[PASSED] Reducing Automobile Emissions

[Abacathea]

I really don't buy the natsov argument at all. If you didn't want encroachment into natsov, you shouldn't have joined the WA with the ideal of bettering nations.

You may not buy the NatSov argument at all, but considering that Bergnovinaia is centrist, and not NatSov, you should perhaps consider that our alarm stems from elsewhere. We believe that the WA can work to better the world, but that the WA should not police member states in every nook and cranny of society. Your proposal, while well written and, in our opinion, meritorious, unfortunately crosses this ethical line. We could see our nation implementing this as a national law, but must remain opposed to this as international law.

Giving due consideration to your words Ambassador, we can understand this view, albeit we do not personally share it. We do however respect it, and while we anticipate a no vote on the day, we wish to assure you this will not (at least on our end) affect diplomatic relations.

Jon Chombers
Delegate to the WA,
Abacathea

[Bergnovinaia]

You may not buy the NatSov argument at all, but considering that Bergnovinaia is centrist, and not NatSov, you should perhaps consider that our alarm stems from elsewhere. We believe that the WA can work to better the world, but that the WA should not police member states in every nook and cranny of society. Your proposal, while well written and, in our opinion, meritorious, unfortunately crosses this ethical line. We could see our nation implementing this as a national law, but must remain opposed to this as international law.

Giving due consideration to your words Ambassador, we can understand this view, albeit we do not personally share it. We do however respect it, and while we anticipate a no vote on the day, we wish to assure you this will not (at least on our end) affect diplomatic relations.

Jon Chombers
Delegate to the WA,
Abacathea

Thank you, kind ambassador. We do wish you the best of luck in this effort, and please know that we do not detest environmental policy. We look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely,

Ms. Spenanda Thekenbail
Chief Ambassador from Bergnovinaia to the WA (Dist. 3)
Delegate Representative from Asgard to the WA

[Abacathea]

If there are no further comments ( "against" comments notwithstanding ) I'll move to submit this in the next day or so.

[Araraukar]

If there are no further comments ( "against" comments notwithstanding ) I'll move to submit this in the next day or so.

Honestly, learn from your mistakes. You've only just reminded people this even exists anymore, give it some weeks' time before submitting.

OOC: Glad to see you back in the debates.

[Abacathea]

If there are no further comments ( "against" comments notwithstanding ) I'll move to submit this in the next day or so.

Honestly, learn from your mistakes. You've only just reminded people this even exists anymore, give it some weeks' time before submitting.

OOC: Glad to see you back in the debates.

ooc: good to be back, and happy to see you still here

[Abacathea]

bumping for further comments.

[Auralia]

bumping for further comments.

Do you intend to use my changes?

[Discoveria]

Content looks fine to me. I would tinker with the layout and formatting - lists and so on. Not quite yet, though...

[Abacathea]

bumping for further comments.

Do you intend to use my changes?

I did place the tidier version ie; yours of the mandates as it seemed a fair compromise between what I wanted to achieve and what you felt the act was lacking in an effort to prevent any repeal attempts

Does this meet with your ok?

@discoveria. Tg me any structural changes you would like to see?

[Discoveria]

Well, this is what I would prefer it to look like.

I replaced "member nations" with 'member-states', which I think sounds better and looks better, but you can change that back if you don't like it.

Final draft

Reducing Automobile Emissions
Category: Environmental | Area: Automobile manufacturing

Commending the efforts of many WA member-states to improving the quality of the environment and their willingness to adapt feasible approaches towards achieving this goal;

Believing that the reduction of waste emissions from the automotive industry is an international issue with significant climate implications, and that no simple solutions exist to tackling these issues;

Noting that waste products and emissions from mechanical forms of transportation such as cars, buses, trains, shipping, and air travel, constitute a significant source of atmospheric pollutants, and believing that every nation and industry should accept a collective responsibility and affirmative response attitude towards lowering their output of these pollutants;

The General Assembly:

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution:
   
   1. "Automobile" as a mechanically propelled vehicle designed for the carriage of goods or people powered in part or fully by an engine or likewise device, and
   2. "Emissions" as gases released into the atmosphere that are established to be harmful to persons or the natural environment;
   3. Requires member-states to take all economically viable measures to reduce automobile emissions;
2. Establishes the International Automobile Emissions Commission (IAEC) with the following mandate:
   
   1. To create procedures for the collection and publishing of automobile emissions data by member-states and automobile manufacturers,
   2. To establish recommended automobile emissions standards based on the above data,
   3. To submit an annual report to the World Assembly on automobile emissions in member-states, including projections of future automobile emissions and progress towards the implementation of IAEC standards;
3. Further requires all member-states and automobile manufacturers to implement IAEC reporting standards;
   
4. Encourages member-states to incentivize the development of automobile emission reduction technologies, as well as the modification or replacement of in-service automobiles producing excessive emissions;
   
5. Further encourages member-states to share effective emissions reduction technologies with other nations.

There must be a way to increase the spacing between the operative clauses, but I'm not sure how to do it.

[Abacathea]

Well, this is what I would prefer it to look like.

I replaced "member nations" with 'member-states', which I think sounds better and looks better, but you can change that back if you don't like it.

Final draft

Reducing Automobile Emissions
Category: Environmental | Area: Automobile manufacturing

Commending the efforts of many WA member-states to improving the quality of the environment and their willingness to adapt feasible approaches towards achieving this goal;

Believing that the reduction of waste emissions from the automotive industry is an international issue with significant climate implications, and that no simple solutions exist to tackling these issues;

Noting that waste products and emissions from mechanical forms of transportation such as cars, buses, trains, shipping, and air travel, constitute a significant source of atmospheric pollutants, and believing that every nation and industry should accept a collective responsibility and affirmative response attitude towards lowering their output of these pollutants;

The General Assembly:

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution:
   
   1. "Automobile" as a mechanically propelled vehicle designed for the carriage of goods or people powered in part or fully by an engine or likewise device, and
   2. "Emissions" as gases released into the atmosphere that are established to be harmful to persons or the natural environment;
   3. Requires member-states to take all economically viable measures to reduce automobile emissions;
2. Establishes the International Automobile Emissions Commission (IAEC) with the following mandate:
   
   1. To create procedures for the collection and publishing of automobile emissions data by member-states and automobile manufacturers,
   2. To establish recommended automobile emissions standards based on the above data,
   3. To submit an annual report to the World Assembly on automobile emissions in member-states, including projections of future automobile emissions and progress towards the implementation of IAEC standards;
3. Further requires all member-states and automobile manufacturers to implement IAEC reporting standards;
   
4. Encourages member-states to incentivize the development of automobile emission reduction technologies, as well as the modification or replacement of in-service automobiles producing excessive emissions;
   
5. Further encourages member-states to share effective emissions reduction technologies with other nations.

There must be a way to increase the spacing between the operative clauses, but I'm not sure how to do it.

I've tidied it up somewhat, and made the recommended grammatical fixes, not really sure how much more to tweak the format, anything i've tried hasn't worked lol.

[Abacathea]

Going to wait for my SC proposal to finish up and then submit this one.

[Schweizweld]

I think this proposal is an unnecessary burden on the auto industry. Modern vehicles already produce fewer emissions than they did in the old days and many people carpool or use public transportation. Coal power plants are a much larger source of greenhouse gas emissions than cars.

[Dellin]

I think this proposal is an unnecessary burden on the auto industry. Modern vehicles already produce fewer emissions than they did in the old days and many people carpool or use public transportation. Coal power plants are a much larger source of greenhouse gas emissions than cars.

Maybe in your nation, but many nations do not have what you call "modern vehicles," and I am sure there are plenty that completely lack public transportation.

[Christian Democrats]

This proposal looks good to me. I hope it passes.

[Abacathea]

This proposal looks good to me. I hope it passes.

Your support is appreciated CD.

[Libraria and Ausitoria]

2: Mandates, under this resolution;
(i) Requires all member nations to take any and all economically viable measures to reduce automobile emissions;

Everything in this sentence hinges on the word viable. Is it viable to wreck your economy to reduce automobile emissions? Probably, although it's also utterly stupid. Either that, or it's not viable, in which case practically nothing is viable; which makes this proposal of uncertain effect. You can't give absolute wording without an absolute result.

Therefore we are thoroughly opposed to this proposal, despite being in favour of the principle of reducing automobile emissions.

The rest of the resolution is perfectly fine, and indeed, probably doesn't go far enough in helping technological transfer and creating incentives for green investment.

[Abacathea]

2: Mandates, under this resolution;
(i) Requires all member nations to take any and all economically viable measures to reduce automobile emissions;

Everything in this sentence hinges on the word viable. Is it viable to wreck your economy to reduce automobile emissions? Probably, although it's also utterly stupid. Either that, or it's not viable, in which case practically nothing is viable; which makes this proposal of uncertain effect. You can't give absolute wording without an absolute result.

Therefore we are thoroughly opposed to this proposal, despite being in favour of the principle of reducing automobile emissions.

The rest of the resolution is perfectly fine, and indeed, probably doesn't go far enough in helping technological transfer and creating incentives for green investment.

The purpose behind that wording was to ensure that nations who were not in a financial position to do so were not forced to take these measures until such a time as they were. An argument that was valid enough to repeal the prior version of this act, so to have submitted anything different here would have been pointless.

We're sorry you feel differently.

[Libraria and Ausitoria]

And we are sorry that it will aid the repeal of this otherwise commendable proposal.

[New Tarajan]

A good proposal.
The government of New Tarajan wants to congratulate with Abacathea for having put such a problem like pollution provoked by automobile emissions at the attention of the international community.
We can only hope this will be only the first step toward a more coordinated and collaborative approach of all WA and non-WA States in order to tackle this terrible problem.
Consequently, we cannot avoid to VOTE FOR this resolution.

[Multor]

This is why Multor voted against this proposal:

1. emissions are reduced to "gases". Liquid emissions or solid aerosols are not considered. So all Diesel engines will remain largely unbothered. Other emissions that are not gases remain unaddressed as well: abrasives like in brakes may still contain asbestos, rubber from tires may still contain anything, including substances that harm animals or the water around, leaking oil, etc.

2. The term "Automobile" is quite well defined, but there are issues with this definition. Vehicles with internal combustion engines can be considered to be chemically propelled, instead of mechanically as the propellant is basically a liquid fuel of some sort. So the question of "mechanically propelled" remains the one to discuss about.

3. What ifs:
- the vehicles collect the gases from their exhausts and do not release them into the atmosphere, but liquify them to store them in abundant mines?
- the vehicles collect the gases from their exhausts and release them into death row cells? (Yes, it´s cynical, but possible....)
- the gases were liquified wthin the vehicles? They could then be released without to be regulated.
- the vehicle is not powered by an internal combustion engine, but by an electric engine? The internal combustion engine in the generator on board is used only to recharge the batteries permanently.
- the vehicle is powered by bio-ethanol or other means of eco-fuel? Those fuels can only release the CO2 that is bound within them through prior purely natural processes. They´re considered to be neutral to the climate. This is nor excluded.
- the vehicle is powered by a hydrogen cell? This way of powering a vehicle creates no no harmful exhaust emissions (just H2O), but requires a huge amount of energy to produce the hydrogen. Issue unaddressed.

4. Vehicles not designed to carry goods or people remain unadressed. This includes most military vehicles, cranes and other special purpose vehicles. Granted one can argue, that the driver seat indicates the intention to carry at least one person, it is still possible to put the driver with his controls into a trailer or moduke that can be unattached from the vehicle in question. That would circumvent any regulation of this resolution. Drones remain unaffected anyway.

5. It creates an institution that is meant to interfere into Multor´s legislation and reign without to detail the establishment (democraticly voted represesentative of whom? or: 1 reprensentative of every member state? Or What?) or the size of this institution. After all, this will only create a huge pile of paper in an admirably large effort of bureaucracy, and nothing more after all.

6. What is "the natural environment"? There is no definition of that. One could argue that climate change and global warmth is not an issue to the "natural environment" and will only result in damages to civilized areas, not to natural environment. Following this line of argument, there are no gas emissions from vehicles of today, that are harmful to "the natural evironment". Ergo: no regulation from this resolution.

7. What about riot control vehicles that are designed to release tear gas and/or smoke screens? The employment of such equipment would be regulated by this resolution as it is now. Multor doesn´t think it should be and will vigorously fight against this resolution!


For all those reasons, Multor voted AGAINST.

OOP: Nicely written, great idea, but way too many loopholes and inconsistencies for me...

[Araraukar]

OOC: I keep trying to read "internal combustion engine" as "infernal combustion engine".

IC: We wish the proposal good luck and hope to see it pass. We'll partake the discussion as it progresses, but only after our translator has had a good night's sleep. Right now his mumblings don't make much sense.

[The Eternal Kawaii]

In the Name of the Eternal Kawaii, may the Cute One be praised

We find ourselves ambivalent about this proposal. While promoting emissions reductions is a good thing, we concur with the ambassador from Multor that there are numerous flaws in the wording which may limit the effectiveness of this legislation.

Mostly, though, we cringe at the use of the word "incentivize" in the proposal, and declare that any representative here that abuses the language so ought to be defenestrated.

[Retired WerePenguins]

I find myself ambivalent about this resolution as well. Either I commend you for being exceptionally vile in resolution writing or it's massively flawed in a most glorious way.

Consider this as an example ...
"Believing that the reduction of waste emissions from the automotive industry is an international issue with significant climate implications"
...
"'emissions' as gases released into the atmosphere that are established to be harmful to persons or the natural environment,"

So are gasses that impact climate change (and it's really CO2 here) considered "emissions" by the resolution? Hard to say. Are they "harmful" to persons or the natural environment? Not directly as they are naturally present in the natural environment. Therefore they are not directly harmful, only indirectly harmful through changes in overall temperature.

So this looks like it does one thing but doesn't actually do that one thing. Since that one thing is beloved by fluffies everywhere, this is either very clever or a gross omission.

I will wait until I get the opinion of my region before I vote. Hopefully in the "third half."

[Cin Tracyn]

Understanding that a need for the reduction of automobile emissions is needed, Cin Tracyn sympathizes. We of the Alliance accept this fact. Unfortunately, it is our automobiles that assist in the expansion of our economy. We cannot support this, less our meager economy may yet fall. Our arms production centers must have the ability to build tanks, utility vehicles, trucks and the like. If some sort of viable alternative were created, the Honorable Alliance would consider such a proposal. Cin Tracyn votes AGAINST this proposal.