The United Nations Simulation, Model 1, took place on Monday, 16th January, 2023, at the Hallowed Chamber, Lagos State University Students' Union (LASUSU) Arcade, Main Campus, Ojo, Lagos.
Working with the theme "Celebrating Diplomatic Scholarship", Nine Countries: China, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia and United States of America (USA), took part in the Diplomatic brainstorming and fireworks, laced with brilliant presentations.
The delegates dazzled the capacity filled chamber, which had in attendance, very senior lecturers and students.
In his Welcome
address, shortly before the presentations, the Head of Department, History and
International Studies, Lagos State University, who doubled as the United
Nations (UN), General Secretary of the day, Dr. Adewunmi Falode, stated that
the simulation was an effort at gearing the students towards having practical
experience and away from the classroom lectures, adding that, the exercise was
not a class assignment, but, a deliberate Diplomatic deliberations.
"...what we are doing here can make or mar Nations. We are the movers and shakers of the world. This simulation will put Lagos State University on the World map. This is the closest of practical experience, when it comes to Diplomatic discourse. This is not a class assignment as well as not a mere academic exercise, but, real Diplomatic discourse", he averred.
Furthermore, Dr. Falode explained that the UN Security Council, comprises of Five permanent members that wields enormous power and they hold simulation ahead of the United Nations General Assembly to fine tune policies. He wished the students fruitful presentations
China was the first Country to take the floor at the convention, with its two representatives, sharing China's climate change experience, issues and solutions. The delegates opened their speeches with the quote of their president, Xi Jinping "Only by observing the laws of nature can mankind avoid costly blunders in its exploitation. Any harm we inflict on nature will eventually return to haunt us. This is the reality, we have to face" and this statement set the tone for the discourse.
The Chinese informed that the climate change has had its toll on the East Asian Country, having weathered in 2022, a drought and severe heatwave, the most severe in six decades, lasting over 70 days and it affected about 900 million people, in at least, 17 provinces, with temperatures over 40 degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). The Chinese delegates shocked the convention more, revealing that in 2019, Chinese emissions were greater than emissions from the United States, the European Union and Japan, all combined together. They said the Country had already taken steps to reverse the trend of climate change and urged other Nations to follow suit, saying no Country was indispensable.
The Asians believed
renewable energy was key to mitigating the effect of climate change, which it
had embarked on through its leading role in electric vehicle usage as well as
production, usage of solar energy, wind energy and hydro power.
The representatives added that from 2017, the Country banned the exportation of 14 foreign solid waste materials into China, such as plastic, paper products and textiles to protect water bodies, both in and surroundings of the Country.
On the part of the
United States of America (USA), the second behind China, in industrialisation
and the second in oil production, after the Arabs, its two speakers reminded
the convention, that such activities would always have adverse effects on the
climate.
According to the
speakers, the climate change had brought about devastating heat waves, change
in timing of peak flow in rivers and streams, reducing water supplies and had
worsened competing demands for water supplies.
Still talking on the
topic, the duo said the climate change had brought about extreme heat, heavy
downpour, flooding, drought and insect outbreak. All these had seriously
affected forestry, production, economy and infrastructure, they exclaimed.
In its efforts to fight the global crisis, the Americans, at the C.O.P 27 held in Egypt, 2022, the US Congress passed the INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, the single and most important climate legislation in US history. The ACT would assist President Joe Biden's goal of cutting US emission 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2023 and the US, had also made enormous efforts through the Presidential emergency plan for adaptation and resilience, which would help more than 1 billion people in developing Countries to manage changing climate. Other possible solutions mentioned by the Americans include; advanced nuclear energy, bio energy and land use, zero carbon fuels as well as methane pollution prevention.
For Nigeria, the
speakers opened their presentation with the effects of the climate change
causing massive floods, drought, increase in temperature, desertification, rise
in sea level, land degradation, the Lake Chad drying up and might even
disappear, soon.
The delegates added that all these challenges had fuelled insecurity in Nigeria and other African Countries, which had caused massive disruption to farming, with attendant food insecurity.
Nigeria lamented that
climate change had affected forestry due to erosion and excessive wind,
resulting in decline in forest produce as well as low income drive.
"Climate change
also reduces opportunity and prosperity in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole.
Agriculture is one of the major contributors to the Nigerian economy and source
of income for some Nigerians. Climate change destroys farmlands and hinders
income generation from Agriculture and Livestock farming at National and
personal levels. This has caused food shortage", Nigeria told the
convention.
The Nigerian delegates noted that the common causes of climate change in the most populous black Country - Nigeria are mainly man's activities, including industrial emissions, deforestation, burning of hydrocarbon products and emission of greenhouse gases from vehicles, such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide from the exhaust.
On the possible solution, the Nigerian diplomats assured the convention that the government was working round the clock to mitigate the effect of climate change to the bearest minimum level through the implementation of the National Climate Change Policy(NCCP). The Country at the Convention welcomes financial and technical support from the private sector and multilateral development partnership towards the implementation of the NCCP.
France too, shared its climate change challenges which had affected life, economy, water, causing drought, which had paralyzed the famed agriculture sector in France, which is known for Cheese, wine and Olive oil production.
The French also talked
about the effect of climate change on sporting activities, like skiing, which
had been stopped, due to the sudden reduction in snow fall, overtime. According
to the speakers, the health sector was not left out from the problem, especially,
air pollution, with a statistics of about 17,000 people dying every year, due
to outdoor air pollution through diseases like stroke, lung cancer and heart
related diseases.
One of the steps,
France had taken in curbing the global crisis was providing financial aid to
some developing Countries, according to his delegates, which buffers resilience
and enhances abilities to adapt to climate impact. The Country had also doubled
its commitment to the Green Climate Fund for the period 2020-2023, bringing it
to €1.5 billion. The French delegates ended their presentation by calling on
the UN to assist the world to fight climate change.
Other Countries, such as Somalia, India, Ghana, Russia and Ireland made their presentations, too, shedding light on the problems of climate change in their respective Counties and the solutions.
At the end of the
convention, the Counties, in one voice, called for a global collective and
concerted efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Also, the nations called on the UN to take up the challenge by doing more on the global issue.
The convention ended
with the vote of thanks by the Coordinator of the UN Simulation, Dr. Olawale
Lawal.
He gave kudos to the
students, who he described as amazing scholars.
His words "... These 100 Level Students, did everything, from the scratch till the end, including the costumes they wore, representing the various participating nations. They wrote the scripts on their own. I am impressed and they have done well, even, the delivery. I thank all present here. I thank all the senior lecturers and colleagues, here. This is just the beginning. Thank you, all".
Others present at the
programme, include Director, Directorate of Entrepreneurship and Skills
Development, Dr. Habeeb Sanni, Director, Special Interventions, LASU, Dr. Oseni
Taiwo Afisi, Dr. Jamiu Oluwatoki, Dr. Bashir Animashaun, Dr. Biodun Balogun,
Dr. Faruq Boge, Dr. Remi Britto and others.
Special guest was one
time lecturer at LASU, but, now, at Benue State University, Prof. S.G Itiheo.
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