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Fourth Mock Debate: ''Climate Change Impacts & Finance on Developing Countries'' Study Guide

  • Writer: IUMUN Club
    IUMUN Club
  • Apr 25
  • 5 min read

Updated: May 14

Committee: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change


Agenda: Effects of Climate Change on Developing Countries And Arranging Climate Finance


Introduction to the Committee


The most important goal of the UNFCCC is to reduce the dangerous effects of human activities on the global climate system. The most important of these is, of course, greenhouse gas emissions. The UNFCCC, which was the first agreement signed at the intergovernmental level within the scope of combating climate change, later led to the opening of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and the Paris Agreement in 2015. These agreements bring governments to an agreement that global warming is now a common danger for all countries in the world; they reveal the necessity of global cooperation to combat this problem and its negative effects.


Introduction to the Agenda


Depending on future emissions of greenhouse gases, global temperatures are likely to rise between 2 and 4 °C within the next century. The main impacts of climate change will however not be felt through higher temperatures but through a change in the hydrological cycle. Rainfall is likely to increase around the poles and the tropics while in the sub-tropics average precipitation is likely to decrease. Climate change will have an impact on all countries around the globe but developing countries are much more vulnerable to climate change than the developing world. Climate change aggravates the effects of population growth, poverty, and rapid urbanization. Also it is likely to have a significant impact on the economies of developing countries. Without adaptation and mitigation the losses are estimated to be up to 20% of GDP


To minimize the impacts of climate change, adaptation in developing countries is urgently needed. If the developed countries would increase their efforts to reduce their emissions, rapidly developing countries, such as China and India, might be much more likely to join mitigation efforts. Apart from this, countries should reach to an agreement that will ensure a beneficial amount of money annually. Climate finance calls for financial assistance from Parties with more financial resources to those that are less endowed and more vulnerable. This recognizes that the contribution of countries to climate change and their capacity to prevent it and cope with its consequences vary enormously.


Background of the Issue


Equity demands that developed countries-the source of most past and current emissions of greenhouse gases-act first to reduce emissions. That principle is embedded in the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which sets binding emission targets for developed countries only. With the Protocol now likely to enter into force, the focus will turn increasingly to the question of developing country emissions.


There are important links between adaptation and development and one of the best adaptation strategies is probably development. Stimulating development and reducing poverty will increase the adaptive capacity of people and is likely to make them less vulnerable to climate change. In general, adaptation should be an extension of sustainable development and as such it should focus on: the growth and diversification of the economy, improving education and health, and improving disaster preparedness. Besides adaptation to climate change there are also many immediate benefits in improving the management of current climate variability in developing countries. Many poor countries are confronted with highly variable rainfall but very few systems are in place to manage this variability and prepare for the next drought and/or flood.


As a solving mechanism, climate finance refers to funding and resources used to take action on climate change. This funding can come from various sources, including national governments, international organizations, private businesses and grassroots fundraising campaigns. A significant portion of the aid that should be sent to these countries is often misdirected and fails to achieve its intended purpose. It focuses on emission mitigation rather than climate adaptation, resilience and anticipatory action.


Conference of the Parties (COP):

Since the UNFCCC entered into force in 1994, the countries that are parties to the convention have been coming together regularly every year to participate in the Conference of the Parties, called COP. The first COP was held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, in 1995, and the third was held in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997. The most important feature of COP 3 was that the Kyoto Protocol was opened for signature at the conference. The 21st COP, held in Paris, the capital of France, resulted in the signing of the Paris Agreement, which replaced the Kyoto Protocol. This agreement was a turning point in the multilateral climate change process. During the COP15 climate summit, held in 2009, world leaders pledged to mobilize $100 billion annually in climate financing by 2020 to support climate action in developing countries. This promise was not kept. Also a new action is taken in latest conference of COP which held in Baku. Ministers unveiled a new financial goal: at least 300 billion annually by 2035.


Main Issues

Especially 6 countries affects from climate change: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey. Also Conflict and climate-affected countries receive 66% less climate financing per capita than non-conflict countries. While their circumstances vary widely, these countries share common concerns that have motivated actions resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions growth. Primary among these concerns are economic growth, unexpected weather conditions, and rapid urbanization.


  1. Economic Growth:

    - Funding for adaptation and poverty reduction in these countries should be ensured and promises should be kept with making a fair climate finance. Federal agencies, NGO’s, organizations should support decision-makers.


  2. Unexpected Weather Conditions:

    In these countries extreme weather conditions and sea level rises affect the people especially in agricultural and coastal regions.


    -Climate driven floods threatens the security of societies because of the lack of early warning systems.

    - Unpredictable heats shifts the balance of ecosystem and decreases the surpluses of productions. This leads to poverty.


  3. Rapid Urbanization:

    - With the effects of climate change industrialization and other activities are contributing urban populations to increase rapidly. Especially in developing countries it brings the most terrible results in air quality and with that human health.


Questions to be Answered


  1. How can the governments can find a common point to decide on climate finance properly and how can it be binding for developed countries?


  2.  How can the amount for climate finance can be directed to developing countries without mis-directions?


  3. How can the results of unexpected weather conditions can be solved in developing countries in order to improve economic growth?


  4.  What are the possible solutions in order to decrease the effects of rapid and unstoppable urbanization?


  5. What is the reason of developed countries for repeating the same problem and being unable to take an action for a decided action for years? Do you think there is a conflict between the decisions and their policies?


  6.  How can organizational bodies contribute more to increase the economic growth in developing countries and which suggestions can be made?


  7.  Does your country think it would be enough to use new technologies that ensures countries to diversify in agricultural products to close the gap in economic growth and how can it be financed? (such as new greenhouse farming systems, irrigation developments that enables to produce different plants in a region which is actually not suitable for them)



References






Written by

Selinay ÇETİN

Beyazıt, 34452 Fatih/İstanbul

pr@iumun.org

© 2025 IUMUN IT TEAM

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