thus this will create more Safe Drinking Water. At present, the countries that opted for nuclear energy have accumulated significant experience in ensuring its safety, including environmental safety. This is the thrust of the relevant Russia's initiative submitted by President Vladimir Putin at the Millennium Summit. (UN 2001)
We are taking more steps to get Access to Safe Drinking Water to more of our people. To do this we are closing and improving factories that pollute our water. We do not have a problem with lack of water, or water shortages because we hold 25% of the world’s fresh water. We believe that by taking action against pollution, and by improving cleaning facilities and/or building these facilities where needed and necessary, that we, the Russian Federation will increase Access to Safe Drinking Water across our nation’s people. (UN 2001)
All policy papers should have sources or a cite page.
- Saunders, Paul. Why "Globalization" Didn’t Rescue Russia. Policy Review Online. 11 January 2002. http://www.policyreview.org/feb01/saunders.html
- Gazeta, Nezavisimaya. GLOBALISATION AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE WEST AND THIRD COUNTRIES. Russia Weekly. June 2002. 11 January 2002. http://www.cdi.org/Russia/212-12.cfm
- Background Note: Russia. Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. October 2002. 11 January 2002.http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3183.htm
- Clay, Rebecca. The Ailing Mother Russia. Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 102, Number 2, February 1994. 11 January 2002. http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/102-2/focus1.html
- Altapedia. Latimer Clarke Corporation. 2001. 11 January 2002. http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/russia.htm
- Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations. Statement by Mr. Amirkhan M. Amirkhanov. April 18, 2001. 11 January 2002. http://www.un.int/russia/statemnt/ecosoc/c_susdev/01_04_18.htm#english
- Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations. Statement by H.E. Mr. Sergey V.Lavrov. 11 January 2002. http://www.un.int/russia/statemnt/ecosoc/c_susdev/01_04_19.htm#english
- Climate Change. 10 January 2003. http://www.isanet.org/archive/perovic.html
- The American Heritage. Russia Defined. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2000. 11 January 2002.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Russia
- UNESCO. Globalisation. 11 January 2002.
http://www.unesco.org/most/globalisation/Introduction.htm
- The Russian Federation Data Profile. The World Bank Group. April 2002. 11 January 2002.http://devdata.worldbank.org/external/CPProfile.asp?SelectedCountry=RUS&CCODE=RUS&CNAME=Russian+Federation&PTYPE=CP
- The Conventional and Kyoto Protocol. (UNFCCC). 11 January 2002. http://unfccc.int/resource/convkp.html
- Global Warming. (EPA) Environmental Protection Agency. October 2nd, 2002. 11 January 2002. http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html
- NEWS RELEASE: WRI praises Russia's commitment to ratify Kyoto Protocol. Updated weekly. WRI. 13 January 2003. http://climate.wri.org/newsrelease_text.cfm?NewsReleaseID=133
- International Monetary Fund. About the IMF. 13 January 2003. Http://www.imf.org/external/about.htm
- World Trade Organization. The WTO in brief. 13 January 2003. http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/inbrief_e/inbr00_e.htm
Please see the following for more information regarding MUN. Brigham Young University, Writing MUN Policy, MUN parliamentary procedure. I wrote a Resolution which passed in the (WSSD) committee, it is apart of the parliamentary procedure node. Also see January 18, 2003 and January 19, 2003 nodes for a feel of how the BYU campus and area works.