Global Challenges

Introduction

Humanity is steadily destroying the environment, and the effects are already evident as seen in the increase in natural disasters, pollution and much more. These trends have already had an influence on our lives, and that is why we will concentrate on problems like food waste, fast fashion, plastic use and poor transportation practices. For instance, the wasting of food which results in about one third of all food produced going to waste, is a major issue on a global scale. By planning meals, controlling portion sizes and composting, individuals can reduce food waste on their own, but it is also critical that the EU promotes and controls the sustainable use of food. In addition, the speedy manufacture and disposal of inexpensive apparel contribute to the waste of resources, pollution and labor exploitation. The manufacture and use of electronic gadgets including smartphones and laptops has exploded as a result of the rapid advancement in technology. Although these gadgets are useful and convenient, electronic waste is a serious sustainability issue. Another important factor in environmental deterioration is the extensive use of automobiles and airplanes for transportation. The unsustainable practices of food waste, fast fashion, plastic use, and excessive reliance on planes and cars have far-reaching environmental consequences. Addressing these issues requires a collective effort involving the EU and the governments of its member countries as well as businesses and individuals.

Demands:

• reduce food waste


• fight fast fashion


• ban plastic packaging


• encourage reduction, repair and correct disposal of electronic devices


• increase transparency in supply chains

Introduction

Energy costs are rising across Europe and the world, starting in late 2021 and continuing in early 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions on Russia. The shortage of oil and gas caused a rise in inflation. The European energy market operates according to the Merit-Order system, which means the highest price bid is the one traded on the market. The main source of energy in Europe is fossil fuels, which is one of the causes of ongoing climate change. This is why we need investments in renewable energy sources and nuclear power plants as soon as possible. Prices skyrocketed after the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Previously, Russia was an important source of energy for many European countries, which thus gained an economic advantage. Due to the lobbying of fossil fuel companies they can raise prices disproportionately and independent of the rise in costs and not face any consequences.

The EU still relies on other countries for its energy production and does not aim at self-sufficiency. How can the EU become more independent of foreign energy? Why is the EU trying to make the same mistake as before with Russia, by trading with the Middle East, where human rights are violated everyday?

European society is focusing too much on cars as the main means of transport when we should focus much more on expanding public transport infrastructure. Electric and hydrogen cars are important, because they are the future alternative for internal combustion cars. However, they cannot meet the demand for transportation. 

The main goal should be to close the city centers for cars in all of Europe and pedestrianize them so people are obliged to use public transportation or walk instead. 

Besides, agricultural and industrial goods are mostly transported by trucks in many European countries when they could be transported by rail, for which infrastructure is lacking in all EU countries. Trucks should only cover the “last mile”, i. e. the distance from the station to the company site. This would significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Demands

• reduce energy prices, control energy companies, expand renewable energy sources


• reduce pollution of air, soil and water 


• find sustainable ways to dispose of and recycle waste from nuclear power plants


• limit long-distance imports of energy and goods


• Provide free train travel and expand public transport infrastructure


• Fine private jets for producing excessive carbon emissions

Introduction

Migration and integration are critical issues for Europe's future, impacting on social cohesion, cultural identity, the economy, and security. Addressing the complex issue of migration in Europe requires a multifaceted approach. At its core, our demand is for equitable treatment of all refugees, irrespective of factors like skin color, gender, or sexual orientation. Furthermore, we advocate against deportations to war-torn regions or pushbacks on sea.

To facilitate successful integration, our focus extends beyond humanitarian aid. We emphasize the importance of language courses, quality education, and immediate access to employment opportunities for refugees. Government spending priorities play a pivotal role in this. Funds used for weaponry and war exacerbate the very conflicts that drive people to migrate. By fostering peace in third countries, governments can reduce the refugee influx and allocate resources more effectively.

Media portrayal of migrants has long been problematic. Sensationalized stories depicting criminal behavior perpetuate negative stereotypes. Instead, we urge the media to amplify the voices of hardworking individuals striving to adapt to new societies, thereby nullifying pessimistic notions.

Dehumanizing refugees and promoting unfounded fears of competition for resources are counterproductive. We must recognize that refugees seek safety and peace, and that their intention is not to exploit host nations. To combat racism and xenophobia, anti-discrimination measures are essential. Education plays a pivotal role in shaping empathetic future generations.

Also, making dual citizenship accessible to all is crucial, and integration must be a priority. Additionally, recognizing misinformation through heightened awareness is essential to fostering empathy and understanding.

In summary, addressing migration in Europe demands fair treatment of refugees equal to that of European citizens, access to education and employment. To ensure and maintain the Europeans’ acceptance for refugees, it is necessary to establish a fair and responsible media portrayal of refugees accompanied by broad anti-discrimination campaigns. These multifaceted efforts can contribute to a more inclusive and empathetic society.

Demands

• embrace diversity regarding migrants


• support easier access to the European labor market for migrants


• promote policies for family reunification


• make sure that immigrants have immediate access to general and vocational education in the host countries


• allocate funds to invest in programs that facilitate legal immigration into the EU in order to counteract problems arising from shrinking populations


• urge countries to provide an easier pathway to citizenship for immigrants already in the country


• help combat discrimination and xenophobia against immigrants on all political and social levels 


• punish illegal pushbacks more severely


• establish better integration programmes in the EU

Introduction

Stable mental and physical health is the cornerstone of high quality spare time, a successful education, a strong workforce and a stable economy. Fair democratic processes and active political participation both rely on fair social conditions. Health is a fundamental human right. Everyone should have access to basic health services, no matter when and where they need them, without suffering financial hardship. In times of war, a pandemic and a climate and energy crises, the gap between the lower and upper classes is growing by the minute. The lack of medical professionals and the ridiculously long waiting time for a necessary doctor’s appointment carries lifelong consequences for patients. Therefore, the EU needs to invest in preventive medicine and research to recognize diseases in their early stages. 

Mental health problems are at an all time high, especially teenagers struggle, with their mental health and don’t receive the necessary support. Addiction, whether substantial or behavioral, is a hidden part of the daily life of many, cutting social ties, destroying families and even leading to death. The lack of caregivers and other social workers is leaving people without care, meanwhile hundreds of thousands of homeless people struggle with reintegration into the job market. We urge the politicians of the European Union to prioritize people’s needs and to ensure the highest quality of public and social services to improve the lives of the people of Europe. Therefore we demand:

Demands

• make psychological and psychiatric care more accessible


• offer prevention and treatment of obesity in youth 


• make inclusion of disabled people in the planning process and customizing of facilities mandatory


• offer more workshops to raise awareness of rape, harassment and mobbing


• fund programs for accessible drug rehabilitation centers


• retrain and reintegrate homeless people to fill positions in the social field (ex. nurses, caregivers, drivers in public transport etc.)


• provide more scholarships and increase attractiveness of professions in the medical field 


• offer more money for treatment of burnout patients


• protect free physical expression

Introduction

Without the influences of a globalized economy, without the communication and the kilometers that transport goods travel millions of times every day, this would be no more than wishful thinking for the people in the EU. The goods which are available in the EU are only with us through the import route from all over the world.

Fair trade and fair incomes should become a matter of course. Furthermore, more emphasis should be placed on quality than on quantity. Poorly processed products from cheap productions must be replaced by high quality goods.  

In addition, more emphasis must be placed on sustainability. Aggressive advertisements are designed to manipulate us into buying things we do not need or want. They often use fear, uncertainty, and doubt to make us feel like we are missing out if we do not buy the product or service they are advertising, which leads to unnecessary overconsumption.

Monopolies are getting bigger and prices are getting cheaper. Countries like China are monopolizing the global market, buying into developing countries, exploiting their land and soil to the point of displacement, and leaving the land without profit. Furthermore, action must be taken against the exploitation of developing countries.

Countries, such as The People's Republic of China, are making aggressive pushes to monopolize national resources of developing countries in an exploitative manner, while the EU does not leverage its economy enough to combat this influence and loses access to valuable resources.

When the world is coming apart at the seams and trade chains are stagnating, prices are rising and headlines about inhumane working conditions are becoming commonplace, it is time to turn empty promises into deeds.

Demands

• implement fairer trade standards and make fairly traded goods attractive for the general public


• curb inflation in order to end the economic recession


• protect the European market from being flooded with low quality foreign products, make the European industry more competitive and avoid unsustainable consumerism


• make the EU-economy less dependent on non-renewable energy sources in order order to tackle climate change, create a sustainable society and to make the EU less susceptible to foreign crises


• combat the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, especially to non-democratic countries, to make the EU economically independent of countries with questionable human rights records


• implement stricter antitrust laws to avoid monopolization and reduce the disproportionate political influence of multinational companies


• combat excessive overconsumption which is exacerbated by aggressive advertisement 


• support small, regionally operating businesses


• implement penalties for companies on par with the severity of their infringements, especially when making money by illegal means


• stop exploitation of developing countries and combat their exploitation by countries like China in order to not lose access to valuable resources


• stop heavily subsidizing the meat and dairy industries and start promoting plant-based diets and sustainable farming practices

Introduction

The last 50 years have seen an enormous change in our markets and our working conditions but the system has stayed relatively the same. Now we have to adapt the system to the modern working world, especially in the last few years due to the Covid Pandemic and the Ukraine war. 

The pandemic caused a huge call for home office, better working conditions and more mental health care in various sectors. The average working hours are often too long in terms of efficient productivity. People working in the health sector are not able to work fully focused and concentrated for so many hours. The EU must discuss the four-day week now, in order to have benefits for both sides and to decrease the risk of developing mental and physical illnesses.

In addition, the unemployment rate in some EU member countries is unacceptable. However, we still don't have enough specialised workers in many sectors. That’s why we need immigrants and refugees. Moreover, many of them live in inhumane conditions. We simply cannot accept that immigrants and refugees have to wait many years to get their asylum status. How can they be integrated without the chance to work? Besides immigration, emigration is also a significant issue in the EU. Brain drain and the exploitation of universities in other EU countries must be discussed and regulated. We all live together in a community, but it won't work if we don´t work together.

Demands

• shorten waiting periods for asylum seekers and immigrants with work ambitions


• take measures against the brain drain


• equal work, equal pay!


• implement and accept the right to work-life balance 


• implement the four-day week


• decrease unemployment, “the tumor” of our modern working world


• raise awareness of mental health problems


• stop inflation - preserve the value of our money!


• strengthen workers´ right to complain, especially in unions


• oblige companies to compensate workers who suffer from work-related illnesses

Introduction

Democratic governments depend and rely on educated citizens. Even though we are living in the 2020s, our generalized educational system is still decades behind, from what we learn to how we learn it. Teachers are overworked and disrespected, an entire generation is suffering the consequences. We cannot allow the apathy towards the education of our youth to go on any longer. The divide between the genders starts in schools and impacts students all their lives. The inequalities we face in life have trickled its way into our education system, our curriculums often enforce gender roles and we are forced to receive different educations based on our sexes. Religious classes are biased, Christian-centered or subjectively taught depending on the religious inclination of the teacher. 

Our teachers are disrespected, undervalued and underpaid. 

Our students are left to fend for themselves when looking for housing, this is especially true for exchange- and international students.

Demands

• recruit and train more teachers


• raise teachers‘ salaries


• provide opportunities for schools to compete with each other


• install more professional sex education classes


• make attendance in religious or ethics classes obligatory for all age groups at school


• provide affordable and appropriate student housing at university level


• religion classes should provide equal information on all religions

Introduction

In an era in which technology is the “heartbeat” of society and shapes the way we live, work, and connect, awareness of digitalization is necessary. Recent developments of the technology of Artificial Intelligence have raised awareness and led to controversial debates about the potential impact of technological progress on our society. Furthermore, it is more important than ever to involve multi-stakeholders. We need appropriate rules, regulations and laws when it comes to digitalization, social media, data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Currently, there are not any written regulations or laws which could prevent the unregulated use of AI and provide control over important systems and infrastructure. Additionally, since the digital world is changing so fast, school systems need to be adapted to prepare young people for the new digital environment. Nowadays, most jobs require a minimum knowledge of digital skills.

Imagine a world where data flow uninhibited, where information is a currency, and where the boundaries between reality and the digital realm blur. Envision machines that not only mimic human intelligence but surpass it, potentially replacing millions of jobs, endangering individual privacy and public trust through content manipulation tools and AI-generated deepfake videos. We need to prepare for the developments the future holds in store for us. And the future is now.

Demands

• improve awareness of racial, gender, socio-economical, political, and cultural bias in AI development


• take measures against job loss through AI


• develop guidelines for dealing with ethical problems


• integrate digital education into school education (raise awareness of positive and negative sides, e. g. its possible impact on mental health)


• restrict access for children in order to protect children’s rights


• develop regulating tools for use against digital manipulation, fake news, and hate speech


• provide free use of AI for all citizens of the EU


• establish an EU-media center 

Introduction

“Democracy requires effort, deserves bravery, needs leadership.”European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, G7-Conference in Berlin, 2022

The recent decline in voter turnout in the EU-elections, especially among younger people, poses a huge threat to our democracy. For instance, the last EU-election had a voter turnout of just barely over 50%, which is less than in a majority of national elections. There is also a notable contrast between regions, with central and eastern Europe generally having lower voter turnouts than western regions.

Another problem is the imbalance in the availability and accessibility of information regarding politics and democracy itself. Due to fake news and the lack of independent and unbiased journalism and media in some countries, misinformation had and still has the opportunity to spread quickly. Additionally, freedom of press is not fully developed in all member countries, some even going as far as not reporting about any political opinion opposing the governments at all. 

The shift in attitudes towards civil and political engagement has its own set of challenges. Not educating people, especially youngsters, about politics has been a powerful tool of anti-democrats, assuring that yet another generation doesn’t question the ones in power. Often, it’s not the lack of interest that keeps Europe’s youth from education, but the current school system. This is why we, as representatives of European youth, demand the following actions on the part of the European Union:

Demands

• establish mandatory unbiased political education in secondary schools


• organize easily accessible youth parliaments


• organize campaigns on how to properly inform yourself on current EU policies, also in non-election times


• provide laws in more understandable language


• strengthen European cooperation and identity