As the primary UN body dealing with development and human rights in economic contexts, ECOSOC works in collaboration with:

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP);
• United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII);
• World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and regional economic commissions.

Agenda Topics

Topic A: Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Communities in Latin America in the Context of Resource Exploitation and Environmental Destruction

Latin America is home to nearly 50 million indigenous people, who play a vital role in biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management. However, the region is also one of the most affected by resource exploitation, either internal or external actors, deforestation, and environmental destruction, with indigenous communities often facing:

• Illegal land seizures and forced displacement by mining, logging, and agribusiness industries.
• Pollution and deforestation from oil drilling, hydroelectric dams, and large-scale agricultural expansion.
• Violence and human rights abuses, including the assassination of indigenous activists defending their lands.

Key considerations for delegates:

• Indigenous Land Rights: Implementing frameworks like ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
• Corporate Accountability & Ethical Resource Extraction: Holding multinational corporations (MNCs) and state actors accountable for environmental destruction. Establishing reparations, carbon credit initiatives, and sustainable economic alternatives for indigenous communities.
• Balancing Development & Conservation: Encouraging eco-friendly development models that respect indigenous knowledge systems and cultural heritage.

Topic B: Ensuring the Rights of Marginalized Communities in the Context of Climate Adaptation Policies

As climate change intensifies, governments worldwide are implementing climate adaptation policies to protect populations from extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and resource scarcity. However, many of these policies fail to account for marginalized communities, leading to:

• Climate gentrification — forcing vulnerable populations out of their homes for development projects.
• Unequal access to adaptation funding and disaster relief — wealthier nations and social classes benefit while lower-income and marginalized communities are neglected.
• Displacement of indigenous and rural populations in the name of climate resilience projects.
• Lack of representation in climate governance, where affected communities have little to no voice in decision-making.

Key considerations for delegates:

• Resilience Building: Ensuring fair distribution of adaptation funds through mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
• Protecting Climate Displaced Populations: Establishing legal protections and relocation policies under international law.
• Preventing “Green Imperialism”: Avoiding top-down, exclusionary adaptation strategies that benefit corporations and governments at the expense of vulnerable populations.

Committee Dynamics & Expectations

The ECOSOC session challenges delegates to protect indigenous rights, prevent environmental injustice, and ensure inclusive climate adaptation policies that prioritize human dignity over economic exploitation. Unlike crisis-driven committees, ECOSOC debates are long-term, policy-focused, and solution-oriented, requiring collaborative diplomacy and strategic thinking rather than reactive decision-making.