NationStates Jolt Archive


Proposal: Clean Energy Act

Pojonia
15-01-2005, 06:30
I was scanning some proposals today and discovered this particularly interesting one. It doesn't seem to have an official post up yet, so I suppose it's time to put it up here.


Clean Energy Act
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: New York Jet Fanatics

Description: This resolution RECOGNIZES the unusually rapid increase in temperature that is Global Warming will cause rapid and possibly disastrous climate change.

FURTHER RECOGNIZES the depletion of the ozone layer, which can allow ultraviolet rays to pass through the mesosphere, which can cause skin cancer.

FURTHER RECOGNIZES the effects of fossil fuels which expel dangerous greenhouse gases including methane gas and carbon dioxide which can cause Global Warming and the depletion of the ozone layer.

FURTHER RECOGNIZES that there are renewable, "clean" sources of energy which do not emit greenhouse gases which are not widely used. (clean sources of energy are hereby defined as to include solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, natural gas, biomass, landfill gas, wave, tidal, and fuel cell power)

DICTATES that all U.N. member nations receive at least 25% of their energy from these clean sources, hereby to be referred to as the Clean Energy Act.

UNDERSTANDS that these available sources of energy are not inexpensive.

PROPOSES to pay for the Clean Energy Act as follows:
30% will be obtained by instituting a tax of varying degree (no more than 20%) in all U.N. member nations on all non-nuclear sources of energy which are not defined as clean by the Clean Energy Act or any future amendment.
30% will be obtained by instituting a tax of varying degree (no more than 20%) in all U.N. member nations on all automobile companies that do not offer cars with fuel efficiency rates of at least 35 MPG, which this resolution notes is not outside of technological capability.
25% will be obtained by instituting a tax of varying degree (no more than 20%) in all U.N. member nations on all nuclear power facilities.
5% will be obtained from the U.N.'s own expenses.
5% will be obtained from international charities.
5% will be paid for directly by the government which is implementing the Clean Energy Act.

FURTHER PROPOSES that no nation of a U.N. economic category above "Thriving" will receive economic benefits from the U.N.'s own expenses nor from international charities. This is due to the necessarily limited funds in these categories and due to the continued economic success of the nation despite a slight increase in governmental spending (if necessary).

FURTHER PROPOSES that any subsequent resolution may add to the list of clean sources of energy as technology progresses and function as an amendment in this manner.

Voting Ends: Sat Jan 15 2005


This particular proposal is exceedingly bold, but has a variety of good points that I believe might balance out the bad. In addition, it is well-worded and extremely well put together. I think it certainly deserves a good debate, and possibly your vote.
Asshelmeti
15-01-2005, 07:07
That does it.

I'm withdrawing my support for NY Jets Fanatic's proposal to re-legalize prostitution.

This one has a particularly heinous tax structure.
Kelssek
15-01-2005, 10:55
Huh? This guy thinks natural gas is a renewable energy source? It's a fossil fuel, found together with oil. Definitely cleaner, but still a fossil fuel, buddy.

Also, ozone depletion is primarily caused by chloroflurocarbons, CFCs, not so much by methane and CO2. He seems to be mixing up global warming and ozone depletion.

And the UN can't tax its member nations. So it violates a previous resolution.

Sigh.
Pojonia
20-01-2005, 06:32
And shot down. I see the point, and also why it can't pass. Pity. This could use a good redraft...
TilEnca
20-01-2005, 12:52
I think the UN can tax it's member nations, but not the people of the member nations :}
Waterloovia
20-01-2005, 18:41
Why is nuclear power not included as a clean energy source? In fact, this resolution calls for nuclear power facilities to be taxed to support the financial needs that it puts in place.

Nuclear power is a "clean" energy source which does not emit greenhouse gases. It's about time that the United Nations realized this.
Jeianga
20-01-2005, 23:14
I agreed with this resolution until the Taxing was brought up. That part should be left out, and left for the individual nations to decide how to fund. My nation's power supply is already well over the 25% limit for 'clean energy' sources, so taxing my nation would be paying for other nation's switch to clean energy and unfair to my developing economy.
Ryloss
21-01-2005, 03:18
Does burning ethanol produce greenhouse gases? Ethanol is a non-naturally occuring (to my knowledge) but isn't as energy intensive as hydrogen extracting, and is a renewable resource, as it is derived from fermenting sugars and starches.
Deathsaw
21-01-2005, 04:00
They need to rewrite this. They need to get thier facts straight and thier sources correct.