Finding ways to ensure the sustainability and

eco-friendliness of the development in

LEDCs
Forum: General Assembly 2 (economic and financial)
Issue: Finding ways to ensure the sustainability and eco-
friendliness of the development in LEDCs
Student Officer: Gianluca Galeazzi
Position: Deputy president of GA2

Introduction

In the world we live in today, amongst many, two phenomena are affecting our everyday
lives in numerous ways: the development of LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries);
and the deterioration of our environment. The combination of the two results in a very complex,
dynamic and global problem. Therefore, it requires the attention of not only LEDCs, but also
other countries that have an interest in both natural and cultural prosperity – meaning all
member states.
Ever since a distinction based on economic welfare between countries was made, the
development of LEDCs filled the global agenda. In order to improve the living conditions for the
populations, these countries must experience economic growth. This growth is often established
by foreign aid.
The concept of global warming has been widely acknowledged now for decades, and is
having and will have devastating impacts on the environment we live in. Thus, we must ensure
that the development of future MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries), meaning the
development of current LEDCs, doesn’t aggravate the already alarming situation. The balance
between economic welfare on one hand, and the protection of our environment on the other, is
delicate. This research report aims to help countries maintain that balance while establishing
both economic development and ecological preservation through sustainability.
Definition of Key Terms

Sustainability
Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological
balance.
Sustainable development
Development that satisfies the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to satisfy theirs.
Eco-friendliness
Not harmful to the environment; something that aims to maintain the ecosystem rather
than damage it.
LEDC
Less Economically Developed Countries: countries which lack the ability economical
prowess noticeable in most western countries, causing a fallback in most indicators of
quality of life.

Background Information

United Nations Conference on the Human Environment

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was first held in 1972 in
Stockholm. The conference was the first official UN setting where the issue of sustainable
development was tackled, amongst other topics. It is considered to be a turning point in the
development of international environmental politics.

The conference led to the creation of the UNEP (United Nations Environment
Programme), and the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), both of which work
towards maintaining our environment as our world develops.
United Nations Millennium Development Goals

At the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, 154 heads of state/government

agreed upon the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, creating the 17 SDGs
(Sustainable Development Goals). These goals all aim to work together to achieve a more
sustainable world for us to live in. As Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban-Ki-Moon
said, ‘this year we can make history by adopting an ambitious sustainable development agenda
and a universal climate agreement’.

Some goals speak to this topic more than others. For example, Goal number 7, ‘to
ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all’, would ensure that
developing countries are developing in an eco-friendly way, rather than doing so in a manner
harmful to the environment.

Major Countries and Organizations Involved

Costa Rica
Costa Rica has been working to reduce their environmental footprint. The Payments for
Environmental Services Programme, created by law in 1966, has been working to reduce the
amount of deforestation and other environment harming procedures.

UNEP
The United Nations Environment Programme has been working to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals. They have tackled the problem from a scientific standpoint,
meaning that they are largely investing in research on how to reduce impacts on the
environment.

UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme has long been working to ensure the
green development of LEDCs. They are now focused on achieving the SDGs by 2030, and are
working on each one especially in the LEDCs.
Nepal
In Nepal, the Forest Act and Forest Rule recognizes Community Forest User Groups as
self-governing autonomous bodies. It is responsible for changing the national rate of decline in
forest cover from a 1.9% decline in 2000 to a 1.35% increase in 2005. Such initiatives aid to
create a greener environment.

Timeline of Events

Date Description of event

November 22, 1965 United Nations Development Programme founded

June 5, 1972 United Nations Environment Programme founded

June 5-16, 1972 United Nations Conference on The Human Environment

September 6-8, 2000 UN Millennium Summit

September 8, 2000 UN Sustainable Development Goals announced

June 20-22, 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Rio +20

Relevant UN Treaties and Events

● The Future We Want, 27 July 2012 (66/228)
● United Nations Development Programme founded, 22nd November 1965
● United Nations Environment Programme founded, 5th June 1972

● United Nations Conference on The Human Environment, 5th to 16th June 1972

● UN Millennium Summit, 6th to 8th September 2000

● United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20), 20th to 22nd June
2012

● High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, 24th September 2013

 ● Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 25 September
2015 (70/1)

● Follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global
level, 29 July 2016 (A/70/L.60)

Previous Attempts to solve the Issue

As mentioned numerous times throughout this report, the UN has taken a lot of action
upon this topic as it is of utmost importance. Sustainable development has evidently been the
key aim of the UN for this millennium, as shown by the SDGs.

The UN has also created several bodies, each with different approaches to tackling this
issue. Two of those bodies are the UNEP and the UNDP. The UNEP’s goal is to try and reduce
the degradation in the environment all over the world. Thus, they tackle the issue by focusing on
energy consumption. On the other hand, the UNDP seeks to ensure the development of
countries is sustainable. This does not only limit itself to the use of energy resources and its
production, but regards the standards of living in the country as a whole. With this broader
approach, this specific body is more pertinent to the issue at hand.

The UN has also hosted various conferences over the years to try and propose solutions
to the problem of sustainable development, with the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development (Rio +20) being the most recent one to tackle the issue at hand. At the
conference, member states agreed upon an intergovernmental process under the General
Assembly to prepare options for a strategy of sustainable development financing. They agreed
to the creation of a High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), where such
issues can be further discussed. Overall, the conference can be seen to be a great success, as
it brought forward a number of ideas on how to tackle the issues of sustainable development
and how to achieve the millennium goals.
Possible Solutions

It is clear that one way to try and solve the problem is to improve the usually poor
standards of education in LEDCs. In fact, education has long been known to have numerous
advantages: it improves lives (especially for girls and women), facilitates the job-finding process,
increases income and develops the economy. All of these ensure that the LEDC undertaking
educational reforms is able to undergo sustainable development, as having an educated
population helps to create future generations that will keep in mind the ecological effects of the
country’s development. This educational reform can be achieved in a number of ways, starting
from funding from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to the promotion of volunteering
opportunities in local schools.

Another way to tackle the issue at hand would be to invest and improve the science,
technology and innovation (STI) sectors in the LEDCs. This would allow for large technological
advances which could be applied to any field of the country’s economy, depending on what is
most in need. They could allow for a more efficient agricultural sector, thus ensuring that the
country’s economy grows and develops. An improvement in STI would result in better living
conditions in the country, as well as in many more practical benefits as mentioned earlier, all of
which, if used correctly, can lead to more sustainable development of LEDCs. Such an
improvement in STI would once again be achieved through an investment from NGOs into the
country’s STI, but could also be reached with an improved educational system.

Another solution that could be implemented to solve the issue at hand is that of
international cooperation and funding from MEDCs towards LEDCs. MEDCs could be
encouraged to fund the creation of programmes in LEDCs, providing LEDCs with support in
achieving the SDGs. This support could be economic, for instance funding, investments or
cooperations. The support could also be people instructing locals and overseeing the
development of said programmes. These programmes could vary from humanitarian aid, such
as feeding the poor and providing them with their basic needs, to more long-term aid, such as
endorsing the creation of infrastructure to improve transportation and communication within the
LEDCs. These programmes would ensure that the LEDCs continue to develop in a sustainable
manner, whilst also allowing the MEDCs to make profitable investments in growing economies.

All of these suggestions are ways in which the problem could be solved, but there are
many more ways to do so. The key points of these solutions is that they aim to establish a
population that is aware and capable of taking action on its own, to ensure a more eco-friendly
development for the country. They both allow for a greater and more sophisticated skills to be in
the hands of the people, which in their turn would then be able to use it effectively and improve
the conditions of life. In the end, the key to have sustainable development in LEDCs is the
eradication of poverty, through many different means. Although the problem at hand is
multi-faceted and one that probably won't be entirely solved for some time, all progress made
would facilitate the shift to even more progress, yielding even more sustainable development. It
is essential that we start this chain of events, especially in LEDCs.

Bibliography

“Legrand.” Sustainable Development: Definition, Background, Issues and Objectives , 24 Apr.

2014, www.legrand.com/EN/sustainable-development-description_12847.html.

UN. “The Future We Want - UN and Financing for Development.” United Nations, United Nations,
2015, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/ffd/.

UN. “UN Conference on the Human Environment .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.”
United Nations, United Nations, 17 June 1972,
sustainabledevelopment.un.org/milestones/humanenvironment.

UNDP. “Sustainable Development Goals.” UNDP, United Nations Development Program ,

www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html.

UNEP. “Resources.” UN Environment, United Nations Environment Program,

www.unenvironment.org/resources?topic=74.

UN. “Future We Want .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.” United Nations, United
Nations, 15 July 2012, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?menu=1298.
General Assembly. “United Nations Official Document.” United Nations, United Nations, 27 June
2012, www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A%2FRES%2F66%2F288&Lang=E.

Sustainable Development, Knowledge platform. “United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development, Rio+20 .:. Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform.” United Nations, United
Nations, 25 June 2012, sustainabledevelopment.un.org/rio20.