General Debate
Following the practice of the United Nations, UNEP COnvention will employ a two-step debate process Committee Members engage in both General and Substantive Debate on each agenda item, Delegates who deliver substantive speeches during General Debate, or vice-versa, will be ruled out of order.
Each delegate is afforded an opportunity to express her/his state's perception of the issue, evaluation of past action or inaction, alternatives for future action, References to specific events and data are also made here. General debate serves both to review the problem and perceptions of it as well as to note areas of concern and unity for future Assembly action.
No representative may address the body without previously obtaining the Chair's permission. Speakers for General and Substantive debate shall generally be recognized from a speakers list maintained by the Chair. To participate in General Debate, a delegate must indicate his desire to be placed on the speakers list in writing, specifying the agenda topic and type of debate. The Chair may suggest to the Committee the closure of the speakers list. Debate will continue until the speakers list is exhausted or debate is closed or adjourned . To shorten the speakers list, members may request, in writing to the Legal Officer, that their names be removed from the speakers list. Requests for placement on the speakers list in other than the order submitted shall be the sole discretion of the Chair.
Placement on the speakers list ensures a block of time for that delegation's use. The Chair may limit the duration of the speeches. When recognized, a delegate may use all or part of the time allotted, or the delegate may yield any remaining time to another delegate. The delegate, however, must use the time immediately and may not defer it to a later time. Once a delegate's name appears on the speaker's list, it may be moved only once to the bottom of the list. Once he/she has completed a speech, he/she may place his/her name on the speaker's list again. After each speech from the list, the Chair may entertain short speeches and comments on the preceding speech. A short speech is a brief response to the issues, perceptions, and positions mentioned in the previous speech. Comments on any other speech or topic will be ruled out of order and the original speaker may not comment on his/her own speech. The Chair may limit the number and duration of the short comments.
During debate, a delegate may ask a question of another delegate. Both question and response must be addressed to the Chair, not to delegates directly. Questions of an informational nature or procedural nature may be asked of the Chair under Point of Information, and the Chair on behalf of the Assembly may ask a specific delegate for information. No other questioning is permitted. Questions of a policy nature may be answered through a short comment, or in a subsequent speech.
