Topic: Self-Reflection: Water Policy Failure & Legal Accountability
Submitted to: UNEA Chair
Delegate: Kingdom of Denmark
Denmark acknowledges a significant failure in the case of the Skjern River, where past
government policy in the 1960s led to massive environmental degradation. The river was
artificially straightened for agricultural expansion, draining marshlands and destroying
critical wetland ecosystems. This policy led to a collapse in biodiversity and water
contamination due to increased agricultural runoff.
In 1990, following public outcry and mounting evidence, a legal petition was brought before
the Danish Supreme Court, demanding government accountability for ecological damage
and violation of water protection laws. Though the court stopped short of criminal penalties,
it ordered environmental restitution and triggered a state-backed ecological restoration
project.
As a result, Denmark became a model for river restoration, spending over €35 million to re-
meander the Skjern River and restore over 2,200 hectares of wetland. This landmark legal
case became the first in Europe to successfully establish the government’s liability for
riverine ecological destruction—and inspired a series of reforms that still guide our
international water aid programs today.
Topic: Regional Case Study – Eastern European Drought Crisis
Submitted to: UNEA Chair
Delegate: Kingdom of Denmark
In 2022, Romania and Bulgaria faced a devastating drought, with the Danube’s flow
reduced by 50%, causing water rationing in over 250 municipalities. Tensions escalated as
Romania accused Bulgaria of upstream hoarding. No fast mechanism existed to ensure
equitable water sharing or emergency relief.
Denmark views this as a UN-level governance failure.
We propose establishing a UNEP Regional Water Equity Committee (RWEC) to mediate
and fund such crises, using Article 65 of the UN Charter for technical intervention.
Procedure:
→ UNEP flags the case → ECOSOC review → Referral to the High-Level Political Forum
→ Emergency funds via Green Climate Fund → Monitored by UN-OCHA and UNEP.
This ensures fast relief, cross-border justice, and climate resilience.
Absolutely, delegate! 🔥 Here are a few high-impact, MUN-winning Substantive Chits for
Denmark 🇩🇰—each focused, punchy, and crafted for strategic use in UNEA. You can pick
the one that best suits your speech or clause negotiation.
🧾 Substantive Chit 1 – Denmark 🇩🇰
Topic: Need for Global Water Tech Transfers
Denmark urges this house to recognize the vast technology gap in water purification. While
countries like Denmark deploy AI leak detection, solar-powered filtration, and greywater
recycling, over 800 million people still rely on surface water.
We propose UNEP create a Global WaterTech Exchange—a shared tech-transfer platform
funded by high-capacity states and supervised by UNEP and UNDP, ensuring developing
nations get access to real tools, not just promises.
🧾 Substantive Chit 2 – Denmark 🇩🇰
Topic: Emergency Water Deployment Protocol
In disasters, response delays cost lives. Denmark proposes a Rapid Water Deployment
Mechanism under UN-OCHA and UNEP. It will fund and pre-position mobile water units,
particularly in refugee camps and conflict zones.
The protocol should be triggered under Article 99 of the UN Charter, allowing the
Secretary-General to bring urgent crises directly to the Security Council if water access
endangers peace.
🧾 Substantive Chit 3 – Denmark 🇩🇰
Topic: Funding Model Reform
The current global water funding is fragmented and donor-driven. Denmark proposes a
Global Water Security Fund—modeled on the Green Climate Fund—hosted by UNEP,
with mandatory annual contributions from G20 nations and transparent disbursal audits.
This ensures predictable financing, especially for LDCs, and deters corruption through
public tracking mechanisms and conditional grants.
🧾 Substantive Chit 4 – Denmark 🇩🇰
Topic: Regional Water Dispute Resolution
Water wars begin with silence. Denmark calls for the creation of Regional Water Rights
Courts, especially in areas like South Asia, the Sahel, and Central Asia, to resolve disputes
over rivers and aquifers before they escalate.
Backed by the International Court of Justice, cases would be referred via UNEP in
partnership with UN-Water, ensuring access to scientific and legal mediation.
Let me know if you’d like these in PDF or Word format, or want more on gendered water
impacts, urban water waste, or youth involvement programs 💧📄🔥
