Committee: Third Main Committee: Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural
Topic: Climate Change’s Threats to Island States
Country: Senegal
In the past few decades, climate change had started to become an issue as it negatively affected countries and their economies. Due to climate change in the Island States, they are vulnerable to natural disasters and flooding which has only helped to worsen the economic states of these countries. In the past, Senegal has supported the Barbados Programme of Action, the Mauritius Strategy, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement. The Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy created a way to help deal with the effects of climate change in the Island States. The Kyoto Protocol held those who signed the strategy to meet emission reduction targets. Similarly, the Paris Agreement holds the signees to keep the world’s temperature below 2° C and eventually below 1.5 ° C. It is up to each country to decide how they will do this individually.
Senegal has made many attempts to help curb climate change, which have been less useful than planned. While the Kyoto Protocol was effective (the protocol ended in 2012) in 21 countries, as in they met their targeted goals, it was ineffective in 16 countries[1]. Once the global emissions were further researched it is revealed that many countries reduced their emissions by importing more and exporting less[2]. The traveling necessary to import goods actually increases carbon emissions globally. The Paris Agreement remains in place but it is unlikely that the emission cuts will be able to keep the earth’s temperature low.[3]
Senegal wants to continue to help minimize the effects of climate change through the United Nations. One way this may be accomplished is the implementation of alternative forms of energy used throughout the world, as well as getting nations to cut their chemical and nuclear energy in half. Each country would be able to choose their preferred type of clean energy, as it most practical for different countries to use different forms of energy. For example Ethiopia wouldn’t use hydraulic energy and northern Canada wouldn’t use solar panels. This could also be fixed by amending the Paris Agreement so each country is held responsible for the emissions, from the travel of their goods as well as emissions that happen within their country. This would largely diminish the total global emissions and help lower the earth’s temperature.
[1] Clark, Duncan. “Has the Kyoto protocol made any difference to carbon emissions?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 26 Nov. 2012,
[2]Clark, Duncan. “Carbon cuts by developed countries cancelled out by imported goods.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 25 Apr. 2011,
[3]Milman, Oliver. “Planet has just 5% chance of reaching Paris climate goal, study says.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 31 July 2017,