Delegation: The Russian Federation

Committee: Environment
The Question of: Saving the Arctic

Along with the increasing human access and economic activity in the region, a number of factors
such as oil and gas development, greenhouse gases or unsustainable industrial fishing threatens to disrupt the
fragile habitat of the Arctic, already experiencing climate changes that will, sooner or later, affect the world
as a whole. Subsequently, it is vital that solutions to this problem are sought within the UNEP, in hope that
international cooperation may result in new regulations that once implemented might put an end to this
problem, by slowing down global warming or even halting this distructive process.
As
Russia
has
extensive
territorial
claims
in
the
Arctic,
it's
only
natural that proctecting the biodiversity of the region, the unique wildlife that depends upon the melting ice
caps, as well as the indigenuous peoples that might have to watch their home crumble in the near future, is a
top priority to this state. The Strategic Action Programme for Protection of the Russian Arctic Environment
of 2009 stands as proof to the concern of the Russian Federation towards this major issue.
We welcome all initiatives of international organizations that propose different strategies of acting
for the welfare of the region and, implicity, of our planet. Russia's engagement in such intergovernmental
forums, take for exemple the Arctic Council, shows our implication in the domain.It's of primary importance
that we take decisions now, as the clock is ticking and the ice melting. We can't afford the luxury of
procrastination anymore, as the natural conditions are changing faster than we had previously foreseen.
However, it's important that we respond rationally, after having carefully analyzed scientifical facts,
avoiding in this way the risk of taking hasty decisions that we might regret.
Russia is against the extreme measures suggested by some, for instance, transforming the Arctic into
a global sanctuary. The future is, to some extent, dependent on the Arctic. As experts estimate, about 30% of
the world's undiscovered natural gas resources and 15% of its oil lay there. It would therefore unwise to
renounce this great economical and industrial potential. As technology advances and transgresses new
boundaries, it's unnatural to postpone its progress in order to help the environment, instead of using it with
this purpose!
Also, the Arctic peoples have the right to development, being among the poorest peoples in the
world. Today, they are given a great opportunity to progress, and it would be unfair to not let them take
advantage of a situation that might be their only way to a better life. We cant go back, but we can prevent
things from going forward in a disastruous way, rather than focus on the ice we cant refreeze.
We support the idea of making little changes that will have a great effect as time passes. It's with litte
steps taken by us all that we are to move on to a better future. As most of the black carbon in the atmosphere
comes from planes, banning cross-arctic flights would be a simple, viable solution that would significantly
reduce air pollution, giving us more time to come up with other long-term resolutions.
Russia would be utterly pleased to be involved in the process of changing The Earth and preserving
its wildlife, starting with the Arctic. We can no longer ignore the fact that our collective actions may have
triggered irreversible consequences for us all. Denial stopped being an option after human pressure started to
overwhelm nature. Now, it's time for us to act, trying to mend what we've broken, consciously or not.