1. United Nations Environment Programme environment for development

2. UNEP, established in 1972, is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. UNEP work encompasses: Assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends Developing international and national environmental instruments Strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment UNEP

3. Mission & Mandate  Mission: To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.  Mandate: To be the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, that promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimensions of sustainable development within the United Nations system and that serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

4. Fast Facts  UNEP is responsible for establishing new sustainable development programs in many different countries and working with alliances such as the EU to help countries to go green.  Most recent Summit at Lima, Peru set new climate rules that all countries were able to agree upon – renewables are on a track to make up 2/5 of the world’s energy by next year.  New ecosystem limits set at Pyeongchang, Korea in 2014.  Remaining ozone-depleting substances are quickly being eliminated.  Students around the nation are standing up to make resources more efficient, and fighting against food waste.

5. 2015: Year of the Soils

6. FHSMUN  This year, the topics at the state conference are:  Caring for Climate  Combating Environmental Degradation

7. Viktor Krum  Caring for Climate  Adopted the Kyoto Protocol and achieved goals by reducing CO 2 emissions in 19 years by 30%.  But, in 2013, air pollution in Bulgaria was worse than any other European country and is the only country to not recycle waste even though they have a recycling plant.  According to Yale University in 2012, Bulgaria is a “modest performer” in protecting the environment.  Combating Environmental Degradation  Bulgaria farms a lot and therefore contributes to degradation and contamination for farmland, pollution of surface and ground waters, destruction of biodiversity, significant greenhouse gas emissions, etc.  Solutions? Transform farming sectors into more sustainable and governance to positively affect environmental performance and impact of Bulgarian agriculture.

8. Chili Pepper  Caring for Climate  Approved South America’s first carbon tax in September due to take effect in 2018. It is one of the only countries in Latin America to actually get serious and take action on climate change.  Combating Environmental Degradation  Chile is the world’s largest copper producer and mining copper leads to acid rock drainage and dissolving the heavy metals into local waterways and affecting biodiversity. Chile also deals with land degradation and soil erosion.  Chile implemented an education program on desertification and has begun to take action by planting organisms into the ground by selling nursery products which prevents erosion.

9. Mecca  Caring for Climate  Carbon emissions (duh) as one of the world’s principal suppliers of hydrocarbon fuels BUT they have been investing in many, many renewable resources to power the country – one of the Middle East’s most environmental country. CO 2 emissions are still a huge threat. Possible carbon taxes?  Combating Environmental Degradation  Main struggles are with desertification and depletion of underground water resources and lack of rivers and permanent water bodies which resulted in expensive desalinization facilities. Some stats claim that KSA has the third highest per capita fresh-water consumption in the world. They have integreated the Ninth Development Plan into environmental sustainability and protection (one of its main goals). Traget 12 – reverse the loss of environmental resources.