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Committee Summary
The United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), established in 1978, is the UN agency responsible for promoting environmentally and socially cognizant sustainable development. As climate change and other ecological disasters ravage the world, this becomes an important locus for sharing ideas and opinions on how to address some of these pressing issues.
This is a body that does work internationally, and must find ways to adapt solutions to varying contexts. Additionally, UN Habitat deals with many intersectionality issues when addressing housing concerns, and these questions of equity will be put at the forefront of discussions during committee.
This version of UN Habitat will investigate approaches to both altering past housing systems and designing new mechanisms to better urban waste management in current and future developments. It will call to attention the disparity between changing already entrenched systems and creating something new, as well as the roadblocks to implementation associated with each challenge. This committee will allow for genuine discussions on how to strive for improvement and how to modernize things, including special attention to sustainable technologies which become more and more prevalent.
MEET THE CHAIR
ZOE IVATT
Dear Delegates,
My name is Zoe Ivatt and I can’t wait to serve as your Chair for the Novice UN Habitat committee at BruinMUN 2026! I’m a first year Environmental Science major from San Francisco, CA. I’m planning on continuing on to Law school postgrad, and pursuing a career in Environmental Law or policy. On campus, I’m involved in pre-law societies and an environmental research club called IUSSC. Outside of these, you can find me playing intramural soccer, tanning, trying cafes with friends or exploring the city.
I joined MUN last year, and I’ve gained so much from my experiences both traveling and staffing. Since joining I’ve served as a crisis staffer for both BruinMUN 33 and LAMUN XXI, and I’ve also competed in a dual-delegate GA committee. It’s allowed me to engage with real-world events in a super exciting way and It’s become one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience.
UN Habitat is the United Nations agency dedicated to promoting the development of environmentally sustainable cities and improving living conditions all around the world. It was established in 1978 following the first United Nations Conference on Human Settlements and has worked since to address issues regarding housing, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability especially as rapid urbanization occurs. Relevant to this committee is the proliferation of fast fashion and its detrimental impacts on the environment including its massive contributions to the accumulation of urban waste, as well as the deterioration of housing regulation in many areas worldwide. Delegates will be challenged to develop innovative and relevant solutions that promote sustainable development while addressing the needs of all populations involved. I’m looking forward to seeing exciting debates take place and hearing all of your creative ideas! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Zoe Ivatt | Chair, UN Habitat | BruinMUN 34