Delegation from Represented by

The Kingdom of the Netherlands The Honors College at Lone Star College

Position Paper for the World Health Organization

The topics presented for the World Health Organization are: Mitigating the Public Health Effects of
Climate Change; Ensuring Access to Clean and Safe Water; Improving Coordination of Health Services
in Outbreaks and Emergencies. The Kingdom of Netherlands is committed to ensuring satisfactory global
health, and intends to combat the ill effects of climate change, inaccessible water, and outbreaks and
emergencies.

I. Mitigating the Public Health Effects of Climate Change

Profoundly concerned at the threats to global health from climate change, the Kingdom of the Netherlands
advocates for multifaceted solutions that are socioeconomic, innovative, and cooperative in observance of
the World Health Organization resolution 61/19 (2008) by implementing policies domestically and
supporting international efforts. The Kingdom of the Netherlands embraces the Marrakech Action
Proclamation for Our Climate and Sustainable Development from the 22nd session of the Conference of
the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which further realizes the
goals set in the Paris Agreement. Domestically, the Netherlands pledges to reduce CO2 emissions by 9%
by implementation of smart grid, gas-free neighborhoods and the usage of efficient energy such as
biofuels. The Netherlands anticipates the future construction of the Global Centre of Excellence on
Climate Adaption, recently signed into commission by the Netherland's Ministry of Infrastructure and the
Environment, Japan and the United Nations Environment. The Netherlands upholds the Parma
Declaration on Environment and Health outlining issues such as vulnerable groups exposure to
inadequate environmental circumstances, gender inequality with attention to womens rights, and natural
disasters negative effects on health. The Netherlands contributes funds to the Climate Investment Funds
and the Least Developed Countries Fund to address the issue of food security brought on by climate
change. In order to include women on climate negotiations, the Netherlands maintains support of the
continuation of the decision, Lima Work Programme on Gender 2014. The Netherlands supports
Disaster Risk Reduction analysis reports from the World Bank such as the Global Facility for Disaster
Reduction and Recovery Work Plan, and affirms the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
2015-2030 ratified by the United Nations Third World Conference in acknowledgment of the link
between health and natural disasters caused by climate change. The Netherlands praises Member States
and NGOs on previous efforts in addressing the issues of climate change. However, the Netherlands
expresses its concern with the lack of acknowledgement of the environments direct relation to health.
The Netherlands calls upon Member States to fully recognize the link between health and climate change
by addressing these issues in national policies and health systems. The Kingdom of the Netherlands
implores Member States to advance progress in addressing the health risks of climate change through
vigorous support of previous legislation, programs and investigation of new solutions.

II. Ensuring Access to Clean and Safe Water

The Kingdom of the Netherlands draws attention to General Assembly resolution 64/292 (2010) where
international cooperation and accountability through regional and global partnerships demands to
eradicate the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation resources. The Kingdom of the Netherlands
actively seeks opportunities to successfully implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
among Member States by establishing criterion to improve on in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, such as increasing access to Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) services. The
Kingdom of the Netherlands encourages Member States to follow the targets in Sustainable Development
Goal 3 (SDG 3) and Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), the United Nations development
initiatives promoting well-being and healthy lives for all. Domestically, the Netherlands emphasizes the
quality standards of the European Drinking Water Directive and designates concentration parameters of
harmful substances and microorganisms found in drinking water, in efforts to reduce surface water
contamination. The Kingdom of the Netherlands recommends Member States to work alongside
international organizations to prevent the spread of waterborne infectious diseases by establishing
solutions towards the safety and quality of water. The Netherlands supports the Water Framework
Directive by the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, which prioritizes nearby
countries subject to the Rhine River in efforts to decrease pesticide use, increase the use of effective
disaster notifications and reduce surface water contamination. Internationally, the Netherlands
implements the Netherlands Water Partnership where NGOs, companies, knowledge institutes, and the
national government collaborate to provide continuously supportable, multifunctional water solutions for
people, the planet and for profit worldwide. The Kingdom of the Netherlands stresses the importance of
strengthening relations between governments and NGOs in providing monetary and physical aid to
developing countries, improving drinking water infrastructure and health conditions, and ensuring
ubiquitous water access for all. The Netherlands emphasizes the need for Member States to increase the
access of WASH resources, in efforts to improve the overall health of communities. The Kingdom of the
Netherlands encourages Member States to establish legislative and social changes, such as legal
consequences for discriminatory practices in water distribution and access due to the ethnicity,
nationality, gender or social status in Member States, in order for all to revel in the right to clean and safe
water.

III. Improving Coordination of Health Services in Outbreaks and Emergencies

The Kingdom of the Netherlands endorses decisions to strengthen international multi-agency

communication through regional and international cooperation in compliance with the Economic and
Social Council resolution 2016/9. The reliability and effectiveness to measure national reporting of
diseases and crises is imperative in improving health systems responses. The Kingdom of the
Netherlands calls attention to Director-General, Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization's
(WHO) report 140/7 (2016), and commends their efforts in responding to Grade 2 and Grade 3
emergencies. In addition to adequate responses, prevention is the main priority. The Netherlands calls
upon Member States to use dependable and sufficient measures to proliferate national reporting in a
concise, transparent, and consistent manner of health services crisis response. The Netherlands supports
the coalition of Member States that effectively manage outbreaks or emergencies such as the European
Unions Antimicrobial Resistance One Health Ministerial Conference 2016, where the Netherlands
participates and contributes research investment and policy development. The Netherlands prioritizes the
need for accurate and pertinent research towards the eradication or prevention of deadly diseases such as
Ebola. The Netherlands actively supports efforts against Ebola through the donations to the World Banks
Ebola Recovery and Reconstruction Trust Fund. The Kingdom of the Netherlands abides by the WHO
resolution 128/R10 (2011) and enacts programs and policies in order to strengthen its health emergency
and disaster management. The Netherlands implements the National Policy on Health: Health Close to
People 2012, and expands its development cooperation policy, in terms of aging population, managing
and preventing waterborne and other communicable diseases. Domestically, the Netherlands continues to
donate money to Non-Governmental Organizations such as the Red Cross, and Mdecins Sans Frontires
(MSF) in efforts to aid the Ebola crisis. The Kingdom of the Netherlands supports the Joint Procurement
Agreement to procure medical countermeasures and its policies that promote equal access to medical aid
for every citizen within the European Union. The Kingdom of the Netherlands urges fellow Member
States to maintain WHO resolution 128/R10 (2011) by developing their national policy on health
emergency management to ensure the safety of its citizens.