United Nations Environment Programme

Dalian

University

of

Foreign

Languages

Model

United

Nations Conference 2012

United Nations Environment Programme

Ocean Exploitation and Coastal Pollution

Background Study Guide

Dalian University of Foreign Languages Model United Nations Association

Ocean Exploitation and Coastal Pollution

Foreword

Dear delegates:

It

is

my

distinct

pleasure

to

welcome

you

to

the

1

st

Da

Lian

University

of

Foreign

Languages

Model

United

Nations

Conference

2012,

and

more

importantly,

to

the

United Nations Environment Programme!

A staggering 80% of all the life on Earth is to be found hidden beneath the waves and

this

vast

global

ocean

pulses

around

our

world

driving

the

natural

forces

which

maintain

life

on

our

planet.

The

oceans

provide

vital

sources

of

protein,

energy,

minerals and other products of use the world over and the rolling of the sea across the

planet

creates

over

half

our

oxygen,

drives

weather

systems

and

natural

flows

of

energy

and

nutrients

around

the

world,

transports

water

masses

many

times

greater

than all the rivers on land combined and keeps the Earth habitable.

Ocean exploitation means the utilization of the ocean for its food resources, mineral

resources, and energy and water sources, including resource exploitation and sea bed

exploitation. The exploitation of oceans provides human with abound resources and

has provided itself to be of great value.

But

in

recent

years,

overexploitation

of

oceans

is

getting

more

and

more

frequent.

Ultimately,

overexploitation

can

lead

to

resource

depletion

and

put

a

number

of

threatened

and

endangered

species

at

risk

for

extinction.

All

fishing

activities,

if

not

conducted

in

a

sustainable

non-destructive

manner,

can

lead

to

overexploitation of marine living resources. Overexploitation of marine resources has

major impacts on marine systems as a whole, but target species are generally the most

impacted.

Pollution accompanies most kinds of human activities, including offshore oil and gas

production

and

marine

oil

transportation.

Therefore,

rational

exploitation

of

oceans

and effective measures to eliminate coastal pollution are high on our list of priority.

We

are

extremely

excited

to

meet

all

of

you.

To

make

our

time

together

as

constructive and fulfilling as possible, we strongly recommend you to fully utilize the

study guide at your hands as well as your own sources of research. If you have any

questions on the topic or the committee, do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely

I. Introduction of United Nations Environment Programm

（

UNEP

）

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is an international organization

that

coordinates

United

Nations

environmental

activities,

assisting

developing

countries

in

implementing

environmentally

sound

policies

and

practices.

It

was

founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in

June

1972

and

has

its

headquarters

in

the

Gigiri

neighborhood

of

Nairobi,

Kenya.

UNEP also has six regional offices and various country offices.

UNEP

has

aided

in

the formulation

of

guidelines

and

treaties

on

issues such

as

the

international trade in potentially harmful chemicals, transboundary air pollution, and

contamination of international waterways.

The World Meteorological Organization and UNEP established the Intergovernmental

Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. UNEP is also one of several Implementing

Agencies for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the

Implementation

of

the

Montreal

Protocol

of

the

Montreal

Protocol,

and

it

is

also

a

member of the United Nations Development Group.

1. UNEP's structure includes six substantive Divisions:

★

Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA)

★

Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI)

★

Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE)

★

Division of Regional Cooperation (DRC)

★

Division of Environmental Law and Conventions (DELC)

★

Division of Communications and Public Information (DCPI).

2. Main activities

UNEP's main activities are related to:

★

Climate change;

★

Including the Territorial Approach to Climate Change (TACC);

★

Disasters and conflicts;

★

Ecosystem management;

★

Environmental governance;

★

Harmful substances; and

★

Resource efficiency.2

II.

Background of the topic

1.

Ocean exploration

Ocean

exploration

is

a

part

of

oceanography

describing

more

generally

the

exploration of ocean surfaces.

It

is

also

the period when people

explored the ocean

boundaries. Notable explorers include: the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Polynesians, the

Phoenicians,

Phytheas,

Herodotus,

the

Vikings,

The

Portuguese,

and

Christopher