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Showing posts from February, 2018

Tips and Guidelines on Directives and Communiqués

Hi delegates! We are very excited to meet you.  Here are some tips and guidelines to help you write good directives and communiqu és. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section. We will try our best to get back to you ASAP. General guidelines Be clear and straightforward. Miscommunication may lead to unintended consequences Don't be too vague or complex Write legibly  Be careful about writing on small pieces of paper - they can get lost! Submissions will not necessarily be approved. Directives and communiqués will need to be in line with character and/or country policy. They should also follow the SMART framework While assassinations are fun, it's all about diplomacy at the end of the day   Personal directives Can be made in secret and given directly to the chair without being voted on by the committee This is how a delegate exerts personal power Committee directives Require signatories and sponsors Usually voted on by moving into voting

Climate Change: Cooperation or Competition?

Hi delegates! Today I want to discuss a somewhat less glamorous facet of the US-China relationship: climate change. Although climate change is not as combative as a topic as, for example, trade wars or militaristic posturing, it is still a critical issue that is sure to see much increased attention in the upcoming years. China is the world's largest total carbon dioxide emissions producer, but the United States is second (by a fairly significant margin). And while the process hasn't been completely smooth, recent cooperation between these two superproducers paved the way to new agreements that seemed to be a promising step in cutting carbon emissions. However, as the Trump Administration took office, the US President announced that the United States would exit the 2015 Paris Protocol and his intent to undo many of Obama’s climate control initiatives, framing the agreement as undermining and damaging to the US economy. Trump’s position actually bears certain similarities t