NationStates Jolt Archive

With the ever-growing demand for power the United Nations should step in to help with the growing amount of pollution. This proposal if brought into effect will,
1.Restrict Fossil Fuel use such as Coal, Oil, and other heavy polluting substances.
2.Will help to cut back on Nuclear power which can cause hundreds of deaths in the case of a melt-down.
3.Will help to raise global air quality by lowering pollutants being released through the burning of fossil fuels.

It's generally considered a good idea to tell everyone how the proposal will do those things.

And also how the fossil fuels part isn't covered already in Res 126 The Fossil Fuel Reduction Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9875394&postcount=127) and how the nuclear part doesn't contradict Res 154 Nuclear Energy Research Act (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10960302&postcount=155)

This is a very idealistic proposal, one which isn't practical or easy to enforce.

While I think most of us can agree that the world should move away from fossil fuels, you don't offer any ideas to sway the public from using them. A tax on petroleum products might work nicely, although there would surely be those who would oppose it. Breaks and incentives to use alternate sources of energy might also be a good addition.

However, to legislate against fossil fuels and nuclear energy is a bad idea in my opinion. Nuclear energy has drawbacks, but there is no other alternative at the moment that is as effective. Perhaps this proposal should only deal with fossil fuels, and should in fact endorse the use of nuclear power as an interim source until we can make wind, solar and hydroelectric power more efficient.

As an extension of that last sentence, perhaps you would want to include a mandate for government subsidies for research into improving solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.

Just some thoughts :)

OOC: Do you realise that the term 'Nuclear power' actually covers two quite different means of generating electricity, Fission and Fusion, and that the latter actually lacks most of the hazards that are associated with the former?

How do you propose people produce energy without fossil fuels or nuclear power? Giant hamster wheels?

Wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal...?

OOC=
OOC: Do you realise that the term 'Nuclear power' actually covers two quite different means of generating electricity, Fission and Fusion, and that the latter actually lacks most of the hazards that are associated with the former?

Do you realize that Fusion power hasn't actually happened yet, and is likely enough never going to happen?

The biggest problem with trying to get rid of fossil fuels is finding a workable alternative. Solar might work in much of Southern Mexar, but would be a problem in the NorthWest, where it's usually raining. Wind would work near our nation's capital, especially when the Legislature is in session, but otherwise, it's too uncontrollable. Fusion is well beyond our ability right now, and those damn hamsters are hard to train.

Plus, much of our economy is based on selling oil, and this would be a major financial burden to nations like ours.

Wind
Impractical on a large scale; requires an enourmous amount of space for relatively little power generated. Can only be used where it's windy all the time.


solar


Similar reasons to above. Large area, high cost, low return.


hydroelectric


Can't be done everywhere, causes massive environmental damage and release of greenhouse gasses (methane specifically)

Geothermal

Can only be done in certain places.


Though alternate fuels aside, the way this "resolution" is worded, it bans all USE of fossil fuels. You not only would become unable to use them for power generation, but for any other purpose either-- such as plastic production.

I also note the lack of education of the resolution creator regarding nuclear power and direct him to France's nuclear program, which is an exemplary example of how to handle nuclear power generation as an industry.

OOC=

Do you realize that Fusion power hasn't actually happened yet, and is likely enough never going to happen?

OOC: Don't you realise that plenty of nations in NS already use it?

OOC: Don't you realise that plenty of nations in NS already use it.


It's in everyone of my cities power centers.

Anything that harms the export or production of nuclear materials from Hirota will be opposed by my government.

Anything that harms the export or production of nuclear materials from Hirota will be opposed by my government.

And anything that'stops Cobdenia from burning coal in Power stations, trains, cloning machines, and of course for shits & giggles, will also be vigorously opposed by our government.

OOC: Don't you realise that plenty of nations in NS already use it?

(OOC: Do you also realize that if people just RP that they use fusion power, it sorta, er, um, defeats the whole purpose of environmental resolutions? Just RP that you have a clean healthy environment!

That why I took a stand against trying to 'promote' Fusion power. We don't even know if it works effectively, so claiming it does is PMT/FT...and, er...

The fact also remains is that Fusion Power may not be safe IRL as well, so there may be problems with that as well. Stating that it is safe when it may not actually be safe might be seen as godmodding, but...

I'm sure the resolution author can just throw in a clause promoting Fusion Power though, and therefore sastifies your concerns.)

(OOC: Do you also realize that if people just RP that they use fusion power, it sorta, er, um, defeats the whole purpose of environmental resolutions? Just RP that you have a clean healthy environment!

That why I took a stand against trying to 'promote' Fusion power. We don't even know if it works effectively, so claiming it does is PMT/FT...and, er...

The fact also remains is that Fusion Power may not be safe IRL as well, so there may be problems with that as well. I'm sure the resolution author can just throw in a clause promoting Fusion Power though.)

Is there a PMT/FT restriction that I didn't read about somewhere?

It's my opinion that if a technology is beyond the richest nations in this hypothetical "real world", it's beyond a significant number of NS nations. The fact that SOME nations here have working fusion power doesn't mean that Mexar could make it work.

How do you propose people produce energy without fossil fuels or nuclear power? Giant hamster wheels?
Not hamsters we did use human slaves but are trying to clone giant rats to replace them since slavery is no longer legal in UN member nations... We have thought about cloning some of the UN ghnomes found in the sub-levels of the UN building and then engineering their genetics to make them stronger to work the power generation wheels..