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United Nations Environment Programme
Chairs: Arfa Aijazi, Yangbo Du, Jaclyn WilsonEmail the chairs:
Announcements
Position Papers are due Sunday, January 31 at noon by email to the chairs. Position Papers are required for delegate awards. More information about position papers can be found on the preparation page.
Background Guides have been posted.
Topic 1: Carbon Capture and Sequestration
Background GuideGlobal warming climate change is a term most people have heard before. One of the causes of global warming climate change is the excess amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from anthropogenic causes, with carbon dioxide being a main focus of these greenhouse gases. In order to deal with this problem, it has been suggested that carbon dioxide be taken out of the atmosphere (capture) and stored (sequestration). The question now is, is this feasible to do, and if so, what methods could and should be used to capture and sequester carbon dioxide?
Topic 2: Regulation of Heavy Metals
Background GuideHuman exposure to heavy metals has risen dramatically in the last 50 years as a result of an exponential increase in the use of heavy metals in industrial processes and products. In many nations, domestic regulation of heavy metals is relaxed in the rush for profit and to compete in the global economy. In February 2009, the Governing Council of the UN Environment Programme unanimously agreed to launch a global crackdown on the toxic metal mercury. But the call for regulation has had no significant effect on global toxic metal poisoning. There is no doubt that high emission of toxic metals pose a significant threat to human health and the environment, but the debate lies in enforcing regulation and updating previous regulations. This issue is even more pertinent as nuclear power is increasingly seen as an alternate energy solution.
