CommitteesGA Committees
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, REGIONAL, OR SPECIALIZED COUNCILS
WHO: Ethics of CRISPR and Human Germline Editing & Informed Consent CND: Transnational Drug Networks & Drug Recovery Services PIF: Deep-Sea Mining/Rising Sea Levels & Foreign Military Presence/Defense Agreements EU: Expansion in the Balkans and Caucasus & Combatting Espionage UNSC: Technology Companies in Armed Conflicts & Child Exploitation in Warfare |
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)Chairs: Katherine Zwernemann & Scarlett Oh Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Topic A: Addressing the Implications of Deep-Sea Mining and Rising Sea Levels Polymetallic nodules, found in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, are in growing global demand. Due to the mining of these minerals, Pacific Island nations face vulnerability to converging environmental threats, including deep-sea mining and rising sea levels. Although these minerals hold great potential for economic development, the extraction process poses a risk to surrounding ecosystems that sustain food systems and regulate the climate. In addition, the impacts of rising sea levels are already being felt across varying Pacific regions, leading to the displacement of populations, contamination of freshwater supplies, and shore erosion. In countries like Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands, these threats are not future possibilities but living realities. Historically, multiregional efforts were fueled to confront these challenges. With this problem worsening empirically, the Pacific nations must choose between economic opportunity and ecological survival. Topic B: Managing Foreign Military Presence and Defense Agreements in the Pacific With the rising importance of international defense mechanisms, the control of military presence in the Pacific has become a significant issue. The strategic importance of the Pacific and its land has led to a surge of defense treaties with great global powers such as the United States and China. These agreements, aimed at ensuring security and fostering military cooperation, also come with significant political implications for Pacific Island nations. While these arrangements can provide substantial defense support and economic assistance to the Pacific, they can also minimize national identity and lead to dependency on foreign powers. In addition, the presence of foreign military forces raises concerns about environmental degradation, particularly when military activities impact fragile ecosystems. For many Pacific nations, balancing the economic benefits of defense partnerships with the preservation of their sovereignty and environmental integrity is an ongoing challenge. |
