Pacific Island Forum (PIF)

APPROXIMATE COMMITTEE SIZE: 80 double DELEGATIONS

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is the leading political and economic organization for policy discussion and development in Oceania. Its members include all Pacific nations and territories, as well as partner countries and observer organizations that support the region’s ongoing growth and development. 

Topic A will evaluate the economic potential and environmental consequences of deep-sea mining. Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are increasingly confronted with the trade-off between the economic opportunities presented by deep-sea mining and the harmful environmental impacts.  The extraction of critical minerals such as cobalt and nickel, essential for technologies like electric car batteries and solar panels, presents significant revenue and development for these states. At the same time, deep-sea mining poses potentially severe risks to marine ecosystems that are central to both environmental sustainability and the local livelihoods of PICs. Delegates will tackle the question of whether PICs should position themselves as key suppliers of the green-energy transformation or prioritize long-term preservation of their marine ecosystems. Topic B will see delegates debate the balance between foreign investment and cultural preservation in the Pacific Islands. As economic development becomes an increasingly urgent priority for Pacific Island Countries (PICs), particularly in the face of intensifying climate change impacts, the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) has grown in supporting infrastructure, tourism, and overall economic growth. However, the expansion of tourism-driven commercialization raises significant concerns about cultural dilution, environmental strain, and the erosion of indigenous practices and land rights. Delegates must consider how to promote responsible investment in light of these concerns.

Chairs: kate satterfield & michael murray

TOPICS

Topic A: Evaluating the Economic Potential and Environmental Consequences of Deep Sea Mining

Topic B: Balancing Foreign Investment and Cultural Preservation in the Pacific Islands