Dear Delegates,
I am thrilled to welcome you to this year’s BERMUN conference!
This year's conference theme is Resilient & Sustainable Development to Combat Climate Inequality. Even though climate change affects every country in one way or the other, the consequences of climate change are more severe for some communities than for others. The loss of biodiversity in our oceans is a critical component of climate inequality, where the impacts of our ocean's degradation unfairly influence and affect vulnerable communities. While industrialized nations contribute the most to climate change, small coastal developing states are left to experience coastal erosion, lost fishing ground and food insecurity.
Never in history have humans degraded our environment as much as in the last 150 years. Our oceans and their ecosystems are vital for sustaining life on Earth as we know it, providing many economic necessities that benefit humans. Benefits like the oxygen we breathe, the regulation of our climate, the seafood we eat, the support of local livelihoods or the coral reefs we explore. And yet our oceans are facing critical dangers driven by human activity. Overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction are the greatest causes for the loss of biodiversity. With the threats increasing through industrial improvements and a pull towards a blue economy, it is more important than ever to sustain the functioning and services of our ocean ecosystems.
On a more personal note, I am a 16 years old and attend the 11th grade at the John F Kennedy School. I have been a part of the MUN programme for about a year now and this BERMUN marks my third conference and my second time as a chair. In my free time I love to travel, try new foods, hang out with friends and do sports. I am looking forward to meeting you all, building connections and partaking in lively debates!
Sincerely,
Nova Amondson
