Topic: Conserving Wetlands
The International Union for Conservation of Nature is comprised of over 1400 members with a goal of advancing sustainable development and creating a just world that values and conserves nature. Created in 1948 by UNESCO request, it was the first international body dedicated solely to conservation of nature.
Membership consists of a wide variety of governments and civil society organizations, including over 170 national governments. This broad membership works to incubate ideas, act as a trusted repository of best practices and tools, and set international standards and policies. The IUCN acts as a centralized resource for its members and the broader public in helping combat a variety of environmental issues. This stands in contrast to the more hands-on approach of similarly minded organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund. The IUCN is closely associated with the United Nations holding permanent observer status has a long history of working hand in hand with various UN committees. The IUCN is also a key collaborator on many international environmental conventions such as the Rasmar Convention or Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES).
This simulation will only include national government representatives, and proposed solutions should be in the same format that other GLICA resolutions take.
Wetlands are a specific semi-aquatic ecosystem defined by having soil that is covered or saturated by water. Common examples include marshes, swamps, bogs, fens, and bayous. Wetlands are present across every latitude and continent, showing diverse characteristics such as fresh or saltwater, inland or coastal, and saturated permanently or seasonally. Even with this wide variety between wetlands, there are many commonalities in the benefits they provide and the challenges they face.
Wetlands of all stripes play a critical role in helping to maintain climate stability. They can act as natural reservoirs to maintain water levels during dry seasons or contain excess water from snowmelt and rainfall. They also act as buffers to slow and absorb floodwater, protecting settlements and human activity nearby. The extensive plant life also acts to break up waves and strengthen soil, fighting off erosion and maintaining the ecosystem. Peat heavy wetlands are one of the most effective forms of carbon sequestration, storing twice as much carbon as the world’s forests while covering 10% as much space. The economic benefits of wetlands go beyond blunting the impact of flooding and other natural disasters. The overwhelming majority of commercially harvested fish rely on wetlands at some stage of their lifecycle, and many wetlands are hubs of recreation and tourism.
Like many other ecosystems, wetlands have seen a decrease over the past centuries that has accelerated in recent years due to global climate change. Reasons for this include draining wetlands for agricultural use or resource extraction, destruction from rising sea levels, and chemical runoff from industrial and agricultural processes.
