SPECPOL Introduction
The Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (SPECPOL) is also known as the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. Established as part of the United Nations (UN) framework in 1945, the committee was mandated to oversee UN peacekeeping operations and to provide assistance in the decolonisation of territories to help achieve self-determination. The SPECPOL addresses a wide range of political issues to protect the interests of international peace, security, and self-determination. Moreover, the SPECPOL has played a prominent role in supporting self-governance and promoting dialogue on emerging political challenges. Currently, the committee is increasingly concerned not only with the economic dimensions of self-determination but also with the rising environmental risks associated with the highly developed countries' heavy reliance on exploitative extraction of natural resources in least developed countries.