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Topic 1: Extending the Information Age to the Developing World

In the past 10-15 years, the world has seen rapid technological growth, with the rate of advance exceeding that of any other period in human history. A lot of this progress has been concentrated in the communications technology sector. Unfortunately, the benefits of such rapid technological advancement have, primarily, only been enjoyed in the developed world, while most developing nations remain unable to afford the necessary infrastructure to supply their citizens with the kind of technology that we, in the developed world, take for granted (such as internet access, cellular phones, and the like). Bearing this in mind, target 8F of the Millennium Development Goals states that, by 2015, the 192 member-states of the United Nations are committed to “in cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications.” The indicators used to measure progress on this target include: Internet users per 100 population, computers per 100 population, and cellular phone subscriptions per 100 population.

In order to more effectively make progress toward achieving this Millennium Development Goal (MDG), it will be necessary to evaluate how to implement new technology most efficiently, and to make critical judgments about how to prioritize developments. For instance, both cellular phones and satellite television allow mass communication throughout a sparsely populated area, but cellular phones extend this capability far more efficiently and cheaply, which would indicate that cell phone coverage may be the more valuable priority. In addition, attention must be paid to how to make the necessary technology transfer economically feasible. The CSTD, which is made up of scientific and engineering experts appointed by their governments, is ideally placed to formulate policy on this issue. While this is, at heart, an economic issue rather than a technological one, scientists and engineers that have reached the requisite level of prominence in their field to be asked to serve as their nations’ delegates to the CSTD have ample experience in dealing with economic barriers to technological advancement. Given that the MDG’s acknowledge that meaningful transfer of new technology to developing nations will require the participation of the private sector, it seems only logical that policy be formulated by those with experience in industry, a description fitting most delegates to CSTD.

Topic 2: Genetically Modified Foods

As the world’s population continues to grow, particularly in the developing world, the international community must turn its attention to concerns over providing sufficient food to feed the Earth’s 6.8 billion people and support continuing population growth. In the past, this problem was kept in check by simply expanding the amount of land devoted to agriculture, but this approach is rapidly becoming infeasible—distribution concerns and a limited land area suitable for large-scale agriculture mean that attention must be focused on producing more nutrient-dense food more efficiently. Genetically modified (GM) foods have been widely touted, since their introduction in the early 1990’s, as a solution to the world’s food needs. Scientists can alter the genetic structure of a crop to make it more resistant to pests, allow it to grow in different climates, and even contain essential vitamins and nutrients. For example, so-called “golden rice” is a species of rice that has been genetically modified to contain beta-carotene, which the body uses in synthesizing Vitamin A. Proponents claim that “golden rice” has substantially reduced blindness associated with Vitamin A deficiency, which is endemic in the developing world. Today, GM crops account for more than 50% of food grown in some countries (particularly the United States) and many staple crops, such as corn and soybeans, are primarily grown as GM varieties.

However, despite their potential benefits, GM foods remain highly controversial. Environmental groups have expressed concern about the potential effects of introducing GM plants to a natural ecosystem. In addition, critics worry about the safety of GM foods—genetic engineering technology is still in its infancy, and making changes in the genetic structure of complex organisms could have unforeseeable negative effects. As a result of these concerns, many countries, notably those of the European Union, have enacted trade restrictions on GM foods, which other states decry as anti-free trade. As the body tasked with providing high-level scientific counsel to the Economic and Social Council, CSTD is ideally placed to evaluate whether these concerns are valid and whether GM foods can be reasonably expected to help solve the world’s growing food problems.