Topic: UN's Role in preparing for Global Climate Shift
Country: India
Delegate Name: Benjamin Teskey
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All India position papers GLIMUN 2013 committees
Climate change is a problem of pressing concern. The world is currently at a level of 393.1 parts per million. That’s a 2.2 ppm increase from the previous year, which is well above the average that we have been experiencing in this past decade. This is hardly a safe level for the people of today, and it is readily apparent that this problem is accelerating out of control. Very recently, the Indian state of Uttarakhand was slammed with flash floods. It was a catastrophe that caused around 5,000 individuals to go missing. Scientists are now reporting that this was indirectly caused by global warming. It is important to note that these are just a few of many lives that climate change has taken. Although, floods and other immediate disasters are not the only concern. There is also the well known issue of our polar ice caps melting. Endangered species, both on land and underwater, are going extinct as we speak due to the world's poor environmental code of conduct. Overall, India sees this as an issue of the preservation of all forms of life on earth. And as a nation with unprecedented levels of population growth and astronomical levels of air pollution, India believes that the world cannot afford to wait until tomorrow to resolve these issues.
Despite these impacts, India is far too burdened to significantly increase its investment in the protection of the global climate. As India's population, and thus pollution, rate keeps increasing, there is a greater obligation to allocate its resources for more immediate humanitarian purposes. India's primary concern must rest in the millions of impoverished citizens in its own country, rather than to increase its already massive contribution to a problem that the entire world has obligations to work towards.
It is important to remember that India is the home of approximately 1.236 billion people, making it the second largest country in the world. However, it is third in terms of carbon emission. Perhaps this is due to the fact that it has a far less developed economy than many others, or simply that there is a lower percentage of individuals driving cars than many others. Either way, the leaders in greenhouse gas reduction funding should be those that have accumulated the greatest economic development. It is as good as impossible to say that India can currently invest in being one of those leaders, as it is only ranked 10th in terms of Gross Domestic Product. Also, when looking towards the amount that is being polluted per person, it is apparent that India is well below the world average.
This is not to say that India does not wish to increase its support, or that India is against preexisting ideas. It simply means that there is little India can provide in terms of supporting the effort to reduce climate change, and that all nations should look at this issue more in terms of a collaborative world obligation, rather than an individual obligation. The Kyoto Protocol is strong in terms of creating simple standards to follow, but it lacks the flexibility and nuance necessary to meet each individual nation’s needs. Once this way of thinking is achieved, we will be able to resolve the issues that face us in our more traditional approach to addressing climate change.
Works Cited
"5,000 Missing in India Floods: Scientists Say Global Warming Is to Blame | Common Dreams." Common Dreams. Sarah Lazare Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/06/21-2>.
"Global Warming Gas Levels Reach Record High | Irish Examiner." Irish Examiner. John Heilprin and Seth Borenstein Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2013/1107/world/global-warming-gas-levels-reach-record-high-248831.html>.
"GDP Ranking." Data. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/GDP-ranking-table>.
"IndiaStat.Com – India's Comprehensive Statistical Analysis, Data Information & Facts About India." IndiaStat N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. <http://www.indiastat.com/default.aspx>.
