The management of marine and coastal ecosystems is heavily emphasized in UNEP. UNEP’s work in this area involves researching on how to take better care of the environment through various methods. Its recommendations are then made aware to different countries, and are often times, implemented. Although all of the ecosystem types that UNEP focuses on are important, our 2011 conference will stress marine and coastal ecosystems.

The marine and coastal ecosystems sector of UNEP’s mandate includes coral reefs, marshes, and oceans worldwide, which cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface area and 99% of the planet’s living space. As humans worldwide are dependent on these areas for a steady supply of food, we are actively involved in these ecosystems. Coral reef suffer an additional strain, as their biodiversity attracts countless tourists annually. These ecosystems are important to us for several reasons, including their plants’ and algae’s oxygen production and their status as a carbon sink.

The task at hand for UNEP delegates is to find solutions to the various threats that these ecosystem face. The rapid melting of glaciers is resulting in a drastic increase of freshwater, which may threaten oceanic biodiversity. Oil spills, especially those that are not managed quickly and effectively, hugely impact wildlife. UNEP will also discuss overfishing, a global issue so acute that Greenpeace International has recently warned that tuna are pushed “to the brink of extinction”.

Since ecosystem management is one of UNEP’s highest priorities, delegates will address several subtopics in their consideration of the management of marine and coastal ecosystems in the 21st century. Core human interests—as we, as a species, are greatly dependent on these ecosystems—are at stake as well.

Core to the UNEP’s mandate is promoting the use of sustainable and renewable resources. In the past, UNEP has published different assessments, such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the Global Environment Outlook, and the Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The recommendations in these assessments have been used by developed countries and some developing countries in their efforts to “go green”.

In the modern world, humans depend on various sources of energy. For a long time, coal, petroleum and natural gas have been the dominant sources of energy that we use in areas as diverse as industrial manufacturing and household activities. These non-renewable sources of energy are inexpensive to use but can be detrimental to our environment. Realising the downsides of “fossil fuels”, we have begun to turn to “cleaner” sources of energy such as hydropower, solar, wind, biomass and geothermal energy. Nonetheless, these more sustainable choices are less commonly implemented because of the cost associated.

Delegates will be asked to find solutions that can be implemented by all of the diverse array of UN member states. They will need to consider solutions that are economically viable for developing nations, without eroding the mandate of UNEP to promote sustainable and renewable energy sources. Developing and developed countries alike will need to work together to find a compromise to solve our current deadlock.

The significance of this topic is evident because thus far we have no concrete and viable solutions. Climate summits that have led to agreements such as the Copenhagen Accord and the Cancun Accord have been often criticized for complacency and a lack of willpower by the involved countries. The decisions UNEP makes now will affect the planet for generations.