13th AMUN CSTD - SciTech

CSTD - SciTech

The committee's articles are already available at the bottom of this page!

Science and Technology issues have undoubtedly played a central role in the transformations experienced in the last decade. Pondering the 2000s and tracing its legacy could not be possibly done without addressing their importance to development.

In this AMUN 2010 the SciTech – a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – shall engage in such fundamental debate through the topics presented below:

Topic A – Socio-economic Access to Technology: Building an Inclusive Information Society

The idea of an Information Society or Information Age has been increasingly used to address the technological breakthroughs experienced mainly in the last decade, with the development and the spread of the internet and telecommunications. The veryimportance of science and technology as an integral partof international development cannot be denied. In this 13th edition of AMUN the SciTech will foster discussions on the emergency of the concept of Information Technology and its historical context, addressing important features of Globalization.

Information Technology has clearly meant a substantial transformation both within and outside borders. Nevertheless, when it comes to balancing its socio-economic impacts in International Society, many questions arise. The disparities in terms of accessibility, particularly in respect of developing countries, along with the problem of infrastructure and an enabling environment will surely be brought up in a discussion. The Information Society still a myth for many people, who can barely fulfill their basic needs nor have access to the most fundamental infrastructure a government should provide, such as electricity and basic sanitation. At the same time, inequality in the distribution of such technologies can enhance disparities among countries.

New technologies, new ways of communicating, new questions brought up by the advances of the last decade: all of it ought to be discussed and it ought to be inclusive. How will countries address technology transfer? How will be met the yearn of millions for cyber inclusion, for improved ways of learning, for technology as a way to break the barriers for knowledge? Those are hard questions, and polemic ones: the debate is just beginning.

Topic B – Energy and Technology: Alternative Ways of Sustainably Producing and Distributing

The last decade has experienced major changes also in the ways the world sees energy production and environmental issues. This new trend has put the international dependency on fossil fuels at stake, demanding, consequently, the development of new sustainable forms of energy production and distribution – and demanding it for a close future. Fossil fuels will not last forever nor are fully available for every country, which brings politics and interdependence into the debate. When producing its own alternative form of energy, a country frees itself from the demands of other nations – but that is an expensive choice that does not please all states.

All these concerns shall be addressed this year by the SciTech. Preventing an eventual future energy crisis requires, unavoidably, cooperative international action regarding science and technology, as they are crucial tools to reach a cleaner energy matrix. The energy demand will grow, fast: countries are developing, strengthening their industries and enriching, what means consuming more products, spending more energy and, frequently, damaging the environment.

In what forms of energy will governments rely to fulfill these new demands? How will the countries who export fossil fuels influence the debate? How can it all combine with the need for development? The current path leads to destruction, extinction of species and exhaustive use of natural resources. It is time to debate what has been done and to outline future actions, in a discussion that can change the destiny of humankind.