Overview

The Sustainable Innovation Forum (SIF) is the sister conference to COP 30 and is also focused on addressing the causes and effects of climate change worldwide. SIF focuses on technological solutions and promoting the development of sustainable technologies, as aligned with UN SDGs. Additionally, SIF tends to focus more on the business aspects of climate change, often incorporating private firms into plans for new sustainable technology and recommending subsidies and tax credits to help fund development efforts. Delegates in SIF will have to closely monitor not only the policy implications of sustainable technology but also the business and technological implications, and how to best incentivize its development.

Topic 1: Impact of AI on the Environment

The first topic of this committee is the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence and its impact on the environment. AI is becoming more and more common in the business world, and servers are working overtime analyzing data and delivering prompts. This server usage requires massive amounts of water cooling and electricity to run on, both of which can have massive impacts on the environment, especially when used in the current unsustainable pace and manner that most operate under. AI data centers have been linked to droughts and are using disproportionate amounts of water, and many climate protesters are calling for boycotts of common generative AI language models such as ChatGPT. Delegates will explore policy and technological solutions to make AI less of a strain on the environment.

Topic 2: Countermeasures to Rising Sea Levels

The second topic of the committee is counteracting the effects of sea level rise. Currently, rising sea levels are putting communities at risk, especially poor and underprivileged communities, which are often affected at a disproportionate rate to their populations. Countermeasures such as levies and sea walls exist, but they are often expensive and vulnerable to failure, and can be inaccessible in many disadvantaged communities. Additionally, small island nations face the threat of being dislocated by rising sea levels, and require tailor-made solutions to help protect their homes. Delegates in this committee will focus on innovative ways to treat the immediate symptoms of rising sea levels in order to protect those most at risk.

More information will be released in the coming months!