IAEA 1 - Cerritos High School Model United Nations

CERRITOS
IAEA 1
DIRECTOR: BETTY WANG
CERRITOS
IAEA 1
International Atomic Energy Agency
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Statement ………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………... 2
A Note from Your Director ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Committee Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Nuclear Safety ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
Background ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
United Nations Involvement ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Bloc Positions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Basic Solutions …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 6
Questions to Consider ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 7
Sources ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 8
1
C ERRITOS H IGH S CHOOL M ODEL U NITED N ATIONS
Annual Novice Conference • October 10, 2015
W ELCOME S TATEMENT
Justin Cooley
Secretary-General
[email protected]
Joyce Kye
Secretary-General
[email protected]
Joseph Shin
Under Secretary-General
of Conferences
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to Cerritos Novice 2015!
It is our highest honor and pleasure to welcome you to our annual novice
conference here at Cerritos High School. On behalf of the Cerritos High School Model
United Nations program we are proud to host another year of this long-standing
conference. Here at CHS, we take absolute pride in this extensive program and its ability
to create new and lasting friendships while also encouraging stimulating and intellectual
discussion for high school students all across the globe.
The CHSMUN program boasts continually being nationally ranked, while our
delegates have the opportunity to compete at conferences all around the nation. Our head
chairs are selected from only the best seniors our program has to offer and they undergo
a rigorous training process to ensure they are qualified to moderate and grade the quality
Sophia Anigbo
Under Secretary-General of debate in each of our committees. Our chairs are the same delegates that represent our
of Delegate Affairs
delegation at universities and conferences to the best of their ability. Our topic synopses
[email protected]
have been reviewed and revised countless times to ensure that as a delegate you have the
tools and understanding to be successful in committee. Our advisors and staff have put in
Betty Zhang
countless hours to ensure you have an amazing experience at our conference and that you
Under Secretary-General
are encouraged to continue on in Model United Nations at your prospective schools.
of Finance
[email protected]
With 25 novice committees and 2 middle school committees, CHSMUN 2015 will
provide a quality experience for beginners to learn and develop your skills as delegates.
[email protected]
Rohan Patel
If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please contact us. We look
Under Secretary-General forward to seeing you at CHSMUN Novice 2015!
of Technology
[email protected]
Sincerely,
Justin Cooley and Joyce Kye
Secretary-Generals 2015-2016
2
C ERRITOS H IGH S CHOOL M ODEL U NITED N ATIONS
Annual Novice Conference • October 10, 2015
A N OTE FROM YOUR D IRECTOR
Justin Cooley
Hello delegates,
Secretary-General
My name is Betty Wang, and I’m excited to be your chair for the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) committee! I’m a senior at Cerritos High School, and this
is my fourth year in the Model UN program. I served as the moderator for UN Women
Joyce Kye
in CHS Novice Conference in 2014 and for Cerritos Novice Security Council Conference
Secretary-General
[email protected]
in 2015. Outside of MUN, I’m a member of the Science Olympiad team and
CyberPatriot team, and I serve as the Vice President of Scientist of the Future and coSecretary for Computer Programmers United. It might be, for most of you, your first time
Joseph Shin
Under Secretary-General attending a MUN conference, so don’t hesitate to ask me questions regarding committee
of Conferences
procedures, topics or anything you are confused on. You can reach me by email if you
[email protected]
have any questions, and I can’t wait to meet all of you in fall! Good luck, have fun, and
happy debating!
[email protected]
Sophia Anigbo
Under Secretary-General
of Delegate Affairs
[email protected]
Sincerely,
Betty Wang
Director, IAEA 1
Betty Zhang
Under Secretary-General
of Finance
C OMMITTEE I NTRODUCTION
[email protected]
The creation of IAEA in 1957 was prompted by the speech “Atoms for Peace” by
US President Eisenhower in December 1953 at the UN General Assembly in order to
Rohan Patel
regulate the use of nuclear energy and technology. Some goals of IAEA include
Under Secretary-General
preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, promoting sustainable development in
of Technology
developing countries through the use of nuclear science and technology, and ensuring
[email protected]
international peace and security. The main focus of this committee is nuclear safety and
———
security, which are work areas under the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security and
Department of Safeguards of IAEA.
Betty Wang
IAEA 1
Director
[email protected]
3
CERRITOS
IAEA 1
International Atomic Energy Agency
NUCEAR SAFETY
B ACKGROUND
Ever since the discovery of atomic radiation in 1895, the use of nuclear energy has led to many
controversies. Starting in the 1960s, as nuclear technology has gone commercial, nuclear safety became one of
the primary concerns in the international community. Seeing that nuclear energy is now widely used in countries
around the world, in multiple industries ranging from medicine to water resources, ensuring the safety of all
when utilizing nuclear energy becomes imperative. Major issues regarding nuclear safety include proper
regulation nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants, prevention of nuclear accidents and emergency
procedures to undertake if a nuclear accident were to occur. One of the aspects in regards to nuclear safety is the
proper regulation of nuclear weapons for countries currently in possession of them or seeking in developing
them, and a notable case of this issue is the situation in the Democratic Republic of Korea, which claims to
possess nuclear weapons and, despite multiple UN sanctions, continues to conduct nuclear tests that threatens
the international security. As no member in the international community wishes to ever witness the detrimental
scenes occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bombings during World War II, the issues with
DPRK has become increasingly problematic when DPRK threatens to launch nuclear war in the Korean
peninsula with the Republic of Korea.
Another imperative aspect in nuclear safety is the proper regulation of nuclear power plants and
prevention of nuclear accidents. While the commercial use of nuclear energy has provided many countries
conveniences in electricity and water resources at a relatively low price, a nuclear accident occurring in any
country is typically disastrous. One of the notable disasters is the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the
former Soviet Union on April 26th, 1986. A massive amount of radioactive material was released into the
environment after a surge of power during a reactor system test, and a total of more than 300,000 people were
evacuated from all areas within eighteen miles of the plants. The accident immediately resulted in the immediate
death of 28 workers of the Chernobyl sites, and around 200,000 workers were exposed to around 1-100 rem of
radiation during the cleanup process after the accident, which exposed them to potential threats of leukemia,
cancer and other forms of radioactive-induced illness and diseases.
As the radioactive contaminants traveled through water and air, countries including Russia and Ukraine
were troubled by contaminated food water sources after the disaster and continue to be troubled today by the
radioactive contaminants that have not yet been naturally decayed. The story of Chernobyl reveals critical
concerns among the international community regarding proper nuclear energy regulation, safety procedures as
well as prevention of nuclear accidents and emergency response plan if a nuclear accident were to happen. One
example illustrating the importance of proper regulation and procedures is the accident at the nuclear generating
plant in Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania in the United States, where a partial meltdown of the reactor core
occurred primarily due to poor staff training and decision-making before the meltdown. Seeing that nuclear
energy is now widely used around a globe, if a nuclear accident were to happen in a country like France, where
75% of all electricity is generated from nuclear power plants, the life of thousands of civilians would be in critical
danger. Just like other issues including poverty and child labor, nuclear safety is an imperative issue that the
international community must address.
4
IAEA 1
CERRITOS
International Atomic Energy Agency
U NITED N ATIONS I NVOLVEMENT
The terrifying results of the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki have caused the United Nations
to consider nuclear safety as one of the primary issues to address. In the first United Nations Resolutions, the
General Assembly has addressed nuclear safety and security through the creation of the United Nations Atomic
Energy Commission, which specifically geared towards addressing all problems and issues occurred after the
discovery of nuclear and radiation energy. A speech made by U.S president Dwight D. Eisenhower “Atoms for
Peace” in 1953 led to the creation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which promotes the “safe,
secure and peaceful“ use of atomic energy and endorses the proper use of nuclear technology to address
sustainable development in countries around the world. One of the roles of IAEA, established under the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty of 1968, is to regularly send out inspectors to inspect if countries are using
nuclear energy and technology properly for peaceful, non-military purposes. The Cold War era has resulted in
research and production of nuclear and mass destruction weapons due to competition between the former Soviet
Union and the United States, and the two countries had almost approached to the point of war during the Cuban
Missile Crisis. As a result, during the post-Cold War era, IAEA established the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty, which aims to achieve nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament across the globe. In
regards to proper regulation in nuclear weapons and other forms of nuclear technology development, the United
Nations has created multiple resolutions to ensure the safety of civilians. As cases such as the situation in
Democratic Republic of Korea and the situation in Iran violates the Non-Proliferation Treaty, threatens the life
of many people and the international security, the United Nations Security Council has carried out multiple
resolutions, including Resolution 1373 and 1540. The two resolutions not only address nuclear terrorism and
proliferation, but also called for local, regional and international cooperation in order maintains international
security. Recently, in 2011, member states of IAEA have also proposed the creation of an Action Plan on
Nuclear Safety, which aims to create effective global standards on proper safety procedures and regulations, as
well as improving transparency.
As multiple United Nations Resolutions strengthens the power of IAEA, IAEA is now a well-established
United Nations body with several notable services and publications regarding nuclear safety and security for
member states. These services range from safety standards on the use of nuclear energy to training courses on
nuclear energy development. One of the services provided to the member states is the International Emergency
Preparedness Framework, created based on the Conventions on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and
the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. Established in a
special session of the General Conference in September, 1986, the two conventions were created in order to
provide immediate information to member states at an event of nuclear accident and coordinate international
cooperation between member states in order to minimize the consequences. Additionally, IAEA also provides a
system of Safety Fundamentals, Safety Requirements and Safety Guides in order to ensure the safety of people
and protect the environment. Along with different conventions, frameworks and standards, sub-committee and
organizations under the IAEA also play imperative roles. For instance, the Incident and Emergency Centre
(IEC) under the IAEA currently provides training courses and workshops in order to educate member states on
promoting sustainable development of nuclear energy.
5
IAEA 1
CERRITOS
International Atomic Energy Agency
B LOC P OSITIONS
Western Bloc
The Western bloc is primarily affected by the issues of nuclear safety. While countries including France and
Belgium are using nuclear energy as the primary source of electricity, other countries are also in concern with the
possession of nuclear technology and weapons in countries in other bloc. Countries in the Western bloc are
strong opposes to the illegal possession of nuclear weapons and misuse of nuclear energy, and these countries’
position is reflected in their reactions towards the situation in Democratic Republic of Korea.
Latin Bloc
Due to high poverty rate and crime rate, most countries in the Latin Bloc has no previous exposure to nuclear
energy. While the Latin Bloc’s involvement with the use of nuclear energy is highly limited, delegates from this
bloc are encouraged to actively seek for solutions addressing nuclear safety.
African Bloc
Similar to the Latin Bloc, the African bloc is generally not affected by the issues on nuclear energy and safety.
However, delegates from this bloc are encouraged to actively seek for solutions addressing nuclear safety.
Asian Bloc
Countries in this bloc are typically in support of nuclear energy and strong supporters of nuclear safety measures,
namely the country of Japan who has been affected previously by a nuclear reactor meltdown in the Fukushima
accidents. Delegates from this bloc are strongly encouraged to look into solutions on promoting more regulations
and safety measures in the nuclear industry.
B ASIC S OLUTIONS
The topic of nuclear safety covers both the proper regulation of nuclear weapons and nuclear technology.
While the committee focuses more on the latter aspects, delegates are encouraged to address both major aspects
of the topic in their position paper and during committee discussion. In regards to proper regulation of nuclear
weapons, delegates should analyze the cause of the problem and consider the implementation of solutions to
peacefully solve the issue. While peace talks and negotiations are common solutions, delegates should also look
into solutions, such as commercialization of nuclear technology in water resources, food and agriculture, and
electricity. In regards to nuclear energy and technology in the industries, the committee encourages delegates to
think of creative and effective solutions that properly address issues such as education for workers on nuclear
procedures and creation of an action plan that establishes global regulations and procedures. Additionally, the
committee would like to encourage delegates to look into the aspect of emergency response plan after the
occurrence of nuclear accidents, including but not limited to the proper evacuation of civilians within the area,
prevention of further spread of radioactive contaminants, and analyzation of the cause of accidents.
6
IAEA 1
CERRITOS
International Atomic Energy Agency
Q UESTIONS TO C ONSIDER
1. What are some of the ways to promote nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation?
2. What are some of the causes of nuclear disasters and accidents?
3. What is your country’s policy on the development of nuclear weapons and the use of nuclear technology in
industries?
4. Has your country been affected by previous nuclear accidents and disasters? If so, what has your country
done to approach and address it?
5. What are some of the ways your country could do to prevent nuclear accidents?
7
IAEA 1
CERRITOS
International Atomic Energy Agency
S OURCES
1. "Backgrounder on Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident." NRC:. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://
www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/chernobyl-bg.html>.
2. "China Is Worried About North Korean Nukes." Time. Time, n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://
time.com/3834136/china-north-korea-nuclear-weapons/>.
3. "Global Issues at the United Nations." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.un.org/
en/globalissues/atomicenergy/>.
4. "International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)." UN Security Council Resolutions. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May
2015. <http://www-ns.iaea.org/security/sc_resolutions.asp?l=28>.
5. "North Korea Nuclear War Threats | Euronews." North Korea Nuclear War Threats | Euronews. N.p., n.d.
Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.euronews.com/tag/north-korea-nuclear-war-threats/>.
6. "Nuclear Safety Action Plan Endorsed at UN Conference in Vienna." UN News Center. UN, 22 Sept. 2011.
Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39711#.VWPMPvnF98E>.
7. "Three Mile Island." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://
www.history.com/topics/three-mile-island>.
8. "World Nuclear Association." History of Nuclear Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.worldnuclear.org/info/Current-and-Future-Generation/Outline-History-of-Nuclear-Energy/>.
9. "World Nuclear Association." The Many Uses of Nuclear Technology. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015.
<http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/non-power-nuclear-applications/overview/the-many-uses-of-nucleartechnology/>.
10. "World Nuclear Association." Nuclear Power in France. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.worldnuclear.org/info/Country-Profiles/Countries-A-F/France/>.
8