Topic Summary

The Economic Commission for Latin America Committee: Sustainability in the Lithium Triangle at HNMUN 2026 will be a fast-paced, high-stakes simulation placing delegates at the center of one of Latin America’s most urgent economic and environmental questions. Set in the present, this committee explores the future of the Lithium Triangle, where Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina hold some of the world’s most important lithium reserves amid surging global demand for clean energy technologies.

As governments seek development, corporations pursue investment, and Indigenous communities defend land, water, and sovereignty, delegates will confront the difficult balance between sustainability and extraction. The committee will examine who benefits from lithium production, who bears its costs, and how regional cooperation can respond to growing international pressure.

Without a traditional backroom, crisis elements will unfold through periodic News Updates and Intelligence Briefings delivered by the dais. Delegates may face sudden mining disasters, protests, environmental emergencies, or border tensions that reshape debate in real time. These developments will demand creativity, negotiation, and cultural awareness as delegates work to build a just and sustainable future for the region.

Director’s Letter

Dear Delegates,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Economic Commission for Latin America Committee: Sustainability in the Lithium Triangle for the 2025 session of Harvard Model United Nations! I am honored to serve as your Director, and I look forward to the thoughtful debate, collaboration, and problem-solving that we will share over the course of our time together.

My name is Juan Wulff. I am a rising sophomore living in Leverett House, and I study Social Studies. Model UN became an important part of my life when I came to college, largely because many of my friends were involved in it. Although I never expected to participate in Model UN at the college level, it has become one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of my Harvard experience. I am a member of IC-MUN, Harvard’s competitive Model UN team, and I had the opportunity to compete with them throughout this past year. I also staffed the Roman Senate committee at HNMUN, and at HMUN, I directed a future-focused General Assembly committee. That experience was especially meaningful to me. It was incredibly rewarding to meet delegates, watch them grow over the course of the committee, and have a great time on top of that.

Aside from Model UN, I am deeply involved with the Harvard Public Opinion Project, Harvard’s youth poll of young Americans across the country. Through HPOP, I conduct research on the political opinions and priorities of young people, while also pursuing my own research interests on campus. I am also involved with the Harvard International Review, where I serve as Head of Solicits and help conduct interviews with prominent voices in international affairs. This summer,

I will be interning in Washington, D.C. at the Cook Political Report, where I will be working in political analytics and further exploring my interest in American politics and public opinion. I am here for you every step of the way, from the early stages of your research to the final moments of committee. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, whether they are about Model UN, Harvard, or anything else you would like to discuss. I am so excited to meet you all, and I look forward to seeing the energy, preparation, and creativity that you bring to the committee.

Sincerely,

Juan Wulff

Director, Economic Commission for Latin America

ecosoc@hnmun.org

Director’s Letter

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Economic Commission for Latin America committee: Sustainability in the Lithium Triangle. My name is Laura Cremer, and I am thrilled to serve as your Director for this committee. The questions surrounding lithium extraction, sustainability, economic development, and regional cooperation are some of the most pressing issues facing Latin America today, and I am excited to see the creativity, diplomacy, and critical thinking that each of you will bring to our discussions. I hope this committee becomes a space where you feel challenged intellectually while also enjoying the collaborative and dynamic spirit that makes Model UN so rewarding.

I am a rising sophomore in Pforzheimer House studying Social Studies, Film, and Environmental Science and Public Policy. I come from a small town in the Basque Country, where Model UN was not something readily available to students, so discovering MUN during my freshman year at Harvard was incredibly meaningful to me. Since then, I have served as an Assistant Director for both HNMUN and HMUN in Crisis Committees, and I am also a delegate on Harvard’s Competitive Model UN Team. These experiences have filled my first year of college with unforgettable memories, and I hope to extend that same love for Model UN to all of you in a way that honors the hard work and passion you bring to the committee.

Outside of Model UN, I am involved in several organizations on campus. Much of my extracurricular involvement centers around the Institute of Politics, including programs such as the JFK Jr. Forum and GAP. I also love reading, writing, music, and filmmaking, so I try to stay connected to the arts through communities like The Harvard Independent and WHRB 93.5, Harvard’s radio station. In addition, I am deeply passionate about environmental issues and food systems, which has led me to organizations such as Harvard Undergraduate Plant Based and the Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group. This summer, I will be studying in London while hopefully exploring plenty of matcha cafés and thrift stores along the way.

As we prepare for committee, I encourage you to approach this topic with curiosity and an openness to collaboration. Whether you are a seasoned delegate or participating in Model UN for the first time, I hope you will challenge yourself to think critically, speak confidently, be ambitious and engage thoughtfully with those around you. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions throughout the preparation process. I am very much looking forward to meeting all of you and seeing the direction our committee takes.

Sincerely,

Laura Cremer

Director, Economic Commission for Latin America

ecosoc@hnmun.org