[DRAFT] Standards for Healthy Atmosphere Quality

[Kenmoria]

“You have ‘gaven’ rather than ‘given’ in your first preambulatory clause.”

[Makdon]

“You have ‘gaven’ rather than ‘given’ in your first preambulatory clause.”

Fixed, thanks!

[Makdon]

I meant to post this around last minor, but I forgot, so oh well. I'm planning to submit this after next minor, as I feel I've adequately responded to all complaints and recommendations made. The general lack of feedback on this is something I'm taking as a sign there's nothing in this that's controversial or problematic. If it weren't for that, and the fact I'm under some rl time constraints, I'd probably want to leave this up longer, but as is, I don't see much reason to. So, if you have anything to say, say it now or forever hold your peace (or bring it up as soon as I submit it and send out a tg so as to make me cry )

[Bananaistan]

OOC: I would suggest hanging back. This does not look finished to me.

A few issues that I can see are:

The net effect of section 1 and 2 would appear to be that a total amount of all these pollutants is set, and a nation could then have any mix of individual pollutants such that the combined total does not exceed the limit. I doubt that this is your aim. It would be better if the committee would set limited for each individual pollutant.

Section 1 c and d. I have no idea what these are but WIkipedia tells me that some occur naturally (re: PBTs: "Majority of PBTs in the environment are either created through industry or are unintentional byproducts." indicates a minority occur naturally. Re VOCs: "... include both human-made and naturally occurring chemical compounds. Most scents or odors are of VOCs." Result is you have a WA committee telling WA nations how much aroma of freshly cut grass they're allowed to emit in a year.).

Particle pollution is also an issue. It also includes natural occurring particulates, such as dust storms.

There's no guidance to the committee. Is the limit higher or lower than current levels?

Re 4b. If something blows in from your neighbour, you haven't emitted it.

There's prolly more but that might be enough to work on for the minute.

[Araraukar]

All Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins

OOC: In addition to what Banana said, you need to exclude toxic heavy metals BECAUSE THERE ALREADY IS RESOLUTION ADDRESSING THOSE.

[Flying Eagles]

The powers given to the committee might be a bit excessive for the liking of most nations

[Kenmoria]

“4a seems too stringently worded. If emissions are being caused by a volcano, then it would be possible for a member state to cover the whole thing in concrete and stop this. However, it would be hugely expensive and impractical. Almost anything is possible, but far fewer things are reasonably able to be achieved without sacrificing other goals.”

[Makdon]

I did not submit this, as issues were raised.

The net effect of section 1 and 2 would appear to be that a total amount of all these pollutants is set, and a nation could then have any mix of individual pollutants such that the combined total does not exceed the limit. I doubt that this is your aim. It would be better if the committee would set limited for each individual pollutant.

I think adding an "each" to section 2 should solve this

Section 1 c and d. I have no idea what these are but WIkipedia tells me that some occur naturally (re: PBTs: "Majority of PBTs in the environment are either created through industry or are unintentional byproducts." indicates a minority occur naturally. Re VOCs: "... include both human-made and naturally occurring chemical compounds. Most scents or odors are of VOCs." Result is you have a WA committee telling WA nations how much aroma of freshly cut grass they're allowed to emit in a year.).

Particle pollution is also an issue. It also includes natural occurring particulates, such as dust storms.

These can all be resolved in one way, I believe. All the literature I read about environmental regulations referred simply to VOC's, but on further research it has become clear that the only VOC's regulated are those that occur solely from human creations: those from exhaust, paint fumes, etc. The same is true of PBTs and particle pollution, so I have added something to section1 that states that the pollutants are only those occurring from humans.

There's no guidance to the committee. Is the limit higher or lower than current levels?

I don't believe that whether the limits are above or below is of the essence, rather that the limit is one deemed healthy for the citizenry and the environment. I've added to section 2 to explain this. Is that enough oversight, or is it too vague?

Re 4b. If something blows in from your neighbour, you haven't emitted it.

removed.

All Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins

OOC: In addition to what Banana said, you need to exclude toxic heavy metals BECAUSE THERE ALREADY IS RESOLUTION ADDRESSING THOSE.

Not all PBTs are toxic heavy metals, so I won't be removing that. I have added a condition that excludes toxic heavy metals from all other PBTs, however.

“4a seems too stringently worded. If emissions are being caused by a volcano, then it would be possible for a member state to cover the whole thing in concrete and stop this. However, it would be hugely expensive and impractical. Almost anything is possible, but far fewer things are reasonably able to be achieved without sacrificing other goals.”

I've changed impossible to infeasible.
Thanks to all for the advice

[Makdon]

I’m going to be away from NS until the end of July. I only post this so no one thinks this draft has been abandoned

[Makdon]

I'm back to NS and ready to begin working on this again. I've resolved all the critiques and advice I've previously received, but it really doesn't really seem like a finalized product to me, so I'll probably ruminate on ways to polish it for a while. Any advice would be appreciated!

[Makdon]

Months later, I have returned to this draft. I still think this issue is an important one, and would appreciate any feedback, as the consensus in June was clearly that this was not ready. Thanks for any and all thoughts!

[Makdon]

New draft, based on some advice given on discord. I've restructured this significantly after reading over this: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=35010138#p35010138

A few notes on the functional changes:

• I've removed the emissions trading scheme. I thought a good bit about this, and an emissions trading scheme isn't useful here like it is for greenhouse gasses. While greenhouse gasses have a global effect, these pollutants are far more localized, and so while for greenhouse gasses nations can release more and as long as other nations are then releasing less the net effect is the same, that isn't true here. With that in mind, I've renamed this Standards for Healthy Atmosphere Quality, as it's not really international.
• I've added tariffs in. That was just a good idea from the Greenhouse Gas Cap and Trade Program.
• This no longer excludes toxic heavy metals. While there is overlap with the Toxic Heavy Metals Act, having read over that, I don't see any problems there, so there's not much reason to keep them out, especially considering it could be repealed.

[Honeydewistania]

Surely the fines should be based on or proportional to the pollutants released? And maybe tariffs should be instituted against member nations who try to squirrel out of paying fines

[Makdon]

Surely the fines should be based on or proportional to the pollutants released? And maybe tariffs should be instituted against member nations who try to squirrel out of paying fines

Implemented both, thanks!