HagaMUN

 Special Conference 2Reducing smog in metropolitan area’s6th, 7th and 8th of March 2020Gymnasium Haganum, The HagueForum: Special Conference the SecondIssue:Reducing smog in metropolitan area’sStudent Officer:Sara Nagabczyńska and Thibault QuelavoinePosition:the President Chair and the Deputy ChairIntroductionDear Delegates, As the Chairs of Special Conference 2, we would like to warmly welcome you to the HagaMUN. We are delighted to be your Chairs and it’s our greatest hope that you will find working with us on the committee topic a truly enriching and rewarding experience. We highly encourage you to read this guide thoroughly, since it is the perfect base for both developing a deeper understanding of the topic and writing a solution-oriented position paper. However, please keep in mind that the essential part of participating in MUN conferences is conducting your own extensive research, especially regarding your country’s stance on the matter at hand.Together with the Secretariat we hope that this conference will create an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge on international politics and diplomatic ways of solving global issues, as well as enhance your public speaking and teamwork skills.Should you have any questions concerning the Rules of Procedure, agenda or the conference in general, do not hesitate to ask us. Lastly, we would like to thank you, delegates, for your involvement in this great MUN, which is HagaMUN 2020. We are looking forward to the conference and the works of our committee.Warm Regards,Sara Nagabczyńska and Thibault Quelavoine Definition of Key TermsSmogSmog is globally present type of air pollution. The word ,,smog” itself was created in the XXth century by merging the word ,,fog” and ,,smoke” due to its odor and opacity. This pollutant is composed of various chemicals such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ozone, smoke and other particulates, which are microscopic particles of liquid and solid solid matter circulating in the air. Firstly, smog was of great popularity in the XIXth and the XXth century London where it caused social and health debate being called ,,pea soup fog”. Nowadays smog derives from man-made sources, such as vehicle emissions, coal combustion emissions, emissions with an industrial source, forest and agricultural fires and photochemical reactions of these emissions. The aforementioned chemicals composing smog can be classified as primary pollutants (emitted directly from a source) such as sulphur dioxide or secondary pollutants (produced when primary pollutants undergo chemical reactions and processes) such as the ozone. Dominance of smog sources varies depending on the season, hence the terms summer smog and winter smog. The first one refers to a smog production due to the increase in temperatures and sunlight during summer time, which causes an increase in photochemical smog. When it comes to the winter smog, it is mainly produced due to decrease in temperatures which causes an increase in fossil fuel combustion in house and building heating. All of these combustions produce emissions that are not dispersed) due to lack of atmospheric inversions unpopular in winter times) are piled in the atmosphere as the so called winter smog.Metropolitan AreaIn recent years the number of metropolitan areas as well as their economic and political importance has drastically increased. By definition, metropolitan area is a densely populated region, where two main parts can be distinguished; urban core and surrounding territories. Although they both share infrastructure, housing and industry, urban core refers to an agglomeration with a human settlement of a ranking population density characterized by urbanization factors and high built environment. As for surroundings, they relate to the neighbourhood and suburban areas. Additionally, throughout all metropolitan areas separately functionalizing regions such as rural regions, satellite cities and towns and as they are all are associated with the urban core. (measured by commuting and transport patterns). It is worth distinguishing the biggest metropolitan areas such as (respectively) Tokyo (Japan), Shanghai (China), Jakarta (Indonesia), Seoul (South Korea), Guangzhou (China), Beijing (China), Manila (Philippines) and New York (USA).Background InformationIndustry related smog sourcesSmog that has roots in industry related sources is the most common nowadays and having the longest lasting impact due to its inability to disperse in the atmosphere. Its most relevant sources in metropolitan areas are coal and transportation emissions. CoalThe most common form of coal usage that results in smog formation is coal fire. Not only can it emit significant smoke clouds contributing to winter smog formation, but it is also widely used in the heating industry, in urban areas most commonly in central heatings or in power plants surrounding the metropolitan region. This source of pollution has been recorded as early in time as Medieval England lasting until the infamous times during the XIXth and XXth century London with its ,,pea soup fog”. Problem still remains as it is one of the main air pollution causes in modern China to the extent of closing schools, roads and airports.Transportation emissionsTransportation emissions are another source of this popular air pollution that are of much relevance in metropolitan areas. As these regions require vast commuting and transport patterns, they contribute greatly to carbon monoxide and dioxide emissions, as well as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and hydrocarbons emissions. This is because they’re main components of petroleum fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel. Smog in relation to health in metropolitan areasSmog and other air pollutants have been known to have harmful effects on one’s health, mainly the respiratory system and unhealthy exposure levels. What has been also recently discovered is smog’s link to Alzheimer's disease. Harmful chemicals and particles can cause inflammation in breathing passages, decrease in lung capacity, pain associated with deep inhaling, shortness of breath, eye and nose irritation, drying out the protective membranes of nose and throat, thus interfering with an individual's ability to fight an infection. But most of all it causes coughing and general susceptibility to illnesses. The most susceptible are seniors, children and people with lung or heart conditions, emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma per say.Major Countries and Organizations InvolvedBeijin, ChinaIt is common knowledge that China is the world's largest consumer and emitter of coal, a major contributor in smog production. Due to this, megacities in China are known to have unbearable air pollution conditions, especially Beijing. As a result, the government has imposed many regulations for citizens. One of the first regulations that is imposed globally was also imposed in the capital of China- driving restriction. Government implemented various driving restrictions in order to minimize air pollution for cars. A measure often undertaken by the Chinese officials from the Ministry of Environmental Protection is closing the highways around the city. This is regularly implemented when red flag alert (alert stating unbearable smog and air pollution condition) is issued. What is more, smog alerts visibility necessary for airport and harbour functioning. This is why on various occasions many airports have canceled flights, and three major ports stopped shipment loading. Additionally smog iterefers with tourism, endangering smaller capacity boats. Due to this ships with more than two thousand people are often stranded near ports to reduce any possible damage. What are probably the most infamous cases of smog alteration are Hubei province factory shutdowns (east region of Beijing). The Chinese government urged biggest steel-producing hubs that are located in Hubei, to temporarily close in the light of the air pollution dangers. Hubei officials have undertaken several other measures to combat the issue, such as building one of the largest dust barriers in the world. The Ministry of Environmental Protection daily issues orange flag alert in the majority of megacities in China and estimates $360 billion investments in renewable energy, focusing on solar and wind resilience. IndiaAs India is among the biggest carbon dioxide producers and emitters, air pollution levels in the country are a serious health issue. From the World Health Organization’s 2016 list of world's most polluted cities in the world, as much as 22 out of 30 were located in India. As per the aforementioned study based on 2016 data, at least 140 million people in India breathe air that is over ten times the WHO safe limit. One of the worst locations when it comes to smog and air pollution overall is New Delhi. Due to all this, Indian Government formed the National Air Quality Index collaboration with IIT Kanpur, which is the Indian Institute of Technology. The body issued the National Clean Air Programme with a national target of 20%-30% reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 (smog creating particles) concentrations by 2024, considering 2017 as the base year for the plans and investments. It will be rolled out in 102 cities that are considered to have air quality worse than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Most if these cities are not only the biggest ones in the country, but also more rural ones, where people with poor healthcare are especially prone to medical complications. As for other initiatives, officials are planning to build a 1,600 km long and 5 km wide construction ,,The Great Green Wall of Aravalli”. This would serve as a green ecological corridor along Aravalli range from Gujarat to Delhi which would also connect to Shivalik hill range a 1.35 billion tree plantation that is to combat the air pollution in ten years time. Global Health Observatory (GHO)Global Health Observatory is a World health Organization subbody that collects various medical databases in order to provide reliable information about the human health state worldwide. One of the most relevant works issued regularly by GHO is respiratory data that contains an extensive list of indicators, which can show insightful themes and patterns when it comes to medical conditions and air pollution or smog. This makes the GHO World Health Organization's main health statistics repository. Its efficient work provides a relevant base for further medical and biotechnological studies that may influence the measures undertaken to combat the issue.Timeline of EventsNote: This air pollution timeline tackles only events concerning fossil-fuel related air pollution incidents and regulation of standard pollutants like sulfur and nitrogen oxides, fluorine gas, particulate matter as they are smog’s components. Smog in most cases is viewed upon from the perspective of its components rather than a phenomenon its own.DateDescription of event1690sThomas Newcomen invents a steam engine, resulting in coal mined increase as well as high demand for coal through industrialization1775Firs suspicions of coal to cause cancer1880 First occurrence of the ,,Killer Fog” in London1907 Smoke Prevention Association of America founded in Chicago1949? First US conference on air pollution sponsored by Public Health Service1955 International Air Pollution Congress held in New York City.1967 US Congress passes Air Quality Act / Clean Air Act 2015 President Obama announces Clean Power Plan implementationMarch 28, 2017 Donald Trump signs under the pushback of air pollution regulationsRelevant UN Treaties and EventsParis Agreement, 12 December 2015The Future we want, 27 July 2012, (A/RES/ 66/288)General Assembly resolution establishing the United Nations Environment Programme, 15 December 1972, (A/RES/ 29/97)Previous Attempts to solve the IssueWhen talking about previous attempts to solve the issue, one has to underline the fact that smog is an effect of an unhealthy pollution in general, and any attempts aiming at solving the problem, focus on reducing the production of smog components rather than just the occurrence that the smog is. This is why the most relevant document providing concrete solutions is the Paris Agreement. United Nations proposed in this document a great deal of carbon dioxide and monoxide emitting restrictions, which would significantly improve smog levels worldwide. Unfortunately, the Paris Agreement goals are unfavourable for some ruling political parties, causing a global dispute about the topic. Possible SolutionsMember states have been implementing possible solutions into their country's functioning with varying success. The most successful solutions are calculated to be the ones cutting down the carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. and other smog components. Such actions arte for example driving restrictions, cutting down on air transportation etc. Some megacities and capitals even implemented regulations that forbid part of its inhabitants from driving on certain days, allowing them to drive their cars for e.g every second day. What is more, coal mines shutdowns and hubs have been conducted as well as mass tree plantations. Although the latter one is said to be counterproductive or taking a long time to show effects. In almost all metropolitan areas there were implemented special informing panels that check the quality of air and alerting if necessary. BibliographyThe Environment: A Global Challenge. Smog – Causes. Retrieved?25 October?2013Shibaji Roy Choudhury. Children in Delhi have lungs of chain-smokers!. New DelhiFebruary 22, 2014European Environmental Agency. EEA Report No 10/2019. 2019Julia Vergin. Top 10 worst cities for smog. 2014David Wallace-Wells. The Uninhabitable Earth. 2017Wikipedia. Air pollution in India. Viewing date: 10.02.2020United Nations Environmental Programme. Air . Viewing date: 10.02.2020Further ReadingAlthough this research report provides all necessary information concerning the committee and its work, it is highly encouraged to conduct further reading upon the topic as the issue is especially relevant. Here are some links to pages and titles of works that are highly informative and elucidate:United Nations Economic and Social Council. Clean Air Workplan. 2020United Nations. Long-term strategy for the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution for 2020?2030 and beyond. 2018United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. On the Way to Clean Air. 2019United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Protecting the Air We Breathe: 40 years of cooperation under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution. 2019 ................
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