NationStates Jolt Archive


Attempt to Repeal UN Resolutions #126 Fossil Fuel Reduction Act

Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 00:22
Hello all,

I am new to the UN and to this game, but i have decided to take it upon myself to attempt to repeal all resolutions that i believe should not have been passed, whether because of technicalities in the arguements put forward or because of the affect it has on nations, etc. I hope to eventually create a region dedicated soly to doing this (if there is not one already).

My first attempt will be to repeal Resolution #126 Fossil Fuel Reduction Act.

First of all, there are many major problems with the act itself. The act is an attempt to force ALL UN nations to Significantly reduce their usage of Fossil Fuels and punish those who don't comply.

- This Resolution has one obvious flaw that has huge implications.

Clean, renewable energy sources: energy derived from sources that do not completely use up natural resources or do significant harm the environment in the long-term.

The resolutions goal is to eventually have every nation aquiring its energy from Renewable Resources, the most apparent being Wind, Water, and the Sun. This resolution forces sanctions on those who do not comply. What about the nations with little water/rainfall and even less wind. It forces nations, where aquiring such renewable energy would be impractible, to find ways to do this. In effect, this resolution is very well currently hurting nations by forcing them to spend significant money to set up energy infrastructures which are extremely impractible.

Section B: Each nation must increase funding for research, development, and implementation of clean, renewable energy sources and increased energy efficiency and conservation programs by a minimum of 1% per year, until Section A has been satisfied.

This is also a very disturbing section. There are many ways to have a nation comply to a resolution. It can range from economic sanctions to removal from the U.N. Forcing a nation to divert crucial money from their budgets is Grossly Wrong. This also does not take into consideration how long certain projects can and will take (especially for nations with less available money to spend on these projects) to change economies that TOTALLY rely on Energy. Accurate estimates could amount to 10-14 years before any significant change can be seen. What does this mean? 10-14% of budgets (which can easily go into trillions and trillons of dollars) could be spent on this. Forcing a nation to spend 10-14% of its budget on this is wrong, especially when it can be use for better means.

This resolution also does not take into consideration, in any way, that many nations rely on its private sector to provide energy, fuel, gasoline, and the dispersal of them. This resolution forces Governments to spend their crucial budget to research and develop new energy methods when they are not even in control of it. IT is a huge waste of money for a government to spend crucial budget money on research when the private sector can turn a blind eye.

This resolution also does not consider that many nations import their energy from other nations, meaning that they do not need to spend crucial budget on its research and development. But this resolution does not provide any exclusions for these parties, meaning in order to avoid sanctions they must reduce consumption and increase budget funding when they are not in control of changing the energy, rather it is in the hands of their supplier.

Although there are many more problems with Resolution #126 I will leave it at here, with a few strong points. I do believe that the REduction of Fossil Fuels is crucial, but i do not believe that this Resolution took into consideration what implications it could have on certain nations. Therefore i will draft a formal REpeal after recieving feedback, in the hope that a more fair resolution in regards to reducing the use of fossil fuels is passed.
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 00:40
Repeal of Resolution 126# Reduction of Fossil Fuels

Description: UN Resolution #126: Fossil Fuel Reduction Act (Category: Environmental; Industry Affected: All Businesses) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Arguement:

AGREEING that there is a dire need to reduce the usage of Fossil Fuels amongst the United Nations.

APPLAUDING the fact that the United Nations passed an act attempting to Reduce the use of Fossil Fuels.

CONSIDERING that many nations do not have enough renewable resources to adequetly comply to this act and that many nations do not have enough government funding to comply to this act.

OUTRAGED that this resolution, knowing that changing Energy Resources can take Decades to change, forces nations to spend 1% of their budget a year (10% of their budget if taking 10 years to notice changes) when that money could be spent better.

ACKNOWLADGING that many nations either a.) receive energy from their private sector or b.) receive energy from other nations and therefore cannot effectively comply to this Resolution. This FORCES budget increases and even economic sanctions on those that do not have control over their energy source.

CONSIDERING that many nations prefer to have very low taxes and therefore do not have enough government money to fund such projects, meaning that certian nations face Economic Sanctions unless they increase their TAX rates ( The UN should never force a nation to increase its taxes).

CONSIDERING many other points brought up about this subject Such as the ceiling consumption rate does not include exceptions for rapidly growing nations, therefore making them cut emissions by much more than the requirement.

ATTEMPTING to prevent redundent laws, especially those that have severe flaws, it should be noted that there are other similar laws in effect.

#18 Hydrogen Powered Vehicles
#39 Alternative Fuels
#71 Sustainable Energy Sources
#72 Reduction of greenhouse gases (implementing a 10% decrease in fossil fuels consumption over the next ten years);

In CONCLUSION, The United Nations hereby repeals Resolution #126 Reduction of Fossil Fuels for the following reasons:
1. Redundancy
2. Serious Flaws
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 01:25
suggestions on strength? mild?
Gruenberg
11-12-2006, 01:29
A repeal has no strength: it's simply "repeal".

This looks like you have a lot of material, but the argument needs a bit of work; also, the UN has already passed Alternative Fuels, Sustainable Energy Sources, and Reduction of greenhouse gases, so I don't think there's need for another replacement if this passes.
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 01:51
So i could also add that this law is also redundant as better Energy Replacement Resoloutions have been made.
Commonalitarianism
11-12-2006, 01:57
I am opposed to this repeal, not because it requires renewables, but because it forces countries to prepare for the future. There will be a peak in oil at some point. Countries should prepare for the peak in oil, how they prepare for the peak, whether they use nuclear, coal, biofuels, is an internal concern, however being caught flatfooted with no ability to deal with the peak in oil will be bad for the world economy. Lots of countries economies will crash and burn.
Flibbleites
11-12-2006, 01:59
I am opposed to this repeal, not because it requires renewables, but because it forces countries to prepare for the future. There will be a peak in oil at some point. Countries should prepare for the peak in oil, how they prepare for the peak, whether they use nuclear, coal, biofuels, is an internal concern, however being caught flatfooted with no ability to deal with the peak in oil will be bad for the world economy. Lots of countries economies will crash and burn.

Oh please, with the current population of the NS Earth we probably hit peak oil 20 years ago.
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 02:01
I am opposed to this repeal, not because it requires renewables, but because it forces countries to prepare for the future. There will be a peak in oil at some point. Countries should prepare for the peak in oil, how they prepare for the peak, whether they use nuclear, coal, biofuels, is an internal concern, however being caught flatfooted with no ability to deal with the peak in oil will be bad for the world economy. Lots of countries economies will crash and burn.

Thanks for the criticism, but please re-read the Repeal and the other posts. I am for the Reduction of Fossil Fuels, but there are many big flaws in the current resolution. I state that i hope a more complete resolution is passed after the repeal and even if none is re-passed there are many other pro enviorment/renewable resource laws in effect, named specifically 3 posts above.
Love and esterel
11-12-2006, 02:10
I am opposed to this repeal, not because it requires renewables, but because it forces countries to prepare for the future. There will be a peak in oil at some point. Countries should prepare for the peak in oil, how they prepare for the peak, whether they use nuclear, coal, biofuels, is an internal concern, however being caught flatfooted with no ability to deal with the peak in oil will be bad for the world economy. Lots of countries economies will crash and burn.

I'm sorry but there are never been so much oil reserve in RL than today. Oil peak is a decades-old urban legend. The problem of oil is not its peak but the polution created when burned (or when spread into the ocean).

Love and esterel support a repeal because the original resolution is an utopia and doesn't respect the economic growth of economically develloping nations.

Maybe the following can help, 2 previous repeals on this matter:

Proposed By: Omigodtheykilledkenny

Description: UN Resolution #126: Fossil Fuel Reduction Act (Category: Environmental; Industry Affected: All Businesses) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.


Argument: UNDERSTANDING the need for effective legislation to promote clean and renewable energy alternatives and accelerate their development;

EMPHASIZING that such legislation should be sensitive to economic factors and circumstances, especially where small and developing nations are concerned;

ACKNOWLEDGING that Resolution #126: Fossil Fuel Reduction Act fails on this point;

RECOGNIZING that a mandate for a 2-percent annual reduction in fossil-fuel emissions based on a flat “ceiling consumption rate” does not take into account the rapid growth of nations over time, and thus requires nations to cut emissions by much more than 2 percent each year;

REGRETTING that small and developing nations will be forced to bear the brunt of this mandate and withstand the most damage to their national economies, as their populations grow at a relatively faster rate, and they may not yet be equipped with the resources necessary for such a dramatic shift in energy supply;

CONCERNED that the “time extensions” authorized under this act cover only catastrophic circumstances (specifically natural disasters, war and “severe economic depression”) and may not allow nations to apply for extensions based on less severe economic or political conditions, such as domestic political turmoil, recessions or significant economic strain; and

TROUBLED by this act’s authorization of trade sanctions on noncompliant nations, which would force some governments to take drastic measures -- including imposing hefty new taxes on businesses and private citizens, placing severe new restrictions on private enterprise, and even seizing businesses and shutting down their factories if nationwide emission rates are not decelerating fast enough -- in order to come into compliance on schedule and avoid punitive sanctions,

The United Nations hereby REPEALS Resolution #126: Fossil Fuel Reduction Act.

Proposed by: CR Oscilloscopes

Description: UN Resolution #126: Fossil Fuel Reduction Act (Category: Environmental; Industry Affected: All Businesses) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The United Nations,

-A- Applauding the goals of the Fossil Fuel Reduction Act and concerned by the damage caused by oil and coal worldwide;

-B- Fully aware of many former resolutions by this body on the very same topic:
#18 Hydrogen Powered Vehicles
#39 Alternative Fuels
#71 Sustainable Energy Sources
#72 Reduction of greenhouse gases (implementing a 10% decrease in fossil fuels consumption over the next ten years);

-C- Fully aware that “natural gas”, which is a fossil fuel, is a relatively clean source of energy and therefore that the Fossil Fuel Reduction Act is without any reasons unfair to nations consuming or producing natural gas;

-D- Observing that the Fossil Fuel Reduction Act, mandates the same % of reduction of fossil fuel consumption for every nation whatever their "fossil fuel consumption per capita", and then is unfair to nations consuming less fossil fuel, in particular economically developing nations;

-E- Believing that every person in the world has the right to live in a nation encouraging sustainable economic growth;

- F- Convinced that “Fossil Fuel Reduction Act” goes against the principle described in [D], as fossil fuel consumption had historically been a factor of economic growth, and as economically developing nations, starting from low fossil fuel consumption, may obviously need to increase their consumption to sustain their economy and to later be able to invest in renewable energy sources.

- G- Concerned that the requirement is very tight for developing nations and may significantly reduce their economic growth - a worrying situation were they will not qualify for time extension, as the Fossil Fuel Reduction Act allows time extension only in case of “Natural disasters, War and Severe economic depression”.

-1- Repeals UN Resolution #126: Fossil Fuel Reduction Act

Co-authored by Love and esterel
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 02:15
Would it be plagerizing if i was to add some of the better points from your two quotes to mine?
Love and esterel
11-12-2006, 02:20
Would it be plagerizing if i was to add some of the better points from your two quotes to mine?

I cannot speak for Omigodtheykilledkenny, but I'm pretty sure that he, as me and CR Oscilloscopes, would be pleased if you do.
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 02:23
Is it possible if you can find out how close you were to getting the repeal in effect?
Frisbeeteria
11-12-2006, 02:45
A repeal has no strength: it's simply "repeal".
Couldn't hurt to add here that you can only launch a Repeal directly from the resolution on the Passed Resolutions list. You can't do it via the Submit a Proposal link.
The Most Glorious Hack
11-12-2006, 06:15
Oh please, with the current population of the NS Earth we probably hit peak oil 20 years ago.Nah. Many years ago Scolopendra crashed the oil market because of extra-solar mining. I believe they were selling it for about $0.12 per barrel. There's plenty of oil out there.

Doctor Denis Leary
stuff
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 16:05
I need one more endorsement then ill touch it up and formally repeal.
Thelovetrain
11-12-2006, 16:25
I created the Region called "The Repealers". I hope that others interested in helping declutter our evergrowing list of resolutions by helping me repeal some of them.

You will not have to vote for a Repeal made by a member on a Resolution you like, although if he is repealing it for good reasons such as redudancy or errors, we would hope you would see that.

Hope to see some of you active repealers there.