Whereas there are currently no policies governing the use of paper in the day-to-day functions of the World Assembly,
Recognizing that, in the absence of sensible guidelines and appropriate constraints, organizations are prone to the overuse of paper and other temporary receptacles of information,
Noting that the creation of paper products requires a large amount of land and water use, as well as a large energy investment for both manufacturing and subsequent reforestation efforts,
Highlighting that even recyclable paper waste has a limited number of reiterations before it ultimately contributes to landfill use and carbon emissions at the end of its useful lifespan,
Arguing that there are peripheral benefits to using digital alternatives to paper, such as improved organization and accessibility, and
Resolving that the World Assembly take advantage of these benefits and cease its contribution to environmental detriments through unscrupulous paper consumption,
- Mandatesthat all World Assembly affairs be conducted with the minimum necessary amount of paper consumption to fulfill all of its duties and obligations, and implements the following policies:
- All World Assembly archives are to be permanently digitized, with the exception of those archives which are classified by resolution or for the continued security of the World Assembly or its members.
- Any original documents necessary to the function or posterity of World Assembly affairs will continue to be retained in physical form, as well as any subsequent documents of this kind.
- Subject to the limits of physical storage space and security.
- Including newly created physical documents necessary to the security and function of the World Assembly or its posterity, such as ballots cast vis-à-vis World Assembly votes.
- Any copies of these documents required for the function of the World Assembly will be distributed from this digitized archive in digital form.
- Unless, in the situation where the receiving party lacks the necessary technology to access or retain this digitized copy, and this technology cannot be provided, or
- To do so would seriously compromise the integrity, mission, or security of the World Assembly.
- Access to these records will otherwise comply with all extant and subsequent resolutions about its distribution and security, including, but not limited to, physical security.
- All World Assembly correspondences that are not conducted orally or otherwise in-person are to be conducted digitally or telephonically.
- Complying with all extant and subsequent resolutions about the retention of correspondences.
- Further archiving all correspondences required for the function and posterity of World Assembly affairs.
- Unless, in the situation where the receiving party lacks the necessary technology to access or retain this digitized or telephonic correspondence, and this technology cannot be provided, or
- The cost of doing so would be grossly and prohibitively excessive relative to the legal and practicable alternatives to be implemented in their stead, or
- To do so would seriously compromise the integrity, mission, or security of the World Assembly.
- Requires that, where it can reduce particularly high paper use traffick, tablets or similar digital devices be used instead of paper.
- Unless, in the situation where the cost of doing so would be grossly and prohibitively excessive relative to the legal and practicable alternatives to be implemented in their stead, or
- To do so would seriously compromise the integrity, mission, or security of the World Assembly.
- Promotesthe use of digital devices and innovative solutions over paper products wherever possible in the execution of the World Assembly's duties.
- Except where the social and environmental costs of doing so (e.g. in the one-for-one exchange of single-use paper products for plastic) would be equivalent to or worse than not doing so.
- Encourages member nations to likewise reduce paper use in their dealings with the World Assembly in the spirit of the above mandates and exceptions.
