OAS Permanent Council

Topic A: Addressing Climate Change in Latin America

HACIA Democracy XXIV Summit of the Americas

Committee Chairs: Lucas Conti and Anant Pai

Director of English Committees: Benjamin Schafer

Introduction

What do you think about when you hear the word energy? Often it is a mere buzzword

for most people, one that has been used with increasing frequency in recent years. Depending on

what you do, what you study and how old you are, you may hold different interpretations of the

word and have different ideas of what it really means. Some just know it as “the thing that turns

my lights on” or “what I need to power my phone and my TV.” As it turns out, energy is much,

much more than that. Throughout this bulletin, I will expose you to what energy really is, teach

you about the enormous amount of power it gives to the nations who control it, and describe how

the way humans produce energy today threatens life as we know it. Finally, I will work with you

to learn how nations can come together in order to solve what is one of the greatest issues

humanity has ever faced.

Energy makes up everything in the universe. This has been known since Einstein

published his famous equation e = mc2 in 1905, stating that energy is just mass multiplied by the

speed of light squared.1 This implies that everything in our world is made of energy: people,

animals, computers, and even the air that we breathe to fuel our bodies. This energy is stored in

the bonds of molecules and inside the atoms that make up all of the elements in the universe, and

can be accessed when these bonds are broken to generate power and heat.

Since energy makes up everything in the known universe and all animals rely on energy

to survive, it should come as no surprise that energy is one of the most important resources for

humanity to thrive, and it holds an intrinsic ability to make things happen. Throughout human

history, the energy capacity of a society has determined the rate of growth of a population, and

how much energy a country has access to determines how successful or how powerful it may be.2

Combusting coal and petroleum produces incredible amounts of energy, but while these

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resources may appear to be “free energy” for governments who own and control them, the gases

emitted by combustion cause a lasting impact on the conditions of this planet and on the health

and safety of the animals who inhabit it. Models supported by scientists like Stephen Hawking,

one of the world’s most respected scientists, predict that humans, among many other species of

animals, will no longer be able to survive the harsh climates of Earth in the next few centuries if

current trends persist, abruptly ending all forms of known intelligent life in the universe.3,4

Seeing as energy and climate change are such an important and powerful concern for

humanity, governments must come together and collaborate on the best transition to a society

where humans produce energy without threatening life as we know it. The mandate of the

Organization of the American States reports that it seeks to provide solutions to political,

juridical, and economic problems that may arise among the member states.5 Additionally, the

OAS strives to promote by cooperative action economic, social, and cultural development in the

Americas. The current issue of climate change is intrinsically linked to possible economic

growth and collapse, cultural development, and revolutionary social movements towards science,

education, and empowerment of civilians through affordable energy. Scientifically speaking,

climate change and renewable energy are among the most important issues that humanity must

face in order to sustain long term population growth and habitable conditions on this planet.

The tone in this committee will be primarily scientific and economic with a focus on how

governments can use science and technology to shape policy, which will later develop into a

multitude of cultural and social transformations.  

History and Powers of the Committee

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The OAS was formed in 1948 in Bogotá, Colombia, with the signing of the Charter of the

OAS, which entered into effect in December of 1951.6 The Organization was established in order

to achieve “an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to strengthen their

collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their independence”

among member states as stipulated in Article 1 of the Charter.7  

There are 35 represented countries in the committee, each an independent state of the

Americas. These countries have agreed to the terms of the OAS and decided that it is in their best

interest to cooperate with the other member states to work towards solutions of broad scale

impact to the region. More specifically, the Permanent Council consists of one Permanent

Representative of each member state, especially appointed by the respective government with the

rank of Ambassador.8

The charter of the OAS--which outlines the principles of the organization, its members,

the fundamental rights and duties of the states, the powers of the General Assembly, and the

duties of the Permanent Council--is the most important document for the OAS because it dictates

how the body functions, who can be in the organization, and what powers the body holds. The

document can be found at the OAS’s website.5 Additionally, delegates should become familiar

with the Statute of the Permanent Council of the OAS, as this document serves the foundation

for this specific committee of the Organization of American States.9

The Organization of American States acts more as a forum of political dialogue among

the member nations than as an enforcing entity among the states. The General Assembly of the

OAS, with help from its different councils (such as the Permanent Council), can make

recommendations to member nations on how to best approach the problem at hand, but no

member nation has the power to intervene with the sovereignty of any other nation. The

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committee’s resolutions are thus non-binding; they should act as detailed recommendations used

to battle an issue of transcontinental proportions such as the problem of climate change and

renewable energy.

Aims of the Committee

Although the topic of climate change and renewable energy is very broad and

encompasses many different sectors and industries, this committee will focus on the role of

government in controlling carbon emissions, providing economic incentives for both companies

and consumers to go green, and investing in the green energy economy and research sector in

order to stimulate job growth in the area.

If a plan is reached among the member states, Latin America could become one of the

leading regions in renewable energy, which will undoubtedly become one of the biggest

economic and research sectors of the future. According to Bloomberg, the renewable energy

market will hold values upwards of US $20 trillion within the next few decades.10 Furthermore,

adopting a green plan and implementing it efficiently will serve as an example for the rest of the

world that a shift to renewable energy can be done.

Much like the industrial revolution fundamentally changed the social and economic

structure of 19th-century England, the impending energy revolution has the potential to do the

same for adopting nations. Energy is one of the most expensive commodities in the world, and

the development of affordable renewables has the potential to power entire countries for a

fraction of the cost of today, facilitating growth and prosperity in Latin America and the globe.

Insofar as the primary goal of this committee is to address global climate change reform

and to put the issue on the forefront of the political agenda of the OAS, resolutions should be

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tailored to address policy reform and economic incentives in the nation with a focus on education

and job growth leading to sustainable industries. The coal and oil sectors will be disturbed by a

rise in renewable energy infrastructure, and resolutions must address what will happen to the

millions of workers who will be left out of a job because of the transition away from carbon-

based energy resources.

Delegates should keep in mind each member country’s individual policies on the issue of

climate change and renewable energy. Additionally, delegates should be aware of the possible

short term and long term economic consequences that may arise from their resolutions. Will the

proposed solution incentivize job creation in one area but leave many from the coal and mining

industry behind? How can we reconcile the transition from coal to renewable resources and the

destruction of a whole industry? Can education play an important role in this transition? How so?

How will this decision affect countries that have large political or economic ties to the oil and

carbon energy industry?

Keep in mind that the basic problem to be addressed lies in a smooth transition to the full

use of renewable energy in Latin America and the world, weaving together and pushing through

economic, political, social, environmental, scientific, and corporate hurdles along the way.

The Topic in Context

This section aims to accomplish several goals. First, the definition of energy will be

explored in more detail, and the power granted to nations who control this energy will also be

discussed. Lastly, this section will describe how current energy production threatens life as we

know it.

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As mentioned in the introduction, energy, when it comes down to it, is what makes up

everything in the universe. Known since Einstein published his world-famous equation e = mc2

in 1905, energy is mass multiplied by the speed of light squared. This means that everything in

our world is made of energy: people, animals, the ocean, computers, and even the air that we

breathe to fuel our bodies. As previously mentioned, this energy is stored in the bonds between

molecules and inside the atoms that make up all of the elements in the universe, and can be

accessed when these bonds are broken to generate power and heat.11

Humans eat food in order to access energy stored in bonds between atoms to fuel our

bodies and daily activities. For thousands of years, humans needed energy solely for nutrition

and survival: hunter and gatherers went out into the world to kill other animals and collect nuts

and fruits that could provide energy. This was the way humans carried out their lives before the

advent of modern agriculture, which generated a revolution.

With the beginning of agriculture, humans realized that they no longer needed the

majority of the population working to produce food to generate energy. Therefore, many

members of the population had time to delve into other activities like teaching, manufacturing

goods, and commerce.12 Full civilizations, language, writing, and trade emerged. With this

newfound free time and increased energy capacity, the human population boomed, and with it,

humans found new ways to use energy for work and to improve the quality of human of life.13

The next huge energy transition was marked by the development of the steam engine and

the internal combustion engine, which gave rise to the industrial revolution in 18th- and 19th -

century England.14 Here, humans learned to produce cheap and reliable energy: the human

population garnered the ability to burn fuel (breaking the bonds in carbon during combustion)

inside of a machine in order to produce energy to do work. The work that was previously done

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by one-hundred horses could now be done by a single machine, enabling the construction of

assembly-line factories, the expansion of roads and networks, and the development of railroads

and steam locomotives.15 This once again revolutionized the way and the speed at which many

goods and foods were produced, making them more efficient and freeing members of society

from having to work to generate food and goods for the population.

With this newfound free time and increased energy capacity, society revolutionized both

domestic and international trade systems, and the human population boomed yet again. In fact, it

took hundreds of thousands of years for the human population on Earth to reach 1 billion people,

which finally occurred in the year 1800. Shortly thereafter, in just over one-hundred years

(1928), the population doubled to reach 2 billion people.15 Now, less than one-hundred years

after that, the population will cube itself to reach 8 billion people within the next few years.16

Coal and petroleum are good sources of energy because they have a lot of carbon that,

when combusted, generates energy. Energy sources like this are said to have a very high energy

density.17 Around the Industrial Revolution, Britain consolidated its position as a world

superpower in part because it was geographically situated above a lot of coal that could drive

industry and commerce.18 This gave England a lot of power since it controlled production and the

trade of goods. Other nations then started mining and burning coal as well, producing even more

“free energy” to generate industry and revenue.

Soon, the nations that had access to the largest amount of oil and coal became the richest

and most powerful nations in the world. Today, energy generated from these and newer methods

help power your home, fuel your car, charge your phone and computers, power your TV, keep

the internet alive, and turn on most of the lights in the world. In order for this to happen, a lot of

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coal and oil need to be burned, leading to what is now known around the world as the

devastating problem of climate change.

The science behind this phenomenon works as follows: when carbon burns during

combustion, it releases an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon

dioxide (CO2) is part of a category of gases called greenhouse gases.19 These gases trap heat

from light that is delivered to our planet by the sun and therefore raise the temperature of the

Earth.20 Although they are important for Earth to maintain a minimum temperature and not freeze

over, too many greenhouse gases can lead to devastating consequences. When the temperature of

the Earth rises, its oceans swell and expand, the polar ice caps melt, full habitats and ecosystems

become endangered, and, most notably to humans, more extreme and disastrous weather patterns

emerge.21 When the underlying causes of these disasters go untreated, humans need to expend

more energy in order to fix the issue or protect themselves from the consequences; therefore, a

downwards spiraling vicious cycle may emerge if renewable energy resources cannot be

developed in a timely fashion.

Beyond disrupting ecosystems and weather patterns, rising global temperatures would

make potable water even more scarce throughout the planet. This would mainly affect

developing countries and nations who most rely on it for survival.22 Furthermore, humans are in a

desperate need to expand their energy use every day because of a rising global population, rapid

technological developments, and increasing quality of life, but the Earth has a limited stock of

carbon-based fuel. Petroleum forms through millions of years of pressure underground, but

humans are consuming this substance and pumping it into the atmosphere at a much faster rate

than it is produced.23 Consequently, without even thinking about climate change, it should be

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clear that humans need to work on developing new modes of energy (solar, wind, biochemical)

in order to sustain the population for generations to come.

Historically, the actual problem of climate change, independently of energy science,

became apparent soon after the industrial revolution in England. At the time, scientists had

already begun to agree that CO2 gas caused the retention of heat and energy and that the Earth

had a layer of these so called “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere that contributed to the

development of the flora and fauna of the planet.24 Even back then, theories suggested that the

combustion of carbon compounds for energy could alter this atmospheric layer and have an

overall impact of increasing the temperature of the planet by a few degrees.25 Models accurately

predicted the rise in global temperatures, but the consequences of these rising numbers were not

fully understood until later in the century.

As CO2 and other greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere at an increasing rate

due to higher energy demands from the burning of carbon-based resources, the issue of climate

change has become a lot more relevant. In fact, if we do not do something about it in the next

decade, the effects of global warming and climate change on the Earth may become irreparable.

This topic is relevant and extremely pressing for the entirety of humanity, but it is

especially relevant for Latin America as the region is projected to be one of the most affected by

climate change if little to minimal action is taken in the next decade.26 If the continent decides to

invest in renewables and diverge from fossil fuel emissions, the region may also see a rise in

jobs, a decreased cost of energy (and subsequently a decreased cost of living), and better living

conditions with higher quality of life.

Several attempts have been made to address this issue in the past, and several others are

currently ongoing. The Paris Climate Agreement has emerged prominently as an example of

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such attempts, and while many debate its efficacy in fighting the problem, it is a major step

towards the goal of reducing carbon emissions and investing in so called “green,” “sustainable,”

and “renewable” energies for use by humanity.27 Other attempts at reducing the problem have

been made by private entities and corporations in both a corporate manufacturing setting and a

public awareness platform.

Many of the public awareness attempts for resolving climate change have fallen short due

to a lack of “immediacy,” a lack of considerable thought to long term consequences of the

problem, perhaps because short term consequences do not seem as catastrophic. Awareness

campaigns have focused mainly on raising a concern about climate conditions and the “health”

of the planet without emphasizing how deeply that will affect human lives and the standard of

living in the future.28 Successes have come around slowly, and support for a unified immediate

effort to combat the issue has risen recently throughout the world, but much more still needs to

be done.

Scientists, engineers, and activists have been the majority of those dealing with and

attempting to solve the problem, while governments and major corporations that profit from

carbon-based energy production have ignored the problem almost entirely. The issue here is that

the majority of money and resources are stuck with those who chose to ignore the problem due to

political or business reasons- mainly because these entities want to keep their wealth and power;

however, the costs do not outweigh the benefits in the solutions proposed. Most efforts towards

ameliorating this problem carry huge potential benefits due to the nature and seriousness of the

situation that may arise if this dilemma cannot be dealt with in time. Herein lies another piece of

the complexity of this problem: humanity is racing against time to think of better and more

efficient solutions to carbon-based energy production.

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In the last couple of years, climate change and energy have gained significant ground in

the public eye because of many different factors. Politically, corrupt government entities have

been caught in illegal deals with major oil companies (prime example in Brazil).29 Scientifically,

leading research institutions have made a huge push towards renewable energy research, a good

example being the state of California approving "more than $17 million in grants for research in

energy efficiency, natural gas, and agricultural and industrial sectors."30 In the business sector,

society is moving towards devices that consume more energy and that are accessible to more

people, while keeping energy efficiency at a maximum. As the population continues to grow,

more energy will be needed to charge all of these devices and to satisfy humanity’s needs.

Fueling this increasing demand with carbon fuels instead of building new clean energy initiatives

would be detrimental to the survival of the human race. Furthermore, industry leaders like Elon

Musk’s Tesla electric car company are making headway in getting mass produced electric

vehicles out to the public all while making it attractive and enjoyable to consumers.31

Most importantly, this topic has been relevant because of Donald Trump’s continued

efforts to move away from clean energy initiatives and to revitalize the coal industry in the

United States. Most recently, Trump left the Paris Accord even though the rest of the

representatives in the agreement stated that the deal was not renegotiable.32 The action to leave

the accord carries heavy consequences as it may lead to a domino effect of other countries also

deciding to leave the agreement, diverting government agendas away from clean energy and

climate change. However, leaving the deal also opens up room for other countries like China and

France to take over renewable energy resource research and production, possibly becoming

leaders in the field ahead of the US. Furthermore, France’s newly elected president Emmanuel

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Macron has urged American researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs to go to France to work on

their research and improve the rate of scientific advancement in the area.33

The Crux of the Debate

Throughout the last decade, climate scientists have grown increasingly concerned about

climate change as the world experiences a furthering of extreme weather conditions around the

globe. Notably, massive floods, glacial melting, and large hurricanes have tormented populations

along the Americas for the better part of the 21st century.34 Most recently, hurricanes Harvey,

Irma, Jose, and Maria of 2017's hurricane season devastated the Caribbean, Cuba, and Puerto

Rico, leaving destruction along their path.35 Member countries may come into the discussion

with slightly different priorities on how to deal with the issue based on their individual nation’s

problems and economic positions. Countries that have seen historically higher rates of

deforestation because of their individual natural resources may focus policy in combating

deforestation and protecting wildlife sanctuaries both in land and off-coast near regions of dense

coral reef populations. Other economies may have to shift the climate change argument to

slightly favor specific problems their nation may face. As an example, a number of Caribbean

states participate in AOSIS, an Alliance of Small Island States that represent 44 island and

coastal countries around the world that called for a 1.5-degree Celsius limit on global warming,

as they believe this action may be one of the only ways to prevent rising sea levels from

engulfing their homes.7

In an effort to mitigate the long-term effects of climate change in the region, six Latin

American countries, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Perú, Guatemala and Panamá decided to

create a new negotiating bloc named the Association of Independent Latin American and

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Caribbean states (AILAC) in 2014.7 These countries decided to stop waiting for wealthy nations

like the United States to take action in reducing carbon emissions and launched a compelling

case for the development of low-carbon initiatives both at home and abroad.7 This bloc was

among the first to secede from the ongoing financial/ideological stalemate between North

America and Latin America that had plagued climate change negotiations for years, where Latin

American countries had long been waiting for increased financial support from North America.36

With this new bloc, they can push and develop their own climate agenda to forward Latin

American interests with many expressing the opinion that wealthy developed countries should be

doing more to help, but if they are not going to join the movement they should stop impeding

climate negotiations.7

José Alberto Garibaldi, a key participant in the United Nations Framework Convention

on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and advisor to many Latin American countries, adds that AILAC

provides a fresh view on this fundamental problem and advances hope to stir reform, much of

which has been stunted by fragmented views on climate policy in the continent and international

inaction.7 As an example, Brazil has long been a major player in climate change discussions in

Latin America with help from its sizeable push towards ethanol biofuel production from large

sugar-cane plantations but was forced to align itself with stronger allies China, India, and South

Africa to create the BASIC bloc after political inactivity from other nations.37 This initiative lead

to an important shift in climate talks that played into the development of the Copenhagen Accord

in 2009, representing an important step as the world’s major economies offered explicit

international climate pledges to mitigate environmental threats.38

In a more radical bloc, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America (ALBA),

countries like Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Cuba focused on pressuring

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developed countries to commit to severe emission cuts in an attempt to push these wealthy

nations to pay their climate debt, reasoning that much of current carbon emissions are coming

from such states.7 This bloc believes in the principle of “Common but Differentiated

Responsibilities,” the idea that developed countries need to lead the push in climate change

reform since they have done the most to create the problem that is so severely affecting

developing nations in Latin America and the world at large. In 2012, some of the ALBA member

nations formed the LMDC bloc, the “Like-Minded Developing Countries” that share similar

ideologies with China, India, and Saudi Arabia.

Yet another ideological group, the Central American Integration System (SICA), made

up of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá, and the

Dominican Republic, have demonstrated a serious concern and pushed for increased recognition

that this region is among one of the most vulnerable and most affected by climate change, thus

focusing on maximum utilization of the Green Climate Fund, an initiative launched by 194

countries in the UNFCCC seeking to “promote a paradigm shift to low-emission and climate-

resilient development, taking into account the needs of nations that are particularly vulnerable to

climate change impacts.”39

These underlying conflicts related to climate change arise between different schools of

thought in Latin America, and are primarily centered around increasing levels of urgency in

severely affected countries. However, other important financial factors at play may underlie

many decisions related to reform. Some include quickly capitalizing on an oil market that is

seeing increased growth in Latin America due to newfound oil in the region.40 A newly

discovered reservoir off the northeastern coast of Brazil may be home to more than 14 billion

barrels of petroleum that could yield steep economic growth at the expense of nearby coral reefs

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and bustling wildlife, and damage to these ecosystems would drastically affect the lifestyle of

nearby fishing villages. Latin American countries such as Brazil have gained increasing

international influence over their oil exports in recent years, and a switch to renewable energies

may slow down the rate of this increasing economic power in a short timeline. However, many

believe that investments in renewables could prove the best economic decision in the long run as

the world advances its transition from carbon-based resources to wind and solar.

As stressed in A Fragmented Continent: Latin America and the Global Politics of

Climate Change by Guy Edwards and Timmons Roberts, Latin America must “attempt to

balance climate action with building prosperity.” They add that Brazil successfully reduced its

deforestation and continues its drive for economic growth and recognition. Furthermore, a leftist

group spearheaded by Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador agrees on the injustices and setbacks of

climate change but is heavily reliant on fossil fuel exports. Finally, Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru

offer steep cuts in their carbon emissions in exchange for increased action by others.41 In order to

get past this challenge, several approaches to climate change reform can be debated, many of

which I will describe further in this bulletin.

An emerging approach to climate change reform has focused on a rights-based

discussion, which is considered at length in the OAS’s own publication Climate Change: A

Comparative Overview of the Rights Based Approach in the Americas (I suggest a thorough

read).42 In addition, this document provides invaluable information on individual Latin American

countries’ positions and current policies regarding the issue. For a lighter yet still informative

read on key policy definitions and specific actions taken by countries like Bolivia, Colombia,

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, I recommend WWF Climático’s Latin

America and the Caribbean Action on Climate Change (maybe start here for context).43

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In the end, the various actors in this convoluted play are fighting against a future that

leaves the planet uninhabitable due to rising global temperatures that result in major natural

disasters that pummel current city infrastructures. On top of that, they are fighting to make the

transition to renewable resources one that does not completely disrupt one of the world’s current

most powerful industry: the oil and gas economy. The pressing need to move past this issue in

order to guarantee a safe and habitable planet for generations to come will tie countries together

during this discussion, along with a way to solve the economic difficulties that must be overcome

in order to achieve this reality.

Non-OAS Interests

Beyond the OAS, private companies and multinationals, particularly in the auto industry,

are paying increasing attention to the renewables sector as they see new potential in the market

for electric vehicles. This potential has been accelerated as batteries continue to see a sustained

drop in price and with fully electric cars seeing a 102% increase in sales in the US.44 In fact,

battery prices have fallen by nearly 80% between 2010 and 2016, with manufacturers in China

and elsewhere preparing to significantly boost battery production potentially leading to steeper

price drops in the years to come.17 This shift comes at a time when the Environmental Protection

Agency estimates that a whopping 14% of total greenhouse gas emissions globally come from

the transportation industry, with numbers claiming that as much as “95% of the world's

transportation energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, largely gasoline and diesel.”45 The

Swedish automaker Volvo has gone as far as announcing that every new Volvo will be a hybrid

or electric car by 2019, and global investors have valued billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s

electric car company Tesla Motors above conventional auto companies Ford and General Motors

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in the US market.46 The push for electric vehicles has been so significant in the private sector that

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that “France will end sales of petrol and

diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of an ambitious plan to meet its targets under the Paris climate

accord”.47

This industry-wide push toward electric vehicles and cleaner energy is not a standalone

case in the private sector. Several other initiatives beyond the transportation have started to take

hold, most recently including Elon Musk’s promise to install the world's biggest grid-scale

battery in Australia.48 This gargantuan lithium-ion battery powered by an adjacent wind farm,

will serve as the emergency backup power for the entirety of South Australia, a state constantly

racked by power outages due to recurrent storms and heat waves.49 If this deal is to succeed, it

will prove to the world that renewable energy has applications in mass energy production,

potentially leading to a paradigm shift in the green energy private industry and providing new

alternatives for South American governments.

Any serious company in the transportation or green energy industry that is interested in

investing in the future should see that the market is heading in the sustainable development

direction, and it may be worthwhile for those industries to allocate a fraction of their resources to

scientific and technological developments in the area. Many now think that humanity needs to go

green in the next few decades in order to have a chance of survival on this planet, and talks

should focus on the best way of going about to achieve this. Individual nations and multinational

corporations have posed different solutions to the same problem, and particular players should

have larger stakes and responsibilities in this issue so long as they are either contributing to the

problem or helping humanity solve it. Countries that have higher CO2 emission values (USA,

China) or countries that have the most resources to deal with this issue should play a major role

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in attempting to fix the problem. Additionally, industry leaders who are at the head of businesses

in companies that fundamentally advocate for or against climate change based on individual

interests (like Tesla, Exxonmobil, PetroBras) should have a large stake in this debate. Together,

governments, private multinationals, non-profits, public initiatives, and affected citizens must

join forces in order to tackle the monstrous puzzle of climate change reform in the decades

ahead.

Power of the Committee to Address the Topic

As discussed at length throughout this bulletin, the issue of climate change is an

international, multidimensional problem that must rely on extensive cooperation between nations

if a solution is to be eventually developed and implemented. In framing their position papers,

delegates must keep in mind what the OAS Permanent Council can do as a body in order to

accelerate reform. Article 1 of the OAS Charter states that the organization was established to

achieve for its member nations “an order of peace and justice, to promote their solidarity, to

strengthen their collaboration, and to defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their

independence.”50 In addition, the OAS wishes “to promote, by cooperative action, their

economic, social, and cultural development.”

As part of its jurisdiction, the OAS can publish reports and recommendations that regard

political, economic, and social aspects of its member states in addition to holding influence in

persuading academic institutions, local governments, and private organizations in the region.

Since the OAS is responsible for checking and addressing human rights issues in Latin America,

it must do all it can to ensure an energy-rich future for the region that does not rely on the active

destruction of the planet. In doing so, the committee’s biggest limitation stands with the fact that

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its resolutions and recommendations to the General Assembly of the OAS are non-binding,

meaning that it cannot force member countries to take specific action relating to the issue.

Different views do certainly come up on how to best deal with the problem of climate change,

but because this is such an important topic, I am confident that compromises and concessions can

be made between OAS member nations in order for Latin America to move forward as a clean

energy superpower, leading the world in the race to the future.

There is precedent in previous committee action from the OAS in climate talks and

publications. As stated previously, the OAS’s own Climate Change: A Comparative Overview of

the Rights Based Approach in the Americas provides invaluable information as you prepare for

the conference. In this document, the Secretary General of the OAS writes that:

“More frequent and more powerful hurricanes in the Caribbean, melting Andean glaciers,

diminished fish catches due to bleaching of coral reefs, and rising sea levels are just a few

of the effects either already being felt, or at risk in the near future. In this context, the

rights-based approach to addressing climate change prioritizes the needs and concerns of

the people of the Americas in the identification and implementation of solutions, and in

particular those of most vulnerable groups.”51

In addition to the aforementioned document, in a February 14 speech to the joint meeting

of the permanent council and the inter-American council for integral development, U.N.

Assistant Secretary-General Thomas Gass presented that “pursuing 60 sustainable and inclusive

market ‘hotspots’ in just four key areas (energy; cities; food and agriculture; health and

wellbeing) could create at least US$12 trillion in business value by 2030 – equivalent to 10

percent of forecast GDP – and generate up to 380 million jobs, mostly in developing countries.”52

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It is now clear that the OAS has prioritized climate change talks within the region, and to

emphasize how important this problem has become, Ambassador Hugo de Zela, Chief of Staff of

the OAS General Secretariat, stated in a press release that “the issue of climate change has

ceased to be a debate, and is an issue that involves governance and public administration, and

therefore involves all of us.”53 Most countries will agree that climate change is a topic that must

be addressed and that needs to be overcome for nations of the future to flourish, but countries

may disagree with the amount of intervention that is necessary or with the exact means through

which to solve this problem (government policy, economic incentives, science research, industry

intervention). To conclude, delegates should be approaching this issue in preparation for HACIA

thinking that countries are already suffering the effects of climate change. The question should

not be ‘if’ it is included, but ‘how’ a solution to the issue of climate change should be included in

the current agenda.54

Questions a Resolution Must Answer

● Keeping in mind that oil exports and production now make up a large portion of South

America’s economy, how can governments lead the industry away from the oil business

without shattering economic markets?

● What should we focus on in creating a cleaner, renewable future that is aligned with

serving a growing population with an increased need for energy and power? What sorts

of infrastructure changes do we need to make?

● Should the government provide increased funding to scientific research and education,

leading the change in future technologies from a basic science point of view or should

21

this money be directed towards businesses and corporations that are aiming to combat

this issue? Is there a more efficient way of spreading the chips with both of these

approaches?

● What sort of government incentives and programs can be created in order to change the

public’s perspective on the necessity of having renewable energies for a cleaner future?

● What kind of new jobs can the government create in order to catalyze the transition to

green energies and renewable resources while simultaneously boosting the economy and

generating sustainable job growth?

● What can we do about the millions of jobs that will be lost in the oil and coal industries,

and how can governments help those individuals who will be most affected by this

change?

● What role can technology and the internet play in this revolution? Can automation lead us

in the right direction?

Framing Position Papers

In writing and framing position papers ahead of the conference, delegates must look into

what their country’s current policies regarding climate change and energy are, what agreements

their countries have already joined, and to which blocs their countries have already affiliated

themselves. Delegates will benefit from reading the documents mentioned in this bulletin and

referencing the citations at the end for valuable additional information. Furthermore, since

climate change and renewable energy are among one of the most discussed topics in today’s

political scene, delegates should find no shortage of sources to derive information and inspiration

22

from. In looking at the collective benefit that humanity can derive from a green energy future,

delegates must not forget their country’s individual interests. Delegates must be cognizant of the

feasibility of their proposals by considering the state of dialogue and action in their individual

member nations.

Non-negotiable positions that lie outside of the limits of this simulation include

undermining the general importance of climate change, the fact that it is happening, and that it is

a problem that needs to be addressed. Domestic political or legal constraints will be dependent

on individual countries and on each country’s particular legislation that pertains to climate

reform. Furthermore, countries must be willing to cooperate with one another even in spite of

their political differences. Heavy weight must be placed on achieving maximum cooperation in

trade, policy, education and technological investments.

All positions that aim to solve the issue of climate change, each in their own way, are up

and negotiable for discussion, with the only restriction being your country’s legislation and

previous government deals and alliances. Think outside the box!

Proposed Solutions

This section is meant to provide delegates with an incomplete and non-comprehensive

list of possible solutions to the problem. This segment is intended to simply show delegates a

possible way of addressing the climate change agenda in the years to come. Beyond this list,

delegates must look into other alternatives that tie together different industries, the public and

the private sectors, human rights and economic wealth, and quality of life in their member

nations when making their recommendations.

23

Carbon Tax

A carbon tax is a government policy to restrict carbon emissions made by corporations

and coal/oil plants that burn carbon in order to produce energy.55 This tax extends to and is also

applicable to the automobile industry: by taxing carbon emissions, the price of gasoline would go

up, ultimately leading to an economic incentive to buy electric cars.25 This policy works well in

controlling the amount of carbon that is being burned and released in the atmosphere as

greenhouse gases; however, this is not enough to fix the problem. This resolution slows the

problem down and is a great first step in combating the issue, but definitely not a permanent or

long-term solution. Furthermore, this solution mainly targets businesses, corporations,

agriculture and manufacturers since they are the ones who will be most heavily taxed, but it does

not create a change to the public’s culture around climate change and renewable energy or

provide any education in the matter.

Change in Public Infrastructure

This solution aims to construct energy efficient buildings, factories, airports and

transportation systems. For example, factories can be constructed with bottom up integration of a

power grid directly linked to solar panels and with the best architecture to optimize energy

efficiency, reducing energy use. Several major companies like Sony, Adidas, and Microsoft

focus on the creation of their products while still trying to be “carbon-neutral” in their factories

and facilities.56 Although this system would be very efficient to minimize carbon-based energy

use, it is extremely expensive for mass incorporation in city infrastructure. This is a change that

can be slowly implemented as alternative energy technologies become cheaper and cheaper, and

eventually mainstream with every new construction project. A massive change to green and

24

sustainable public infrastructure would be an expensive front investment but will significantly

reduce energy costs in the long run. Additionally, the government can use this system to create

incentives for manufacturers and construction firms that encourage the construction of carbon-

neutral and energy efficient facilities. A renewal of public infrastructure would also start to

change public opinion about renewable technologies and the necessity to address climate change

by normalizing and incorporating this technology into the population’s everyday life.

Investment in Science and Education

A third climate change solution would focus on scientific and technological research to

develop new ways of producing renewable energies. Some of this push could focus on better

ways to harness energy from the wind, sun, water, bacteria and other types of renewables.

Change in this area could prove to be a nice way to improve and stimulate education in the

country while effectively combating climate change through education and technology

development, and it is widely known that if properly implemented, investment in science and

education is never a bad thing for a country. This would require very detailed ways in how to

change education policies and funding in member countries in order to generate research and

interest for the sciences and technology.

Closing Remarks and Recommendations for Future Research

As I conclude, I hope that you have found this bulletin informative, inspiring, and

thought-provoking. I hope that this has served as a helpful introduction to the complicated

chessboard of climate change and energy policy that will become a major part of the political

climate in decades to come. You have learned about the roots of when this problem started, what

25

the OAS is and what it can do, and what the scientific community concluded about global

climate trends. You have read about political reactions to this generation-defining debate. It is

now your turn to think of how humanity can act collectively in order to solve what is likely one

of the biggest problems we face today. I remind you that if our species does not act in time, the

existence of life as we know it, both human and otherwise, in this planet is at risk. In your

additional research, I encourage you to review all of the documents mentioned in this text as well

as the references below. The internet should provide a plethora of additional material for

delegates to work with, and if at any time you have questions about this bulletin, your research,

or the specifics of your country, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at

lucasconti@college.harvard.edu.

In an attempt to end with a look at humanity’s future beyond the energy bottleneck, I will

present you with some of the potential paradigm shifts that 50 years ago would only exist in the

exciting but unreachable pages of a science-fiction novel. First, although poverty is a very

complex global issue that is dependent on many moving pieces, a solution to climate change

through cheap and easy renewable energies would tremendously help combat some of the main

factors of poverty. Food production could increase and stabilize as weather patterns revert to

more regular activities. Humanity already produces enough food to feed 10 billion people every

year, but it is too expensive to move this resource around the whole world from areas of surplus

to regions of famine.57 With cheap, replenishable energy, the costs of production and

transportation could decrease, leading to a more productive society that is able to more

efficiently manage its resources and combat inequality. Additionally, the production of fresh

water via water desalination plants would become more accessible as they require large amounts

of energy to function. Beyond the energy bottle-neck, space exploration could see unprecedented

26

growth. For these reasons and many more, I know we will have a productive and constructive

debate in Cartagena filled with excitement and hope for an incredible future ahead. I wish you

the very best of luck in your research, and I can’t wait to meet you in March.

27

Endnotes

28

1 Deffree, Suzanne. “Einstein Paper Outlines E=mc2, November 21, 1905.” 2 “Peak People: The Interrelationship between Population Growth and Energy Resources.” Resilience, 19 Apr. 2009.3 Machine, Heartless. “When Will the Planet Be Too Hot for Humans? Much, Much Sooner Than You Imagine.” Daily Intelligencer, 9 July 2017.4 Barclay, Eliza. “Stephen Hawking: It's Time to Get the Hell off Planet Earth.” Vox, Vox, 20 June 2017.5 Oea, and Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009.6 Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/about/who_we_are.asp.7 Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/about/who_we_are.asp.8 Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/council/about.asp.9 Statutes of The Permanent Council of American States, General Secretariat, 7 July 1970.10 Shankleman, Jess, and Joe Ryan. “Paris Accord Could Make the World $19 Trillion Richer.”Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 20 Mar. 2017.11 De Leon. “Combustion Reactions.” Chemical Reactions: Combustion, www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/chemical%20reactions/combustion.html.12 “From Foraging to Farming: the 10,000-Year Revolution.” University of Cambridge, 23 Mar. 2012, www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/from-foraging-to-farming-the-10000-year-revolution.13 “Agriculture and Population Growth.” EVOLVING ECONOMICS, 17 Sept. 2012, jasoncollins.org/2012/09/17/agriculture-and-population-growth/.14 Buchanan, Robert Angus. “The Industrial Revolution (1750–1900).” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 Feb. 2017, www.britannica.com/technology/history-of-technology/The-Industrial-Revolution-1750-1900.15“The Industrial Revolution and the Changing Face of Britain.” British Museum - The Industrial Revolution and the Changing Face of Britain, www.britishmuseum.org/research/publications/online_research_catalogues/paper_money/paper_money_of_england__wales/the_industrial_revolution.aspx.16 “World Population Growth.” Our World in Data, ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth/.17 “Energy Density.” Energy Density - Energy Education, energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Energy_density. 18 “Coal Mines in the Industrial Revolution.” History Learning Site, www.historylearningsite.co.uk/britain-1700-to-1900/industrial-revolution/coal-mines-in-the-industrial-revolution/.19 “Overview of Greenhouse Gases.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 14 Apr. 2017, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases.20 “The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect.” The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect, history.aip.org/climate/co2.htm.21 “Climate Change Indicators: Weather and Climate.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 2 Aug. 2016, www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/weather-climate.22 London, Grantham Institute Imperial College. “How Will Climate Change Impact on Water Security?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Dec. 2012, www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/nov/30/climate-change-water.23 “How Much Oil Is Left In The Earth?” NASDAQ.com, 18 Nov. 2016, www.nasdaq.com/article/how-much-oil-is-left-in-the-earth-cm711409.24 “A Brief History of Climate Change.” BBC News, BBC, 20 Sept. 2013, www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560.25 “A Brief History of Climate Change.” BBC News, BBC, 20 Sept. 2013, www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560.

26 “Climate Change Impacts in Latin America.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/climatico/climate-change-impacts-in-latin-america.27 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “Status of Ratification.” The Paris Agreement - Main Page, 20 June 2017, unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php.28 “The Fundamental Failure of Environmentalism,” David Suzuki Foundation, www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2012/05/the-fundamental-failure-of-environmentalism/.29 Watts, Jonathan. “Operation Car Wash: The Biggest Corruption Scandal Ever?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/01/brazil-operation-car-wash-is-this-the-biggest-corruption-scandal-in-history.30 Watts, Jonathan. “Brazil President in Trouble as Top Senator Quits and Says Government 'Discredited'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 28 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/28/brazil-michel-temer-renan-calheiros-quits-senate.31 Tesla, Inc, www.tesla.com/about.32 Press, The Associated. “Merkel Says Paris Climate Accord Is 'Not Negotiable'.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 29 June 2017, www.cbc.ca/news/world/merkel-says-paris-climate-accord-is-not-negotiable-1.4183296.33 Wilford, Greg. “Emmanuel Macron Offers Refuge to American Climate Scientists after Donald Trump Takes US out of Paris Climate Deal.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 3 June 2017, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/emmanuel-macron-donald-trump-paris-climate-scientists-refuge-france-us-latest-a7770606.html.34 ClimateReality. “The Human Impact of Climate Change: Personal Stories from Belize, Bolivia, and Brazil.” YouTube, YouTube, 23 Oct. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv2XxXNqZa8.35 “2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Fast Facts.” CNN, Cable News Network, 2 Oct. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/05/15/us/2017-atlantic-hurricane-season-fast-facts/index.html.36 Roberts, Timmons, and Guy Edwards. “A New Latin American Climate Negotiating Group: The Greenest Shoots in the Doha Desert.” Brookings, Brookings, 28 July 2016, www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2012/12/12/a-new-latin-american-climate-negotiating-group-the-greenest-shoots-in-the-doha-desert/.37 Wilkinson, John, and Selena Herrera. BIOFUELS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY IN BRAZIL. www.rimisp.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Paper_John_Wilkinson-6.pdf+.38 “Targets and Actions under the Copenhagen Accord.” Targets and Actions under the Copenhagen Accord | Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, www.c2es.org/international/negotiations/cop-15/copenhagen-accord-targets.39 “About the Fund.” Green Climate Fund, www.greenclimate.fund/who-we-are/about-the-fund.40 Driscoll, Kelsey. “A Massive Coral Reef System Threatens to Derail Plans for a New Oil Frontier.” AOL.com, By Marta Nogueira, 12 May 2017, www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/15/totals-plans-for-brazils-new-oil-frontier-snagged-on-amazon-re/22083358/.41 Edwards, Guy, and J. Timmons Roberts. “A Fragmented Continent.” MIT Press, 19 Nov. 2015, mitpress.mit.edu/books/fragmented-continent.42 General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. “Climate Change: A Comparative Overview of the Rights Based Approach in the Americas,” www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/docs/climate_change.pdf.43 “Latin America and the Caribbean Take Action on Climate Change.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/climatico/latin-america-and-the-caribbean-take-action-on-climate-change.44 “Big Auto’s Fully Electric Car Sales Up 102% In USA.” CleanTechnica, 5 July 2017, cleantechnica.com/2017/07/05/big-autos-fully-electric-car-sales-102-usa/.45 “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 13 Apr. 2017, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data.46 Lee, Timothy B. “Every New Volvo Will Be a Hybrid or Electric Car after 2019.” Vox, Vox, 5 July 2017, www.vox.com/new-money/2017/7/5/15922634/volvo-electric-hybrid-cars.

47 Chrisafis, Angelique, and Adam Vaughan. “France to Ban Sales of Petrol and Diesel Cars by 2040.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 6 July 2017, www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jul/06/france-ban-petrol-diesel-cars-2040-emmanuel-macron-volvo.48 Packham, Colin, and James Regan. “Tesla Wins Giant Battery Contract in Australia, Has 100-Day Deadline.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 7 July 2017, www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-power-tesla-idUSKBN19S0EV.49 “Elon Musk Promises World's Biggest Lithium Ion Battery to Australia.” CNNMoney, Cable News Network, money.cnn.com/2017/07/07/technology/tesla-elon-musk-australia-world-biggest-lithium-ion-battery/index.html.50 Oea and Oas. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/sla/dil/inter_american_treaties_A-41_charter_OAS.asp#Chapter_I.51 General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. “Climate Change: A Comparative Overview of the Rights Based Approach in the Americas,” www.oas.org/en/sedi/dsd/docs/climate_change.pdf.52 Gass, Thomas. “THOMAS GASS KEYNOTE SPEECH.” OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/media_center/speech.asp?sCodigo=17-0019.53 Oas. “OAS Roundtable Discussed the Challenges and Opportunities of Political Dialogue Addressing Climate Change.” OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-262%2F14.54 Oas. “OAS Roundtable Discussed the Challenges and Opportunities of Political Dialogue Addressing Climate Change.” OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for Peace, Security, and Development, 1 Aug. 2009, www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-262%2F14.55 “What Is a Carbon Tax?” Tax Policy Center, www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-carbon-tax.56 “Cnn.” Climate Neutral Now, climateneutralnow.org/Pages/Companies.aspx.57 Gimenez, Eric Holt. “We Already Grow Enough Food For 10 Billion People -- and Still Can't End Hunger.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 2 May 2012, www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-holt-gimenez/world-hunger_b_1463429.html.