The 2021 Auckland Model EU will simulate discussions taking place at the Council of the European Union, where government ministers from each EU member state meet to discuss, amend and adopt laws and coordinate policies. The ministers have the authority to commit their governments to actions agreed in these meetings.
The 2021 Auckland Model EU theme:
New Ideas for Climate Change – Is the EU on track for 2030?
Council of the European Union
Delegates assume the roles of government ministers at the Council of the European Union (sometimes called Council of Ministers) to debate a draft directive focused on climate action. In preparation all delegates will receive an email with their respective role and suggestions on how to research their countries’ position on climate change and the actions proposed in the draft directive. Useful resources and starting points can be found in the Resources section below.
Event details
When? 8th and 9th May 2021
Timing?
- Saturday 8th: 9.00am – 5.00pm + optional evening event 5.00 – 8.00pm
- Sunday 9th: 9.00am – 3.15pm
Where? Europe House, AUT, Auckland
Keynote Speaker: EU Ambassador Nina Obermaier
Optional Event: After the Model EU concludes on Saturday, there will be a documentary screening and a panel Q+A. All Model EU attendees are invited to this evening function along with their families / caregivers
Health and Safety
As this Model EU is capped to 60 students we will be able to go ahead under Covid Levels 1 and 2. To comply with government guidelines, we will not host more than 100 people in a room and our rooms will be big enough to enable physical distancing.
Covid-19 precautions:
- We strongly encourage you to scan the Covid-19 tracer QR code every time you enter a building.
- We are using a manual register for contact tracing in addition to the governmental Covid-19 tracer app
- Frequently use the hand sanitiser provided and cover any coughs and sneezes with your elbow.
- If you are unwell, please stay home and contact us to notify of your absence
Covid Levels 3 and 4
- If the Auckland region is under Level 3 or 4 on the weekend of the event we will not proceed with the in-person format
- If we cannot proceed students will be offered a refund
- For those students who wish to participate in a shortened virtual alternative we will facilitate this with an online format run by Dr Serena Kelly
Welfare and Emergencies:
- UC staff and supporting students are very happy to assist you. If you have any concerns, please approach one of us and we will do our best to help.
Resources
Model EU Booklet 2021:
The Auckland 2021 booklet will be linked here closer to the event
Participants will also be emailed a copy of the student handbook, and provided with hardcopies on day one of the event
Why talk about Climate Change?
The Encyclopædia Britannica defines “climate change” as “periodic modification of Earth’s climate brought about as a result of changes in the atmosphere as well as interactions between the atmosphere and various other geologic, chemical, biological, and geographic factors within the Earth system”.
The planet’s climate has constantly been changing over geological time. But the problem now is that through human interference the planet warms up more rapidly than ever. Burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, increasing livestock farming, etc. increases the amount of greenhouse gases naturally occurring in the atmosphere significantly. This in turn increases the greenhouse effect and leads to global warming. Higher than usual temperatures lead to melting glaciers, spreading deserts, extreme weather events are increasing common and result in great costs to lives and homes.
Because climate change has so many negative consequences, it is an issue of global importance and therefore also of great importance to the EU. The EU has ambitious climate goals, for example, to reduce its greenhouse gases by 55% by 2030, and generate at least 32% of its energy from renewable energy sources and a 32.5% improvement in energy efficiency. Is the EU on track?
In December 2020 EU leaders agreed on an ambitious goal for cutting greenhouse gases – reducing them by 55% by 2030. The new target was reached after difficult all-night talks in Brussels. Poland, heavily reliant on coal, won a pledge of EU funding to help it transition to clean energy. The EU Commission will draw up detailed plans for all 27 member states to contribute to the 55% target, measured against 1990 CO2 emission levels. EU Council President Charles Michel hailed the agreement, tweeting “Europe is the leader in the fight against climate change”. It is part of a global effort to tackle climate change by cutting atmospheric pollution, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
What is a Model EU: Council event?
The EUCN in partnership with the NCRE and the EU Delegation to New Zealand are pleased to offer Model EU Training and Simulation events to high school students across New Zealand. In this European Council simulation students represent one of the EU’s 27 Member States (with students assigned into pairs – the country’s Prime Minister and Climate/Environment Minister). These national representatives have a dual responsibility: they need to protect their own national interests as well as find a common EU position in order to reach collective decisions based around consensus. Discussion and debate takes place in full Council format as well as in specialised committee session over 2 days and culminates with a formal agreement at the end of the second day if the EU27 Member States can agree on a text for a new Directive.
[videopress YdN2cIW5]Register Here
Please register for Model EU via Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/model-eu-auckland-2021-tickets-142620041383
Registrations for Auckland 2021 will be open until 16th April
Curious?
The events in this LINK were organised with the help of the “Model EU in Schools” grant 2014-2017.