POSITION PAPER WRITING GUIDE

SPRIMUN 2014 POSITION PAPER WRITING GUIDE sprimun.com 1/6

I. INTRODUCTION AND SUBMISSION GUIDELINES A position paper is a diplomatic statement of your country s position on the issues under consideration by a committee. For example, if you are the delegate representing China in the General Assembly, you will write a paper detailing China s position on the topics before the GA. Position papers help delegates and SPRIMUN teams prepare for the conference. Position papers clarify a country s position, provide ideas for negotiation, and practice written diplomacy. Writing a position paper involves researching your country, the UN, and the topics, and using this knowledge to articulate your country s position on the topics. Position papers also assist conference organizers in evaluating delegates understanding of their countries and the topics. The quality of position papers is considered in making awards. 1. Format A position paper must meet the following format requirements: No more than two pages in length; 10 or 12 point font; Single spaced within paragraphs and double spaced between paragraphs; Heading with the official country name, and the name of the individual serving as a delegate for that committee; Short introductory paragraph, followed by three paragraphs on each topic; Topic sections divided by topic headings; Topics should appear in the order they appear on the topic list and in the committee background guides on the SPRIMUN website. Each topic heading should be bold and centered. Either left alignment or justification of the body of the text is acceptable. sprimun.com 2/6

2. How to Write a Position Paper A position paper should be written in diplomatic language. That is, it should express your country s position on the issues in the most favorable and respectful light possible. A position paper consists of a short introductory paragraph, followed by three paragraphs on each topic. The introductory paragraph lists the topics before the committee and summarizes the country s basic approach to the topics by referring to the relevant international organizations to which the country belongs and the relevant treaties it has signed. Each of the two topic sections should consist of three paragraphs. These paragraphs should be organized as follows: 1. History a) This paragraph should provide a short introduction to the topic, the previous work of the UN on the topic, and current issues that need to be addressed, from your country s point of view. b) It should refer to important treaties or past resolutions that your country has supported. c) At the conference, you can refer to these documents in your speeches and in preambulatory clauses of resolutions to provide other delegates with insight into your country s position. 2. Position a) This paragraph should state your country s position in diplomatic terms. b) It should refer to your country s work on the issue within its borders, with allies, with regional partners, and/or within the world community. c) It should explain why your country is a shining example, or needs assistance, or has made progress, or can help other countries on this topic. 3. Proposal a) This paragraph should summarize your country s proposal for addressing the issues related to this topic. b) It should assess the progress that has been made on this issue, describe areas for improvement, and suggest specific measures. Conclude with a strong, forward-thinking sentence. At the conference, these statements can be used in resolutions. II. SAMPLE POSITION PAPER Below is an annotated position paper sample to help guide you in formatting a position paper with appropriate content and format to fit SPRIMUN specifications. In this example there are three topics before the committee. However, only two topics will be discussed during each committee of the SPRIMUN. Use the extra space to provide more details about your country s proposals. sprimun.com 3/6

Delegation From The Kingdom of Bhutan X (First Name) X (Last Name) Position Paper for the conference on Sustainable Development Rio +20 There is one introductory paragraph for the entire position paper First topic numbered with title (bold). Paragraph 1: History and information on the topic. Paragraph 2: Your country s position and work on the issue. Paragraph 3: what you propose to do in the future and concluding remarks. The issues before the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio + 20 are: The Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication; Keeping the Green Economy Blue: Protecting Oceans and Fisheries for Future Generations; and The Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development. This committee has before it an array of issues that are as compelling and dating as ever before. These issues challenge the world's resolve to live in peace and harmony, but the Kingdom of Bhutan remains ever hopeful. I. The Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication In 2010, The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) developed a working definition of a green economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. That the international community aims at applying such a notion should foster great enthusiasm among those countries which seek to protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth s ecosystem. However, the current idea of a green economy, as well as the notion of sustainable development from which it derives, are obviously wide and allencompassing concepts. Given these considerations, The Kingdom of Bhutan does not believe that There is no one-size fit solution for the Green Economy, as declared during the Mahe Seychelles RIO +20 Preparatory Meeting. On the contrary, Bhutan has great hope that this new conference will be able to define an essential platform upon which every country could achieve sustainability under new principles. This goal should be achieved in accordance with the July 2011 UN Resolution A/65/L.86 on Happiness: towards a holistic approach to development introduced by Bhutan itself and unanimously adopted by the 193 Member States. In the global arena, Bhutan ratified the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change as well as the Convention on Biological Diversity. On a smaller scale, Bhutan has established a partnership with Benin, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands through the Sustainable Development Agreement. As a Least Developed Country, Bhutan has made substantial economic sacrifices to conserve forests, biodiversity and other natural resources. By foregoing immediate economic gains, Bhutan aims at instituting an adequate response to the challenge of sustainability before it becomes too overwhelming. It is time for deep reflection by every nation on the failure to meet the Rio projections made 20 years ago. The CO2 emissions are increasing faster than ever, while the gap between rich and poor is widening. These two facts demonstrate that of the three pillars of sustainable development: economic prosperity, environmental preservation and improving quality of life, the former has always supplanted the latter two. sprimun.com 4/6

In our current GDP-based model, economic growth is mistaken as a synonym of well being, while the wealth it creates goes along with the destruction of the environment. The international community should thus change its purely economic standards to a new sustainability based paradigm. The Bhutan Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, with its nine domains and 72 indicators could serve as a model. Each nation should adopt new standards through a new treaty and annually compare results in a so-called Gross International Happiness Conference. This index would help to shape a real green economy including indicators such as the creation of green jobs and green tourism, cleantech investment, and promotion of renewable energy and green growth. Reports by experts would be published on an official basis to promote compliance. To encourage this effort, a unified environmental body in the UN would provide financial and technical funds for the more vulnerable countries. This program would take into account Resolution A/C.2/66/L.41 on agricultural technology for development. This new green paradigm may seem radical, but it has to be put in place now, or it is likely that we will reach a point of no return in Rio+40. Second topic numbered with title (bold) II. Keeping the Green Economy Blue: Protecting Oceans and Fisheries for Future Generations Agenda 21 is a crucial action plan of the United Nations that resulted from the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio in 1992. Chapter 17 of the Agenda 21 called for New approaches to marine and coastal area management and development, at the national, sub regional, regional and global levels. As numerous scientific reports show, the water cycle involves the exchange of thermal energy, which leads to temperature changes. In addition, through the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation, water moves from one reservoir to another. Not only the biosphere but also the people depending on the ocean and rivers for their subsistence bear the weight of this. Bhutan is 700 kilometers away from the sea. Yet, the Bhutanese Manas River joins the Indian Mahaputra River that reaches the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. Bhutan is very respectful of its rare reserves of water and fisheries and makes sure that no polluted water enters the territory of its Indian neighbor. The river valley was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Despite our local efforts, global warming has a severe impact in Bhutan by creating glacial outbursts that have led to massive flooding in many of our valleys. Even if Bhutan is a landlocked nation, we fully understand the importance of the protection of the oceans and have ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Concerning the issue of water pollution, several policies have already been launched, such as one encouraging states to impose taxes on big water polluters. As well, research is being conducted to treat wastewater at a lesser cost. A further problem Bhutan wants to address is that of the management of fisheries. Fish from the rivers in Bhutan are one of their principle food sources and its inhabitants take care to keep the fish population at a sustainable level. In the context of growing demography, and with regards to changing the consumption patterns in countries bigger than Bhutan, a nature friendly philosophy can still be applied. When it comes to the ocean, Marine Protected Areas (MPA) may be a clever solution for creating breeding areas and avoiding the extinction of species due to intensive fishing. The UN Member States have to agree on a treaty that would allow a UN institution, such sprimun.com 5/6

as The Independent World Commission of the Oceans (IWCO), to define zones that particularly need to be protected. Fishers should have access to other free fishing zones, or be compensated if the new restrictions represent a decrease in earning potential. Free fishing zones should become protected zones when their fish populations become threatened, and protected zones could be reopened. All of these policy decisions should be made with close collaboration with non-governmental organizations specialized in these issues, and also in accordance with GA Resolution 46/215 prohibiting destructive fishing practices. By doing so, a balance may be found between human nutritional needs and preservation of the environment. III. Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development One of Bhutan s noteworthy goals is the development of proposals that can reform and strengthen the current global framework for sustainable development. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and UN General Assembly play a role in the overall international framework and concentration on sustainable development. With over forty UN institutions and 500 environmental agreements relevant to environmental actions, the majority of organizations have some degree of overlap in their functions. Current global climate challenges, lack of power, attendance, and finances have interrupted attempts at reforming the status quo. The lack of harmonization and consistency may be due to the extensive creation of new institutions and hesitance in dismantling superfluous ones. As with many other developing countries, Bhutan needs international help to develop green programs, and the excessive bureaucracy resulting from so many organizations undermines the efficiency with which these programs can be developed. Five options for reform of the institutional framework have been identified as part of the outcome of the Nairobi-Helsinki Process. After further analysis, Bhutan feels that a new umbrella agency, such as The World Environment Organization (WEO), would probably be the best way to create stronger coordination and give more focus to smaller organizations. The UNEP has achieved a number of successes, however the lack of attendance and finances suggests that Member States do not view this body as significant. Therefore, the UNEP should be incorporated within the WEO and eventually dissolved into it. The WEO would not pretend to achieve full centralization, which would be unconceivable in front of the myriad of preexisting institutions, NGOs and local programs. Rather, environmental innovation needs a certain degree of fragmentation to proceed rapidly. The WEO would allow existing UN institutions to retain their autonomy, but they would be given the responsibility of collecting data and of fairly distributing the $15 billion USD that previously went to the overall framework. The new body would also be able to question and potentially drop existing organizations. Finally, the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) Conferences of the parties should be brought under the umbrella of a WEO as a major way to strengthen its authority. As a developing nation striving to change the future landscape of sustainable development, Bhutan seeks to encourage fellow nations to disassociate themselves from the status quo and start thinking globally. A new body such as the WEO is urgently needed to protect the ecosystems and improve the processes of international environmental governance. sprimun.com 6/6