Framework for the Rio+20 Simulation: Delegation Details

We ask each MyCity+20 project to share this common framework so that the results can be consistent and comparable. Do feel free to alter it according to your preferences, but don’t forget to let us know the reasons behind that!

This post is dedicated to the delegations to be represented and it will be followed by another one on scenario set-ups.

Since the simulations are organized with a limited budget and resources, every state cannot be represented. Therefore, countries have been chosen for their specific group characteristics.

1. Mandatory States delegations:

- One delegation for the host country (i.e. your country)

- Brazil, China, India, South Africa

- European Union (if you have enough participants you can represent some specific European countries)

- United States, Japan, Australia

- Small Island Developing States (Caribbean and Pacific Islands)

- Saudi Arabia (to represent the OPEP)

- Two least Developed countries.

- Bolivia (to represent countries which disagree with the current international system and with the concept of  Green Economy).

2. Mandatory non-States delegations:

- Bretton-Wood Institutions: if enough participants you can form two delegations, if not, then one delegation with at least one representative of each institution.

- UNEP/UNDP (one delegation with at least one member for each program)

- A scientific delegation (one delegation with at least one member for each group)

- Major Groups

- Journalists: it’s strongly advised to ask for the local/university media to cover the event as if it was not a simulation

2a. Presidency: 

The simulation conference has to be presided by Brazil. The host country (your country) should take the vice-presidency.

The president has to be active, leading the negotiation process, and stimulating the different delegations. He has to be part of the Brazilian delegation, according to the RIO+20 organization, but the vice president of your simulation has to be from the delegation of your country, highlighting the national commitment of youths.

2.b Secretariat:  

The role of the secretariat is to write the first document of negotiation which should be as neutral as possible. It can include articles which are proposed by certain groups, but should try to include the perspectives of all delegations.

After this document is ‘published’, i.e. presented to the delegations, they are allowed to make amendments. These should then be integrated into ‘zero draft’ to form draft 1. It also has to decide how to frame the contact groups.Then, the final draft, which will be the basis of your simulation of the conference, has to be published with the results of the Preparatory Committee. The secretariat may adjust its contact groups. During the simulation, the secretariat is not directly involved in the negotiation process, but has to moderate the debate and add into the draft’s final modifications. 

 In case you are running the simulation with highschool students, we suggest to have adults helping out the Secretariat.

3. Optional delegations: (examples)

- Venezuela (as part of the bolivarian doctrine) Ecuador

- Russia

- Singapore: especially in testing a scenario related to cities

- Another African Country like Ghana, or a really poor country such as Liberia

- Politically sensitive country (thinking to the Arab Spring) like Iran or Egypt

- South East Asia (Indonesia, Philippines…)

How many people per delegation?

We recommend:

- At least 3 students for each State delegation

- At least 2 students for the IMF, World Bank and UNEP/UNDP delegations

- At least 3 students for the scientific delegation

- At least 9 students in the Major Groups delegation

- At least 2 journalists

- At least 3 secretariat members.

TOTAL (approx):  45 Students for States delegations +20 Students for non-States delegations = 65 players.

These figures are indicative and aim at providing us a basis for future comparison of the outcomes of each simulation. The important point is to let us know your plans.

The full document can be found here, thanks to Paris+20.

Yours sustainably

MyCity+20

/Any question regarding this post ? contact mycityplus20@gmail.com