fc
mun[x]
fi
erce.
uni
que.
i
nnovati
ve
march24 -26th
mount hol
yoke
college
Dear Delegates,
It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the Tenth Annual Five College Model United Nations
Conference held from March 24 through March 26, on Mount Holyoke College’s scenic campus. We
are beyond thrilled to receive both you and your delegation!
Over the years, FCMUN has cultivated a reputation for being one of the most engaging and
well-planned conferences on the circuit and we plan to take this image one step forward. This year,
our slogan is “​Fierce. Unique. Innovative.​” We recognize that every detail is important in organizing
a successful conference, and hence our Secretariat includes a combination of well-seasoned delegates
and students with years of experience in events, logistics and business affairs to ensure that you have
the ultimate FCMUN [X]perience.
The conference is set to be propelled by intriguing discussions and exhilarating debate, and its social
mixers are geared to be full of fun and enthusiasm. We could not be more thrilled to welcome you to
what is sure to be one of the greatest MUN weekends of your life!
Your Secretary General,
Thaen Kanan 17’
Esteemed Delegates,
It is our extreme pleasure to welcome you to the 10th edition of the Five College Model United
Nations conference, FCMUN X. This year’s conference boasts an array of fascinating and
intellectually-stimulating committees; from attempting to save the world from a possible WWIII and
deciding the future of the Arctic, to deciding who has the power in the Da Ming Palace, and the
fortune of the Bluth family.
It has been an absolute thrill putting this conference together, and we are as excited as you are for it.
In anticipation, we encourage you to get intimate with your background guides and research materials
for a truly rewarding FCMUN experience. If you hit a stumbling block at any moment in your
preparation process, please feel free to reach out to your Crisis Directors - they are pleased to hear
from you.
Looking forward,
Under Secretary Generals, Committees and Summits
Edith Amoafoa-Smart(Mount Holyoke College ‘19)
Shaye McDonald(Mount Holyoke College ‘17)
Letter from Crisis Director
Assalamualaikum Delegates!
My name is Tehreem and it is an honor to welcome you to the Futuristic Arctic Council at
FCMUN this year! Our committee will be responsible for one of the most vulnerable regions
in the world: the Arctic. This region is rarely a battle cry for mainstream media and our
committee will be a reminder that the Arctic Circle continues to erode and spillover to
nations other than the north. It will be set in a flexible and futuristic setting so that delegates
can challenge themselves to solve the problems that will affect our generation. I hope you all
bring thorough research and cogent argumentation to the committee!
I’ve participated and chaired Model United Nation conferences in Pakistan, India and the
United States. I enjoy Model United Nations most in the way it encourages teamwork and
teaches the art of diplomacy. I am an International Relations and Studio Art double major and
sincerely hope I can survive New England winter to see you all in the spring!
Email me with questions at [email protected].
Warm Regards,
Tehreem Mela
The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation,
coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, Arctic indigenous communities and
other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable
1
development and environmental protection in the Arctic. ​ In addition to member states, six
organizations representing Arctic indigenous peoples have status as Permanent Participants.
For a better flow of the committee, representatives of oil companies will also be participants
in the committee and will exercise the same voting rights as the Indigenous Peoples
Representatives and Member State officials. It is essential to understand the treaties and
conventions that the arctic council operates under; Delegates should be familiar with the
conventions that serve as principle dictators for committee’s mandate and history.
History and Context
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
In 1994, the United Nations ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) after over two decades of legislation. Possibly the most significant clause in
UNCLOS allowed countries possessing coastal borders to claim the sea and sea bed up to 200
nautical miles from their coast line as an exclusive economic zone and sovereign territory.
Furthermore, UNCLOS permits the extension of this territory depending upon the extension
of the continental land mass. Currently, UNCLOS has been ratified by 158 nations. The US
2
has not ratified UNCLOS.
Ilulissat Declaration
The Ilulissat Declaration is a landmark political declaration on the Arctic’s future. It was
adopted in Ilulissat, Greenland on 28 May 2008 by ministers from the five coastal states of
the Arctic Ocean - Denmark / Greenland, Canada, Norway, Russia and the U.S. The Ilulissat
Declaration sends a strong political signal that the five coastal states will act responsibly
concerning future development in the Arctic Ocean. The states have a political commitment
to resolving disputes and overlapping claims through negotiation. The five countries also
confirmed that they will strengthen their cooperation in important areas. This applies to both
broad cooperation that takes place in the Arctic Council and the UN’s International Maritime
Organization (IMO), and to the practical everyday cooperation on issues such as search and
3
rescue, environmental protection and navigational safety.
​"Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark." ​About Us - Arctic Council.
N.p., 20 May 2015. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.
2
​"The Militarization of the Arctic." Nimunweb.
3
​"Kingdom of DenmarkStrategy for the Arctic 2011–2020." Kingdom of Denmark
Strategy for the Arctic 2011– 2020, n.d. Web.
1
Timeline
September ​1996​ – Establishment of the Arctic Council under the Ottawa Declaration; its
members include: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, and
United States
May ​2008​ – The five Arctic States (Canada, Russia, United States, Norway, and
Denmark/Greenland) sign the Ilulissat Declaration; not invited to this meeting were
indigenous groups, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden
14 June ​2011​ – NATO Parliamentary Assembly meets in Tromsø, Norway to discuss what
role organizations such as NATO and the EU might play in relation to economic and strategic
trends in the High North.
September ​2015​- Royal Dutch Shell ceases drilling in the Arctic. Shell has spent over $7bn
(£4.6bn) on its failed hunt for oil which critics say could only endanger one of the world’s
4
last pristine environments and produce expensive hydrocarbons that were no longer needed.
2017​- With a change in government, the United States decides to continue and vigorously
ready its military strength to defend its claims of territory over the arctic. Countries begin to
build military infrastructures like ships, ship breakers, airports and submarines. They have
also alerted their troops on high alert to overall increase military tension in the region.
2020​- Aside from melting sea-ice, the Greenland ice sheets are also disintegrating into water.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is located mostly within the Arctic Circle and 81% of
5
​
its surface is covered in a massive ice sheet that is 2 miles thick at some points. ​ As with the
sea-ice, Greenland’s ice sheet is melting. As the ice sheet melts, most of the run off gets
dumped into the ocean. In 2020, the rate at which ice and water are pouring into the ocean
6
from Greenland’s ice sheet is alarmingly high and only getting higher. ​ With a range of 6
inches to 6 feet considered reasonable by scientists, there could be major global ramifications
depending on who is correct.
2025​- As the waters of southern and west Greenland warmed, seals moved further north,
making seal hunting harder for the Inuit population. Along with increased weather
unpredictability, skilled hunters and elders can’t predict weather as there are hundreds of
7
deaths from increase in landslide frequency. ​ It has also been reported that indigenous
populations now hold the highest rates of suicide and depressions in the world and​ are
increasingly vulnerable due to water-borne diseases in some areas. Algae blooms are
impacting water treatments and changes in the migration cycles of wildlife and plants due to
which indigenous villages face starvation. Salmon is regarded as a cultural keystone species,
​Macalister, Terry. "Shell abandons Alaska Arctic drilling." ​The Guardian. Guardian
News and Media, 28 Sept. 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.
5
​Tromsø Declaration. The Sixth Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council. April 29, 2009.
Tromsø, Norway.​
4
6
​ibid
7
http://www.acia.uaf.edu/acia_review/acia_ch11_text_jan04.pdf
and is already gone from the North Atlantic due to habitat alteration and industrial
8
overfishing. ​ Local Inuits report that some villages have killed their sled dogs rather than see
them starve, because they can no longer hunt for the seal meat to feed them.
Scientists estimate that, within a decade, hundreds of villages will be swallowed by rising
seas. ​In media reports of arctic plight, indigenous communities’ representatives state ​that this
generation will likely be the last to herd reindeer in their ancestral lands.
2030​- Energy companies have been exploring for and developing oil and gas in the Arctic for
decades. They have discovered more than 400 fields, mainly onshore, containing an
estimated 240 billion barrels of oil and oil and gas equivalent. This corresponds to about 10%
of the world’s known conventional petroleum resources. Onshore oil production in the Arctic
started in the 1940s and is in full throttle in 2035. Today, the world faces a doubling of
energy use by the middle of the 21st century. If developed responsibly, the Arctic’s vast oil
9
and gas resources could help meet some of that rising demand.
2035​- Serving as a link between the western and eastern parts of the globe, the Trans-Arctic
routes prove to be 40% shorter than the Suez Canal. Although some states have acted towards
trying to take control over large portions of Arctic waters, others seek peaceful resolutions,
expanding trade markets and economic benefits. With the increase in economic activity,
however, states have also started reopening military bases in the Arctic to secure their trade
routes. Although these are sighted specifically for the security of the routes, submarines have
become as active now as they were during the Cold War. Russia also wants to open nine
airfields and six smaller bases here. The Arctic Council’s two agreements in regards to
Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and Continental Shelf rights are subject to change and
may transcend current boundaries due to their importance. The committee must create a
balance between securing economic gains and protecting the environment. The heavy
8
9
​: ​https://phys.org/news/2013-10-climate-impacts-indigenous.html#jCp
https://s04.static-shell.com/content/dam/shell/static/future-energy/downloads/arctic/shell-in-t
he-arctic.pdf
militarization of trade routes could slowly evolve into a reason for an armed conflict in the
world.
2040​Countries fronting on polar waters -- the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway, Russia, and Sweden comprise the intergovernmental Arctic Council -- will enjoy
exclusive rights to fish and tap undersea resources in hundreds of thousands of square miles
of water off their shores. Nations holding waterfront property in the Arctic will bolster their
coast guards to police their territorial seas and exclusive economic zones during ice-free
intervals.
The Arctic is set to become the main resource base for all the Arctic countries, thus defining
the limits of the country’s continental shelf and development of relevant legal basis is one of
the top priorities.
2050​Pollution from the constant traffic of ships and offshore extraction of oils has caused a
constant occurrence of maritime disasters. The most important issue that arises now in 2050
is the fact that the Arctic region is still incredibly vast. While land boundaries between the
Arctic nations are, for the most part, clearly established, ownership of more than 14 million
square kilometres of Arctic Ocean - an area equal to the size of Russia - is not quite as clear.
One of the sovereignty issues in the North is the three-decade-old land ownership dispute
between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island, a speck of geography in the High Arctic
between Ellesmere Island and Greenland. The Law of the Sea Convention, established by the
United Nations, signed in 1984 and ratified by Canada 20 years later, grants certain set areas
of the Arctic sea floor to the five circumpolar nations - Canada, the U.S., Russia, Norway and
Denmark. ​Any country that can successfully establish a claim will gain control of a vast
amount of sea floor resources in the central portion of the Arctic Ocean. However, due to the
vague nature of these clauses, a series of disputes have erupted between states that claim to
have historic or recently declared ownership of an area. Canada and Denmark are arming up
to defend their right to Hans Island, mainly because both states have already started
establishing military stations and oil drilling sites in the area.
Note: ​The committee will take place on March 24​th​, 2050 to solve this conglomerate of crises
that have built up because of government inaction in the past.
PARTICIPANTS​:
1. Vladimir Barbin (Russian Federation)
After graduating from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Vladimir V.
Barbin has since occupied various positions at the Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Russian Federation and abroad. He speaks Russian, English, Swedish and
Finnish.
In an interview with High North News, Russia’s Senior Arctic Official Vladimir Barbin
reflects on the future of the Arctic Circle and lays emphasis on a particular area of
cooperation that needs to be strengthened and promoted: the economic angle. Russia has the
longest Arctic coastline – more than 20 thousand kilometers. In addition, Russia is home to
many Arctic indigenous peoples, and the contribution of the Arctic to the gross domestic
product of Russia exceeds 15%. Barbin is extremely concerned about the economic
importance of the Arctic Council and does not believe that a halt in activity will produce any
viable solutions. However, he states that the main objectives addressed by Russian foreign
policy in the Arctic are intended to keep the region as one of peace and cooperation.
2. Julia L. Gourley (United States)
Prior to becoming the SAO, Ms. Gourley served in the State Department’s Office of
Environmental Policy where she worked on multilateral environmental agreements under the
United Nations Environment Program. She has also worked at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. Ms. Gourley holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography with a
concentration in urban and regional planning from Ohio University.
The ​National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSAR) outlines the United States’ stance on
the Arctic. There was a controversy regarding US drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge (ANWR). Although,​ President Barack Obama opposed drilling in the Arctic Refuge,
the new government has yet to declare their stance on the topic.
Gourley wants to prioritize a strategic approach intended to position the United States to
respond effectively to emerging opportunities in the region, while simultaneously pursuing
efforts to protect and conserve its unique environment.
3. Alison LeClaire (Canada)
The North covers 40 percent of Canada’s territory and is home to more than 120,000
inhabitants, of whom more than half are Indigenous.
Working with domestic and international partners, Alison LeClaire advances international
Arctic interests at the Arctic Council and other international forums where Arctic issues are
considered. She also works closely with the seven Arctic neighbours and increasingly some
non-Arctic states as many of their respective policies directed to the region are
complementary. These partnerships enable her to exercise connections beyond the arctic
region and promote a unified and all-inclusive voice on issues important to Northerners. Her
priorities related to the Arctic include addressing climate change, renewing relations with
Indigenous Peoples, management of the Arctic Ocean, and supporting sustainable economic
and social development through evidence-based decision-making.
She also supports Indigenous Permanent Participant organizations in Canada to improve their
capacity to fully engage in the activities of the Arctic Council.
4. Aleksi Härkönen (Finland)
Härkönen served as the Finish ambassador to Estonia for four years. ​ Prior to that, ​Härkönen
worked as Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of the Republic of Finland. He was the
head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairmanship
10
Task Force of Finland and Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE.
Due to Härkönen’s experience in foreign office, both the previous President and the current
President of the Republic are interested in Northern and Arctic affairs and follow the issues
closely. Both Presidents have also been interested in the Saami, the only indigenous people of
the European Union. His experience working in the President’s office have made him
10
http://www.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/our-work2/8-news-and-events/276-interviewaleksi-haerkoenen-sao-for-finland
exercise influence in issues relating to the North. He believes that climate change is a
challenge and it remains to be seen whether the Arctic Council can act rapidly enough to
tackle some challenging issues. He believes that the worst-case scenario in the arctic is the
region globalizing without effective governance.
In his free time, Härkönen enjoys cross-country skiing and ice fishing.
5. Arni Thor Sigurdsson (Iceland)
Sigurdsson ​was a member of the Parliament of the ​Althing​, the ​Icelandic​ parliament, for
the ​Left-Green Movement​. He was Deputy Speaker of the Althing and a delegate to
the ​Nordic Council​ and Chairman of the Nordic Council's Standing Committee of Culture
and Education.
Prior to his parliamentary career, Árni Þór was a City Councillor in Reykjavik for 13 years,
responsible for pre-schools, city planning, construction, transport and environment. He is
well connected to the operations of Icelandic ports and exercises control over ship routes.
Árni Þór has a Master-degree in Economics and Russian. He is fluent in Russian and has a
diploma in Public Administration from the University of Iceland and a Master-degree in
International Relations.​ He believes that the increased interest in the Arctic internationally
and the debate over the utilization of natural resources and climate change in the Arctic has
enhanced Arctic Council’s political weight.
He believes it is a challenging task for the Arctic Council to develop its cooperation with the
increasing number of Observers – a clear sign of how significant the Arctic has become on
the international arena. Lastly, he believes in the importance of the ​Arctic Council
Secretariat​ (ACS); he cites the expertise and know-how of the staff are valuable assets and
the member States should endeavor to strengthen the ACS as a ballast in their work.
6. Anniken Ramberg Krutnes (Norway)
Ambassador Krutnes spent five years in The Hague, during which she conducted important
work for her country on both a bilateral and multilateral basis. In addition to political
relations, Ambassador Krutnes focuses on cultural relations and business links with The
Netherlands. She has strong connections with Luxembourg and was responsible for bilateral
relations with the Grand Duchy.
She has worked as a Facilitator for international forums where she was able to work closely
with the ​International Criminal Court (ICC). She is adept in the knowledge of the ICC and
is a firm believer in transparency and accountability.
As Facilitator, Ambassador Krutnes also initiated seminars in Dakar, Arusha, Accra, Buenos
Aires and Cotonou with representatives from over 40 countries. Her proactive work was
praised by the ICC, member states and other actors involved and has led to significant
collaboration with other legal bodies in navigating territorial disputes in the Arctic.
She is a leading ambassador in many areas, a mother and consume sportswoman.
7. Hanne Fugl Eskjær ( Denmark)
Eskjær was previously Danish ambassador to Bangladesh, which allows her to access
resources and powerful connections from other countries.
Denmark has staked a claim to the same area that Russia claimed ownership of. It asserts that,
under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), some 900,000 square
kilometres of the Arctic Ocean north of Greenland belongs to it (Greenland is a
self-governing part of Denmark). Russia filed its own case under UNCLOS, and (almost
11
certainly) Canada, which plans to assert sovereignty over part of the polar continental shelf
Moreover, ​Canada​ and Denmark have also been engaged in a territorial dispute for almost a
century. At the centre of this dispute is a tiny outcropping known as Hans Island.
Although Denmark asserts territorial claim to land, it also asserts the need for a sustainable
environmental plan for the future of the Arctic.
8.
Andres Jato (Sweden)
Sweden does not have direct access to the Arctic Ocean. However, due to its geographical
location, it shows significant activity in Arctic affairs. Sweden announced its first Arctic
strategy in early 2011. This strategy is, on a number of aspects, in line with Russia’s vision of
the situation in the Arctic, which may serve as a favorable political background to increase
bilateral cooperation between the two countries. At the same time, some provisions of the
document show differences between Russia and Sweden in approaches to specific problems
12
in the Arctic. ​ Sweden wishes to expand the jurisdiction of the Artic Council, turning it into
a fully-fledged international organization with its secretariat and project budget, which is
capable of not only coordinating the priority areas of cooperation, but also implementing
applied and practical projects, developing international agreements that are mandatory for all
member states, are certainly beneficial to all the Arctic Council members.
9.
Arlene Gundersen (Aluet International Association)
The Aleut International Association (AIA) is an Alaska Native not-for-profit corporation,
registered in the State of Alaska, United States of America.
AIA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of four Alaskan and four Russian Aleuts
under the leadership of a president. The current president is Ms. Arlene Gundersen.
Russian and American Aleuts are separated by distances, borders and the International Date
Line but united by the great Bering Sea and the North Pacific. Today, not only does the Aleut
community share the resources of the region but the environmental problems as well. The
need to understand global processes, such as trans-boundary contaminants transport, the
impacts of climate change, and the effects of commercial fisheries on the ecosystem of the
Bering Sea to name a few, was an impetus in joining in the work of international fora where
AIA is actively pursuing collaboration with governments, scientists, and other organizations
in developing programs and policies that could improve the wellbeing of the Aleut people
and their environment. AIA was admitted as a permanent participant of the Arctic Council in
1998 and was granted Special Consultive Status by the Economic and Social Council of the
13
United Nations in 2004.
10. Chief Bill Erasmus (The arctic Asabaskan Council)
He is a life-time advocate of Aboriginal and Treaty rights and a recognized Aboriginal leader
worldwide and remains committed to the Dene Nation and his homeland Denendeh.
11
http://www.economist.com/news/international/21636756-denmark-claims-north-pole-froz
en-conflict
12 http://russiancouncil.ru/en/inner/?id_4=742#top-content
13
http://www.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/about-us/permanent-participants/aia
Chief Erasmus received a Governor General commemorative medal for the 125th
Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada, in recognition of his significant contribution to
compatriots, communities and to Canada. He was also the recipient of the Queen’s Golden
Jubilee Commemorative Medal.
Chief Erasmus is sighted as a visionary leader, well-grounded in his roots. He is a skilled
negotiator and incorporates his philosophy of connection to the land, community and Nation
to resolve conflict and to be an instrument of change. His deep respect for Elders, traditional
knowledge and Aboriginal rights guides equips him to engage with Indigenous Peoples
worldwide.
He strongly believes in family and is a dedicated father and husband to his wife Reanna, son
Lonny, daughter Sarah.
11. Joe Linklater (Gwich’in Council International)
Joe Linklater is a seasoned political leader and program manager with considerable
experience in building and implementing public policy and First Nation self-governance. Joe
has contributed to successful intergovernmental relations at the federal, provincial and
inter-provincial levels and is well known for his significant expertise in establishing and
overseeing economic development initiatives and trust structures. He continues to be an
effective advocate of the ongoing political evolution and advancement of self-governance of
First Nations, often in partnership with other self-governing First Nations and other orders of
government. He holds a diploma in First Nation Management.
He believes that self-governance is a healthier option for indigenous communities. It has
re-instilled our notion of responsibility.
He is known to foster political will and
leadership in younger people of his community and sites his Elders as pushing him to pursue
his journey as an activist. He believes in greater political participation of communities such
as his own and wishes to decrease the gap between governments and indigenous people.
12. Grigory Ledkov (Russian Association of People of the North)
Grigory​ Ledkov​ graduated from Naryan-Mar Veterinary College with a degree "veterinary
assistant." After his military service, Petersburg he was a teacher of history and cultural
studies. He graduated from St. Petersburg State University, majoring in "Jurisprudence".
He has been living in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Taz region. He was later
appointed to a specialist department for the indigenous peoples of the administration Taz
region.
As representative of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Grigory Ledkov was elected
member of the Russian State Duma, and the following year became a member of the
Committee on National Affairs. RAIPON recognizes that the socioeconomic conditions
among indigenous people of the north have declined dramatically in recent years. In addition
to long standing issues, there are new problems associated with high levels of unemployment,
deteriorating living conditions, increased sickness and limited educational opportunities.
These issues have long been discussed among indigenous peoples and many now believe that
the only way to resolve these troubling issues is through direct negotiation with the Russian
Government.
13. ​Áile Jávo (Saami Council)
Áile Jávo​ ​believes that t​o cope with climate changes, it is important to build robust and
resilient communities in the Arctic. She believes that socio-ecological resilience is important
for the communities to live through changes that are still not fully understood and without the
loss of identity and culture. She demands respect for human rights, including the rights of
indigenous peoples in climate-change policies and actions, and will call upon the state parties
to recognize her people’s traditional knowledge and positive contributions to climate
adaptation and mitigation efforts.
She also asserts that the Saami people are impacted by adaptation and mitigation strategies
put into force by states. Many of the ‘green’ energy projects, such as hydroelectric dams,
wind farms and other technologies require large tracts of land. Often this is indigenous land.
14. Ben Van Beurden (Royal Dutch Shell)
Ben van Beurden has endorsed warnings that the world’s fossil fuel reserves cannot be
burned unless some way is found to capture their carbon emissions. The oil boss has also
predicted that the global energy system will become “zero carbon” by the end of the century,
with his group obtaining a “very, very large segment” of its earnings from renewable power.
And in an admission that the growing opposition to Shell’s controversial search for oil in the
Arctic was putting increasing pressure on him, van Beurden admitted he had gone on a
“personal journey” to justify the decision to drill.
The Shell boss said he accepted the general premise contained in ​independent studies​ that
have concluded that dangerous levels of global warming above 2C will occur unless CO​2​ is
buried or reserves are kept in the ground. He states that companies could not burn all the
hydrocarbon resources they have on the planet in an unmitigated way.
He states that without a policy that will really enable and realise CCS (carbon capture and
storage) on a large scale, they will not be able to stay within that CO​2​ emission budget.
The admission from the boss of the world’s second largest independently owned oil company
bring the fossil fuel industry under unprecedented public pressure to change its business
strategy. Shell and BP have been forced to accept shareholder demands to be much more
transparent about the impact of their activities on climate change issues at annual general
meetings in recent weeks.
15. Darren W. Woods (ExxonMobil)
Tillerson joined ​ExxonMobil​ as an engineer and served as the chairman and ​chief executive
officer​ (CEO) of the company. He succeds Rex Wayne Tillerson who was appointed by the
US government as Secretary of State under President Donald Trump. Oil giant ExxonMobil
and Russia’s Rosneft launched exploration drilling in the Kara Sea to continue joint
exploitation of the Russian Arctic despite Western sanctions.
Of the major oil companies, ExxonMobil has been the most active in the debate surrounding
climate change.
Exxon and ExxonMobil were one of the most outspoken companies in the United States
against regulation to curtail ​global warming, ​and during this period Exxon helped advance
climate change denial internationally.​ ​ExxonMobil was also a significant influence in
preventing ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the United States.
In April 2014, ExxonMobil released a report publicly acknowledging climate change risk for
the first time. ExxonMobil predicted that a rising global population, increasing living
standards and increasing energy access would result in lower greenhouse gas emissions. They
continue to promise safe drilling all while maintaining relations with governments to navigate
the problem of the Arctic.