TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 Global Health Summit 2050 Thomas Jefferson High School Model United Nations Conference TechMUN 2015 High School General Assembly Chair: Will Ryu Chair: Kritika Singh TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 Dear Delegates and Faculty Advisers, My name is Will Ryu, and I will be one your chairs for the Global Health Summit 2050 Committee for TechMUN 2015. To introduce myself, I am currently a junior at TJHSST and have been participating in Model UN since 9th grade. This year, I am one of two Historians for TJMUN, so you may have seen me running around with a camera at various conferences such as WMHSMUN, CHMUN, & ILMUNC. Beyond TJMUN, I am the Photography Editor and Head Photographer for TJ Media, am the General Managing Coordinator for a upperclassmen-underclassmen mentoring program called BigSibs at TJ, lead the Global Health Initiative club at TJ with Kritika as the Vice-President, and am a part of the TJ 2016 Class Council as Historian. Outside of school, I work with Kritika for our Malaria Free World non-profit as the Chief Marketing Officer, and lead a volunteer orchestra for students of all ages across the county. Academically, I am interested in international relations and global policy, and hope to major in international relations in college. For the duration of the conference, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. As much as we expect that all delegates maintain a degree of professionalism throughout the weekend, we want to make sure that it is a fun and memorable experience for all of you. We are extremely excited to see cooperative collaboration, and hear insightful ideas regarding the issues mentioned. If you have any questions or concerns prior to the conference, please contact me through email or through TJMUN representatives! Sincerely, Will Ryu, Chair TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 [email protected] Dear Delegates and Faculty Advisers, I am so excited to welcome you to the Global Health Summit 2050 at TechMUN 2015! My name is Kritika and I, along with my incredible co-chair Will, am delighted to serve as your chairs for an unforgettable conference. A bit about myself is that I am a junior at TJHSST and have been doing MUN since 7th grade. This year, I am a Fundraising Coordinator for TJMUN and help out with raising money for the club as well as local charities. Outside of MUN, I am the President of the Global Health Initiative club at TJ, am on the Varsity Tennis team, am a choreographer for Bollywood Dance, and am the founder of Malaria Free World, a non-profit organization aimed at raising awareness about malaria research through educational events. My research interests lie in infectious diseases and health policy and hope to end up in a major research lab in the future. In committee this weekend, we will specifically be examining your diplomacy, cooperation, and general knowledge of global health. Please come prepared to debate, discuss, and collaborate. In the mean time, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to me through email! Looking forward to seeing you all in April! Sincerely, Kritika Singh, Chair [email protected] TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 The Cold War inspired a new interest in Topic A: Biological Warfare Background: germ warfare, with the UK, USSR, and US all investing heavily in research and development. The Oxford dictionary as defines biological warfare as “the use of toxins of biological origin or microorganisms as weapons of war.” There have been many instances of biological weapon usage throughout history, but in more recent times, biological warfare has risen from relative obscurity to a highly contested issue around the world. Manufacturing of biological weapons peaked during the Cold War but since then there have been many concerted efforts to decommission weapons [2] . In 1972, the UK, USSR, and USA signed the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction [2] . This was also known as the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). The BWC outlawed the production of biological weapons, however, some countries abuse the convention and fail to disclose their operations in the international community [6] . Biological weapons have been used throughout ancient and recent history. It is thought that in 400 BC, Scythian archers dipped their arrowheads into decomposing bodies in order to spread disease. It is also well known that during World War I, the Germans used mustard gas, however, they also conspired to unleash diseases such as Anthrax and Cholera on the opposing troops [2] . Similarly, in World War II, the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada came Problems & Perspectives The problem posed by biological weapons is complex as it encompasses attempts to ensure biological disarmament under the BWC [6]. The prohibition on the use of biological weapons in the Geneva Protocol remains the international standard, which is the proliferation of capabilities, is not transformed into actual weapons [6]. together to develop a weapon form of Anthrax, which, hopefully was not used [6]. TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 Overall, we can see that there are no easy [3] options to the biological warfare problem. biological weapons are relatively easy to Recently, the failure of the BWC . Coupled with this is the fear that manufacture, compared to other weapons of protocol negotiations has had three mass destruction, which makes them all the immediate impacts on the global more worrying. community: first, diplomacy among the Each of these problems needs to be states parties to the Convention has shown addressed in order to ensure that the few signs of being overcome in the next few framework prohibiting the use of biological years; second, the aspirations of states weapons is not to be eroded in the future. parties that supported the BWC have How should we tackle these impending dissipated and there is now a lack of problems? Some possible ideas would be ambition; third, states have been forced to developing a new way of thinking about the consider other means to address the problems biological weapons pose and how biological weapons problem, but most do such issues can be dealt with and how such not have meaningful ideas. issues can be managed. Another idea could Today, at least two countries (USSR be to develop a strategy to overcome and the USA) retain sample of smallpox, but political difficulties at the international in secure research centers [6]. Smallpox can level. Lastly, there needs to be some long- be particularly devastating, which is why the term efforts to prevent the development and WHO keeps around 200 to 300 million use of biological weapons by any one under vaccines in storage as precaution. A major any circumstances. issue is that biological weapons can be Questions To Consider: easily hidden or disguised which makes it 1. Should the UN consider increasing very difficult to act internationally against its Biological Warfare policies? If so, them. Additionally, compared to other how? global issues, there is fairly little involvement of Non-Governmental 2. How can your specific country impact the biological weapon policy? Organizations in Biological Warfare debates TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 Topic B: Population Control Background: By definition, population control refers to “a policy of attempting to limit the growth in numbers of a population, especially in poor or densely populated parts apparent than ever that a solution to ethical population control is needed – the overall global population is increasing at a faster rate than it ever has, and the available resources are not expected to be sufficient in efficiently sustaining projected populations [6] of the world, by programmes of . Historically, population control contraception or sterilization”[4]. This idea has been present in our international community for centuries, steadily developing its aspects with regard to new research findings and changing societal beliefs. Though some approach this topic from a completely statistical and scientific standpoint, others are more psychologically cautious, taking into account the ethics affiliated with the idea that human populations should have the ability to control its own size. Debates are constantly held regarding the ethics of population control as new science-fiction books and laboratory research findings are published. But, no global consensus has been reached regarding the extent to which the human race should scientifically alter its future. However, with that said, it is currently more usually occurred without intent. Furthermore, population control is not solely achieved through scientific and statistical means. Wars, famines, and disease outbreaks all contribute to the overall sense of population “control”. However, in recent decades, scientific population control has become an ever-popular solution to solving many global issues such as: widespread famine and clean water scarcity. With that said, several organizations are currently in place to monitor world populations, with many others attempting to develop an ethical method of regulating the population increase rates. Problems & Perspectives When discussing the topic of population control, regional and TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 international perspectives are of equal Contraceptive medication/devices and importance. To start off with the perspective permanent sterilization operations are all from the Asian continent: many families and examples of how scientific research impacts individuals are at stake. With series of population control. With that said – is it in revisions continually being made to the 1979 the moral interests of the human race to one-child policy, China has endured much continually force change upon our turmoil due to resource shortages, gender population sizes? ratio imbalance, and continual overcrowding Questions To Consider: [8] [9] . In contrast, South Korea and Japan 1. To what extent should research be have a different set of problems. Though done to scientifically regulate global efforts were made after participation in the populations? 20th century wars to reduce family sizes, both nations now share the problem of low 2. What specific moral issues exist with the research done? birth rates. For Japan’s case specifically, 3. How can all of the aforementioned there is actually a problem of a declining related issues be addressed without population size. For South Korea, low inflicting the sovereignty of fertility is a problem shared with many other individual nations? nations in the global community [7]. In Southeast Asia, natural disasters continually impact overcrowded populations [5] . In most of Europe, a somewhat different problem is being faced: immigration from Northern African states is causing for overcrowding, and a sudden change in ratio between local natives and immigrant populations. Internationally as a whole, all countries face the same problem of scientific control over the global population. TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 Works Cited [1] "Biological Warfare: Get Facts on Examples and History." EMedicineHealth. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2015. [2] "Biological Weapon." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. [3] "Biosecurity and Biodefense Resource - Federation of American Scientists." Biosecurity and Biodefense Resource - Federation of American Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2015. [4] Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/population+control>. [5] Ehrlich, Paul R. "Population and “Natural” Disasters." http://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/population-and-natural-disasters/. Millenium Alliance for Humanity and Biosphere, 5 Dec. 2013. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. <http://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/population-and-natural-disasters/>. [6] Frischknecht, Friedrich. "The History of Biological Warfare." EMBO Reports. Nature Publishing Group, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. [7] Haub, Carl. "Did South Korea's Population Policy Work Too Well?" PRB. PRB, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. <http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2010/koreafertility.aspx>. [8] Larson, Christina. "Why China's Second-Baby Boom Might Not Happen." Bloomberg Business. Bloomberg L.P., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. <http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-08-01/with-end-of-chinas-one-childpolicy-there-hasnt-been-a-baby-boom>. [9] Mason, Colin. "The China Model: Looking at Population Control." Crisis Magazine. 2015 Crisis Magazine, 9 June 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. <http://www.crisismagazine.com/2011/the-china-model-a-closer-look-at-populationcontrol>. [10] "One World, One Community." Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Tulane University, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. <http://www.sph.tulane.edu/publichealth/students/images/SGHS_LOGO_2.png>. TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015 TechMUN 2015 Global Health Summit 2050 TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015