COUNTRY : MEXICO

TOPIC AREA : The Environmental Scarcity & The

Outbreak of Conflict
COMMITTEE : United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

Human conflict has both short and long term effects on the natural world. The environment is directly
impacted by pollution and explosions; and can be used as a weapon of war. In the longer term, sustainable
environmental management is disrupted when conflict destabilises social systems and people are denied
access to natural resources. As resources become scarcer, it might be expected that people come into conflict
about access to natural resources.

The Earth's human population is expected to pass eight billion by the year 2025, while rapid growth in
the global economy will spur ever increasing demands for natural resources. The world will consequently
face growing scarcities of such vital renewable resources as cropland, fresh water, and forests. Environmental
scarcities will have profound social consequences--contributing to insurrections, ethnic clashes, urban unrest,
and other forms of civil violence, especially in the developing world. Managing conflicts that are related to
natural resources is now more critical than ever before. As economic and population growth increase levels
of global consumption, many countries face growing shortages of vital renewable resources such as
freshwater, cropland, rangeland, forests, fisheries and other wildlife. Depletion of renewable natural
resources, combined with environmental degradation and climate change, pose fundamental threats to human
security. Separately or in combination with other factors, they can destabilize livelihoods, negatively affect
ecosystems and undermine peace and development. Governments in developing countries, fragile states and
emerging economies, are under increasing pressure to sustainably manage natural resources and resolve
conflicts around their ownership, management, allocation and control.

CURRENT CONDITION

The Secretariat for Urban Development and Ecology (SEDUE) has the principal environmental
responsibility. One of Mexico's most widespread environmental problems is soil erosion; slash-and-burn
agricultural practices, especially in the tropical zones, have also contributed to deforestation. Mexico loses its
forest at a rate of about 0.9% annually due to agricultural and industrial expansion. Mexico has the fourth
most extensive mangrove area in the world, covering approximately one million hectares. Mexico City,
located more than 2,250 m (7,400 ft) above sea level and surrounded by mountains, has chronic smog,
aggravated by the presence in the metropolitan region of thousands of factories, more than two million motor
vehicles, and by open burning of garbage by slum dwellers in an attempt to dispose of the 30% of the city's
refuse that is not regularly collected. Cities along the US-Mexican border also suffer from serious air
pollution. In 1996, Mexico's level of industrial carbon dioxide emissions totalled 348.1 million metric tons.
Transportation vehicles are responsible for 76% of the air pollution. Water pollution results from the
combined impact of industrial, agricultural, and public waste. Mexico's cities produce over 12.9 million tons
of solid waste per year along with about 164 million tons of industrial waste. Mexico has 409 cu km of
renewable water resources. In the north, fresh water resources are scarce and polluted; in the central southeast
region they are frequently inaccessible and of poor quality. Only 69% of the nation's rural dwellers have pure
drinking water. An environmental protection statute adopted in 1971 has not been widely enforced; however,
SEDUE, which was created in 1982, is fostering a more coherent approach to environmental issues.

The case of environmental scarcities that affect the people of Chiapas, Mexico had become acute.
Increaseddemandforcroplandarisingfromhighhumanfertilityandaninfluxofmigrantsoccurredwithin
the context of a longstanding inequitable distribution of land resources. The contribution of cropland
degradationtoenvironmentalscarcitywaslocalizedtotheCentralHighlands.Environmentalscarcitiesdid
notcausecivilstrifebythemselves;ininteractionwithotherfactors,however,theymultipliedthegrievances
of the campesino and indigena communities. At the same time, economic liberalization reduced the
governing regime's capacity in Chiapas and provided greater opportunities for violent challenges by
oppositiongroups.

PROPOSED ACTION AND RESOLUTIONS

Supporting sustainable livelihoods and reducing vulnerability to resource scarcity

Increasing the availability of renewable resources through protection, restoration, infrastructure
and efficient use

Establishing the governance framework

for natural resources, strengthening implementation capacity and recognizing resource rights

Building capacity of stakeholders and civil society to participate in decision-making,

to monitor compliance with the governance frameworks, and to access justice mechanisms

Establish or strengthen transboundary information, resource-sharing agreements, joint

institutions, and dispute resolution processes

Major International & Regional Organizations: APEC,NAFTA,WFTU,OAS,WTO,IOM,ISO

The delegate of Mexico has faith that this conference will be fruitful and very productive and calls upon
all other nations to join hands in the coming days and provide practical solutions in order to solve the issue at
hand today.
Gracias.

References :

http://www.imuna.org/resources/country-profiles/mexico
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18095241
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiapas_conflict
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/MagazinesDetailsPage/MagazinesDetailsWindow?
zid=ab1a4f4d228c088cbc77a5f8a8b10032&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE
%7CA208534502&userGroupName=cps4890&jsid=b3923acd4fb6face1fa1c893d9d4ea37
http://www.homerdixon.com/1995/06/01/environmental-scarcities-and-violent-conflict-the-case-of-chiapas-
mexico/