Third Esquarian Summit [Esquarium Only | IC]

[Luziyca]

After the discussion on terrorism, Sera Svensson was quick to head to the second floor by elevator.

Once she arrived, she decided to try the Minlong tea. As she passed by the food, she saw some vareniki. She quickly grabbed 33 of them: after all, she doesn't eat them all that often, but when she does, she eats a lot of them. She then proceeded to her table.

[Tuthina]

After a rather lengthy morning being immerse in heated debates in an equally heated weather, even with the help of air-conditioning to keep the building isolated from the outside world, the Regent was somewhat relieved to be able to pull herself from the convention to enjoy the food the Namorese host had to offer. The topic of terrorism - one that soon spiralled into a struggle over the presence of non-Nautasian military in the continent - was not exactly something that she, and the Empire of her brother had a lot to contribute. On one hand, the Most Serene Empire did not have a significant military presence on the forsaken continent, serving more as an attache to the admittedly incompetent Koy military garrison against the rising Caliphate - in most cases, they were there more to try relieving the civilian burden that the Koy presence was definitely not helping by their operations. On the other hand, though, the military force of the Empire and, indeed, its influence over its more unruly neighbours and allies relied heavily on its ability to quickly bombard the target capital and deploy a naval infantry unit to offer some rather convincing argument against further actions against Imperial interest. Standing between its prospective friendship with Ankoren and hopes to not getting caught committing something it supported, meant that the agreement probably would be devoured by the Imperial bureaucracy should any ratification was required.

In any case, she stretched her back before moving to the second floor, where the lunch was supposed to take place. By the time Anteko arrived, her favourite retainer was already waiting for her, before escorting her into the room to enjoy the lunch together. Unlike what the Empire would have prepared - a well-organised feast where what was considered the beat meal would be catered to the guest by dedicated servants - the Namorese apparently opted for a more free-form model of food catering, as the delegates were given choice to pick their own food and location. Disorganised, perhaps, but it also spared the uncomfortable choice between staring at alien food while dozens of servants looked over you, or actually trying to consume said food.

The Regent and her guard decided to sample a bit of every variation of food offered before further deciding on what to eat more, although Minlong tea was the only beverage to be favoured by the princess. In truth, she would rather help herself with alcoholic beverage like she usually did back in the Home Islands, but the idea of some of the less stable leaders getting drunk in the presence of each other was strong enough an argument against it.

She never remember her being drunk, though.

Afterwards, the duo took their seat, one that was reasonably close to the performing band and facing towards them, before they started to enjoy their sampling of food. What others could see of them was their silent and, in the case of the towering servant, almost unnoticeable enjoyment of the performance, broken only briefly by their exchange in some kind of obscure language that was decidedly not of Monic origin.

[Union of Akoren]

As Akbari and his colleagues regrouped, leaving the elevator he gave a sigh of relief. The first part of the summit was exceptionally difficult work, he found the subtlety of disagreeing with the Koy exceptionally difficult, but then the entire bi-lateral relationship was difficult, on the one hand they were strong friends, being so since the 1994 New Dawn Revolution in Koyro, yet on the other hand the Koy represented the greatest obstacle to Ankoren's most vital revolutionary goal - the unification of all Nautasia and Irvadistan was always the natural first step.

As the delegation approached the assortment of foods, they were amazed to find the halal offerings. The delegation had been impressed by the Namorese's attention to detail and accommodation, surveying the offerings, Akbari smiled as he saw the note for Sulu Kөfte. a popular Ankoreni stew made with beef meetballs, spices, rice and a tomato based gravy, pouring away into a modest bowel, his choice was copied by his delegation - more out of respect for his position than a food based sheepishness.

Taking a seat in the corner for private relaxation, Akbari began to take spoonfuls of his stew. As he chewed the first meatball, Bolat sighed.
"What is it?" AKbari enquired swallowing the meatball.

"I believe the next issue to be raised is climate change, and this will be a heavy fight Prime Minister, especially if we're stop the imperialists from forcing the burden of their emissions onto us and the rest of the developing world" Bolat explained, pushing his meatballs around his bowl.

"Of course and we shall, we saw some success today already, those who remain after the Caliphate is dead and buried will be going against international agreement, that will help us. When the time comes of course" Akbari smiled to his much appreciated assistant.

"This is very good, considering these people are utterly alien to us" Akbari said quietly.

"Their food looks exceptionally interesting, I've never tried food from this region of the world before" Bolat quipped.

"I have, it's very different, very tasty" Çevik spoke up, showing her professionally whitened teeth.

"Really, when?" Akbari asked, truly surprised.

"When I was studying for my masters, I travelled to Namo, to explore Liberationism, the food was exquisite, the ideology not so, too confined to Namor for a globalist following" she explained.

"Oh I never knew, what a life you have lived already" Akbari warmly smiled to the young woman, who smiled back, relatively proud of herself.

The delegation continued to eat their stew, exchanging pleasant stories and jokes, raising morale for the next round of clashes against the established powers.

[West Cedarbrook]

Feld and Kansky got off the elevator, and surveyed the lunchtime choices. The External Affairs Secretary headed over to the tray of Vareniki, recently raided by the Luziycan President. As Ambassador to Behtlehem, and before that as Military Attache there, he had acquired a taste for the delicacy, and put two of them on a large plate, with a dollop of sour cream. Looking into the distance, he noted the Xiangmen duck, regarded it for a moment, and added three pancakes before heading back to join President Feld.

Feld, unsure of the kosher offerings available, moved over to the beverage dispensers, and decided on the lemonade, being Parve, in case he decided to go with either the meat or dairy menu. He found his way over to the kosher table, a selection of unidentifiable cheeses on the dairy tray, and the parve vegetables, pickles and potato pancakes on a small setting separating the cheeses from the meat. The meat selection looked a lot more promising. Next to the meats was an array of sliced bread that appeared somewhat familiar, but wider and with an unglazed crust. Rye bread? Maybe what, Nevan? Shrugging his shoulders, he piled high on the bread a layer of corned beef, followed by pastrami, then sliced turkey, and another piece of pastrami. At the end of the meat tray was a Kiensky Square salami. "Glad to see that", the President thought to himself, as he added a couple slices of the salami onto his growing sandwich. He grabbed a knife and slathered a dab of brownish mustard on the second slice of bread, and added a drop of ketchup to it before closing up the sandwich. Adding two pickles to his plate, he joined his External Affairs Secretary.

"What ya got there, Vern?", he asked Kansky.

"A couple Luziycan dumplings and Xiangmen duck.", he replied.

"I didn't know they had duck. Where'd you find it?", answered Feld.

Kansky gestured to the serving platter.

"Vern, kosher or not?" Feld asked.

"As we Reform say", Kansky replied, holding a finger up to his mouth, "Shhhhhh!".

President Feld wandered off to add a couple of duck pancakes to his lunch.

[Namor]

Conference room, 3rd Floor

---

It was a rather uneventful lunch. The President-General was relieved that sworn enemies did not go to each other's tables and provoke a melee, and hoped that the peaceful state of things would continue as the summit enters the topic of climate change.

The leaders returned to the conference room in the third floor and took their places. The President-General sat down feeling a little sore in the stomach - he had enjoyed his Xiangmen duck a little too much. As he picked up his papers, he made himself a quick mental note not to eat as much when dinner comes around.

He cleared his throat.

"Fellow guests, I hope you had a pleasant experience from the lunch. Now, if there are no objections, I would like to resume the summit. Our topic for the next several hours is climate change," the President-General began.

"Climate change is not an alien issue to the Esquarian Summit. It has been discussed in the first summit in Ainin and the second summit in Tuthina, although no comprehensive solution was really reached. We can no longer deny the effects of climate change, including those that we have already seen and those we will see in the future if we do not act.

"You are probably aware that we in Namor feel these effects every summer. Heavy atmospheric pollution has exacerbated heat waves that dampen the spirits of millions of commuters and hospitalize thousands of men, women and children who suffer from heat strokes. Xiangmen is just one of many Namorese cities that transform into ovens when heat waves strike. Even then, I think I can speak for those who live near the Equator that the hottest days we face here are nothing like what they face back home.

"As the leader of the country with the highest share of carbon emissions, I support initiatives to cut back on carbon emissions. My administration plans to establish strictly-enforced standards for factories and power plants across Namor, which will greatly reduce carbon pollution. Both public and private organizations will no longer get away with polluting the air we all share.

"We are working to diversify the energy that millions of Namorese rely on. Currently, coal is still the largest source of energy, supplying 75 percent of total energy consumption in this country, while renewable energy only makes up less than three percent of all consumption. By the time I leave office, I hope Namor can rely more on renewable energy sources, including but not limited to wind, solar and hydroelectric power - all while creating more jobs and opportunities. But I know the process of diversifying our energy sources is not something one President-General can oversee. It will take numerous successive administrations to fulfill our promise to create a sustainable energy infrastructure. This is why starting somewhere is very important, and I'm starting somewhere here and now.

"Just as it won't take one President-General to solve Namor's environmental problems, it won't take one country to solve the world's environmental problems. Which is why we need a comprehensive international agreement on climate change that requires countries to cut back on carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. Such an agreement will have to start with the world's largest economies. If South Velkia alone cuts back on carbon emissions, the world's carbon footprint will be greatly reduced. Just imagine what we can do if the entire industrialized world, in tandem with developing countries, do the same. An international agreement on climate change will not just be a piece of paper, but a contract with our children and grandchildren - through the agreement, we promise to them that we will leave a habitable world and sustainable environment for them.

"I call on all countries participating in this summit to deliver this promise by supporting the inclusion of a clause that warrants an agreement on climate change into the Xiangmen Declaration."

He turned off his microphone as the next leader began to speak.

[Tuthina]

In a way, the Regent was quite satisfied that the lunch was a rather uneventful one, as the lack of incidents allowed her and her servant to simply enjoy the local meal and music, without disturbance from other leaders one way or the other. Perhaps unlike the President-General, Anteko did not necessarily eat a lot for lunch - after sampling every dish a little, she filled her needs with a serving or two from dishes that were more fitting to her taste. She still lamented the justified lack of alcohol, though. Hopefully the lack of need to continue the summit after the dinner would allow her preferred beverage to be served.

As the host, the Namorese started the afternoon session of the summit with the topic of climate change - quite fitting a topic for a day where the summit venue was flooded by heat waves. Halfway through the speech, though, it appeared that the President-General decided to advertise his works in a way not dissimilar to election promises to the voting general population, stating his plan to gradually shift the energy production from a primarily fossil fuel one to one of renewable energy. An admirable project, perhaps, but she could not help but think that his ambition might be somewhat misguided.

Then again, what is not for actions done by the post-Imperial Namorese government in the eyes of the Most Serene Empire?

A brief moment after Shohai turned off his microphone, Anteko switched hers on and began her own speech.

"The Empire of His Most Serene Majesty shares the same concern as the People's Republic of Namor pertaining to the increasingly extreme environment of the globe. Indeed, the potential damage of the recent climate change can be observed throughout the planet, not just from the heat waves that all of us here have experienced today." The translators saw it fit to first address the polities mentioned with their proper name, translated from their native language. Although obviously nothing groundbreaking was offered, the difference between of whom the respective countries belonged nevertheless remained a curious sight. "By our very nature, humanity survive by reaping benefits from the bounty of nature. While the multitude of nature of our biosphere will definitely continue to survive even in the worst projection of future climate change, humanity - at least, the modern civilisation as we know it - may not be capable of adapting to the rapid change yet. We can already see the gradual and accelerating drop in agricultural production in several regions where the climate change is the most noticeable. If the situation is not rectified soon, a shortage of food might be inevitable, and as our scholars would say: 'every society is three meals away from revolution, and nine meals away from anarchy', neither of which the Imperial government is particularly keen on experiencing."

"That said, the Most Serene Empire did not necessarily share the same approach as the People's Republic of Namor on addressing climate change. While it is admirable for the President-General to see the need to reduce the reliance on coal and other fossil fuel for energy, studies conducted by both the Imperial College and its foreign equivalents suggested that as of now, practical sources of renewable energy - one that rely on repeating natural phenomena - is not a suitable replacement for fossil fuel in terms of industrial and commercial energy production." The Regent continued her speech in Literary Tuthinan, arguably the only official language that also happened to be dead almost as long as Namor had been a country. While those fluent in Monic languages could recognise some of the words without the aid of translators, it was noticeably much more condensed and archaic than modern Monic languages, resulting in a rather significant difference in length between the original speech and the translated ones - a single phrase by Anteko could potentially be expanded into a full sentence or two to be comprehensible in many languages. "Obviously, that is not a valid excuse to continue relying on fossil fuel for energy production. Instead, the Most Serene Empire opted for widespread use of nuclear power to sate the ever-increasing thirst for power, as our production capacity continued to increase following the Great Calamity. While fissile material is even less renewable than fossil fuel, it offers a much higher energy density than all other forms of practical energy source humanity currently masters. As such, it is seen as a much more viable replacement for coal, oil and natural gas in terms of major energy source. According to the annual report by the Imperial Ministry of Revenue, more than three-quarter of all energy produced and consumed within the Home Islands are now nuclear energy. With potential new development in novel nuclear power plant designs, the figure can reasonably approach 90% and more in the reign of the current Emperor Incumbent, along with the virtual elimination of industrial-level fossil fuel energy production."

"It should be noted that, though, renewable energy does have its place in terms of energy production, and my words are not meant to be constructed as a criticism towards polities who opted for such approach to reduce carbon emission. However, the Most Serene Empire will hope to see that should we arrive to a consensus on the issue of climate change, nuclear energy production should be stated as a viable solution." The Regent concluded, "Beyond that, the Most Serene Empire is always willing to offer technical assistance to polities with lower accessibility to nuclear power plants to the rest of the globe, a policy which had met remarkable success in other member states of the Tengkong system."

The Regent switched off her microphone as the translators continued to process the high density of information from her archaic tongue.

[Ainin]

Marianne was glad that the whole terrorism business was finally done and over with. She found the topic both extremely boring and extremely terrifying, terrified that anyone could find out about Ainin's clandestine arming of the Caliphate. However, it was now onto a new topic, one that she particularly cared about at that. She tapped her microphone and began to talk after listening to remarks by the hosts and the Tuthinans.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said in the language of international diplomacy. "Climate change is a real and present threat to us all. If you don't believe me, look outside."

She usually preferred to keep the rhetoric to a minimum, but this was an exception. Aininians expected action, and she had to deliver.

"This morning in Huimont, the temperature was 44 degrees. The seasonal average is 27. This year will have been the hottest, driest year on record, and the situation is far from over. This is not just a phenomenon confined to the East Namor Sea basin, as evidenced by similar events in Conitia and the rest of Velkia. If we follow the current path, the situation will only get worse though out the world, and by the time that those effects will be apparent, it'll be too late to right the ship.

At the current rate, increasing global temperatures will melt the glaciers of Nordania, causing severe water supply issues throughout the region in the not-so-distant future. This will have a severely detrimental effect on both human habitation and agriculture. In the subtropics and tropics, it will mean drier summers and warmer winters, posing a major threat to the fragile megadiverse ecosystems of the equatorial band. In Nautasia, rising temperatures will stress already-tenuous water supplies and aggravate desertification, which will only breed more conflict as these essential resources dwindle. In the Extreme-Orient, rising sea levels as a result of the melting of Hyporian glaciers will threaten the low-lying plains and cities of the Monic world. This is a problem that we all face, and that we must all solve together. It cannot wait."

"Ainin has been at the forefront of the fight against climate change for decades. The last coal-fired power plant in Metropolitan Ainin was closed in 1998, and today our energy supply is a low-emission mixture of nuclear and renewable sources. We were first to ban car ownership in urban cores and pioneered the use of road space rationing to reduce private motor vehicles' prominence in daily commutes and incentivise the use of suburban rail. We are investing in public transit infrastructure and research, but there is much more to be done. We are willing to do so."

"The Aininian Republic will commit to totally offsetting carbon dioxide production -- that is, reaching carbon neutrality -- by 2035 at the latest. We ask that the international community also set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We ask especially of our fellow post-industrial economies that they match our pledge."

"As President Antelope said, this is a contract. However, it is as much a contract between this generation and its posterity as it is one between post-industrial economies and less economically developed countries. To demand that LEDCs sacrifice industry, their path to development, for the environment, is thoroughly unfair. We propose the creation of an Esquarian climate investment bank to subsidise the construction of clean energy sources and sustainable infrastructure in emerging economies. This will not be an investment motivated by profit, but one motivated by a common desire for the continued survival of human society."

[Luziyca]

President Sera Svensson had listened to the speeches of Regent Anteko of Tuthina: she was amazed at how long the speech took to get to her ears, while the actual speech by Anteko herself was short and sweet. Marianne's speech... she was amazed at how far Ainin had progressed.

Sera Svensson said, "As the President of Luziyca, I must admit that we are somewhat behind the times. Most of our electric supplies come from fossil fuels, primarily coal. While we have some renewable energy infrastructure, most notably in Lombardia with the Pobeda Dam, and a few solar power plants in Pustinia and Nantai, it is clear that we have a moral obligation to the world to make a fast-track transition to renewable energy."

"In Bethlehem, we have had a wet and cool summer," she explained. "It is expected that there will be an early and a cold winter here in Bethlehem, and this is a bit abnormal, since for the past decade, decade and a half, winter seems to have begun later and later here in Bethlehem."

"But this is a far cry from what is happening in the east of the country. As we drown in rain, the states of Pustinia, Lazar, and some other areas of the eastern states, all the way as far north as Po'ai, and as far south as Ochag, have suffered drought since 2014. At this rate, we may very well risk a mega-drought that can see a collapse in their economies, and may result in a migration of as many as 10-30 million people at worst," she said.

"Our past administrations may have delayed an agreement on climate change, but we must know that we can no longer drag our feet and resist any attempts to try and regulate climate change," Svensson declared. "Even if our efforts to combat climate change ends up costing us many millions of lira, it's better to do that than to spend trillions decades down the line to deal with the consequences of our neglect of the environment in the name of short-term profit."

She turned off her mic and prepared to hear the next speech...

[Montecara]

Odeta spoke up.

"Esteemed fellow delegates, good afternoon. The delegation of Montecara feels very fortunate that we have this opportunity to share with the rest of the leading nations of Esquarium this most important opportunity to discuss what is nothing less than an existential threat to human life on this planet as we know it: climate change.

We know first-hand how important this issue is. Recent years have seen Montecara affected by the àcoa alta, the high water, as we never have been before. Small island states like ours -- and I am sure that the delegation of Pisdara, among others, will agree -- are the bellwethers for the most immediate effects of climate change. We are already living in a world where summers are growing more stifling, where crop yields are down, where floods threaten our land year after year. We know how important it is to take action now. Not later, not in many administrations or decades, but now.

We therefore propose a single, decisive policy that Esquarium's leading economists are in near-consensus on when it comes to combating climate change: a global carbon tax. This tax would be assessed on all fossil fuels at a modest but meaningful rate -- we suggest NSD 0.02 per liter of petroleum fuels, 0.03 per cubic meter of natural gas, and 0.01 per kilowatt-hour of coal-generated electricity as starting points for discussion. This tax would be remunerated to the Organization of Esquarian Nations and paid back out to fund the transition toward renewable energy. This proposal could be combined with the proposal of the Aininian Republic for an Esquarian climate investment bank -- funds could be paid into the bank, invested, and paid out to states, with the bank under the authority of the OEN.

The advantages of acting globally on this issue are numerous. A global tax will not disadvantage any one nation, so international trade would not be affected. It would discourage a negative externality by aligning its true cost with the market cost, which is a solution that should appeal to even the most ardent capitalist. It would even aid communities that are already being hurt economically by efforts to transition away from fossil fuels -- coal-mining areas, for example -- by giving them the funds they need to move into new, non-harmful sources of energy production. Yes, my dear colleagues, this is a tax that could actually stimulate economic growth. This is truly a rising tide that will lift all boats.

The global carbon tax should not be the only weapon in our arsenal. It is essential that all states end fossil-fuel subsidies, encourage dense, non-car-dependent development, fund research into renewable energy, and ban the worst forms of greenhouse gas emissions.

But we leave you with this thought, fellow delegates: this is a unified, straightforward solution to an existential crisis. In an international scene that is far too often marked by intractable and complex problems, this is an opportunity for us all to take swift and decisive action that will truly make the world a better place. Thank you."

[FreYhill]

Sneering at the Montecaran Delgegate, the Prime Minister of the Toksanese Commonwealth Mats Lundgren rose to speak after her turn, despite much anger; "THE TOKSANESE COMMONWEALTH WILL NOT PUT A TAX ON CARBON."

[Luziyca]

Sneering at the Montecaran Delgegate, the Prime Minister of the Toksanese Commonwealth Mats Lundgren rose to speak after her turn, despite much anger; "THE TOKSANESE COMMONWEALTH WILL NOT PUT A TAX ON CARBON."

Sera Svensson replied, in a snarky tone of voice, "I hope your country will be able to operate those factories when Esquarium runs out of oil. I hope you will not mind having to accomodate refugees from Montecara, Pisdara, and other island states because of the rising ocean levels. And I sure would hope that you are prepared to deal with the consequences when the coasts of Toksan become uninhabitable because of pollution and flooding until it is impossible to live there."

After having another sip of tea, she continued: "Do you only care about your short-term interests, just because you do not see the effects of climate change in your nation yet? Because I feel that once all the glaciers in Hyporia melt, and your natural resources become exhausted, Toksan will be affected. Just like Montecara, Pisdara, Luziyca, Ainin, and many other countries all across the globe."

"While I do agree with the Montecaran delegate's suggestion to help combat climate change," Svensson said in a calmer voice, "I suggest we call it a 'global environmental rebate,' since the proceeds of these profits will help ensure development of a 'post-fossil fuel'-era economy, and enable the funds to help areas affected by climate change and to encourage a smooth and orderly transition away from fossil fuels."

She had another sip of tea, and stared at Lundgren, praying to God that he would not make another outburst.

[FreYhill]

Sneering at the Montecaran Delgegate, the Prime Minister of the Toksanese Commonwealth Mats Lundgren rose to speak after her turn, despite much anger; "THE TOKSANESE COMMONWEALTH WILL NOT PUT A TAX ON CARBON."

Sera Svensson replied, in a snarky tone of voice, "I hope your country will be able to operate those factories when Esquarium runs out of oil. I hope you will not mind having to accomodate refugees from Montecara, Pisdara, and other island states because of the rising ocean levels. And I sure would hope that you are prepared to deal with the consequences when the coasts of Toksan become uninhabitable because of pollution and flooding until it is impossible to live there."

After having another sip of tea, she continued: "Do you only care about your short-term interests, just because you do not see the effects of climate change in your nation yet? Because I feel that once all the glaciers in Hyporia melt, and your natural resources become exhausted, Toksan will be affected. Just like Montecara, Pisdara, Luziyca, Ainin, and many other countries all across the globe."

"While I do agree with the Montecaran delegate's suggestion to help combat climate change," Svensson said in a calmer voice, "I suggest we call it a 'global environmental rebate,' since the proceeds of these profits will help ensure development of a 'post-fossil fuel'-era economy, and enable the funds to help areas affected by climate change and to encourage a smooth and orderly transition away from fossil fuels."

She had another sip of tea, and stared at Lundgren, praying to God that he would not make another outburst.

Pissed that the President had accused him of not believing in Climste Change, the Prime Minister rose again to respond; "Mrs Svensson, The Commonwealth Government refuses to rise the price of electricity within Toksan, as internal reports from 2015 reporting that a tax of this sort shall do exactly that. Nonetheless, the Commonwealth Government agrees with Regent Anteko, who I had understood said that we should invest in clean and efficient Nuclear efforts, and I would be more than glad to invest into these efforts. Shame on the President Svensson for accusing me of not helping this serious issue, and I want a apology.

Prime Minister Mats Lundgren sat back down and took a sip of tea.

[Luziyca]

Pissed that the President had accused him of not believing in Climste Change, the Prime Minister rose again to respond; "Mrs Svensson, The Commonwealth Government refuses to rise the price of electricity within Toksan, as internal reports from 2015 reporting that a tax of this sort shall do exactly that. Nonetheless, the Commonwealth Government agrees with Regent Anteko, who I had understood said that we should invest in clean and efficient Nuclear efforts, and I would be more than glad to invest into these efforts. Shame on the President Svensson for accusing me of not helping this serious issue, and I want a apology.

Prime Minister Mats Lundgren sat back down and took a sip of tea.

Svensson replied again.

"With all due respect, sir," she said, "the... rebate would only apply to coal-generated electricity. If you primarily use other forms of electrical power, I do not think that you will be affected by this tax as much. However, if you rely entirely on coal, you might need to consider changing to a form that pollutes much less than say, coal."

She had a sip of tea.

Svensson then added, "Your outburst regarding the 'carbon tax' caused me to believe that you doubted the existence of climate change. Thus, I acknowledge that I may have... erm... misinterpreted your statement. Please forgive me for this misunderstanding."

[Xiaodong]

First Minister Xi gave a agitated look as the issue of climate change was brought up. He had been briefed before arriving in Xiangmen to oppose any measures regarding climate change that would directly impact the Xiao coal industry - and with the delicate state of the Xiao domestic politics, he wasn't going to commit Xiaodong to climate plans designed for developed countries. He sipped his tea before speaking into his microphone -

"Whilst the Xiao government sympathises with some of the issues raised here regarding climate, we cannot support nor realistically abide by the proposals that have brought up here. My country relies heavily on our coal reserves, which make up 11% of Xiaodong's total exports. A carbon tax and adoption of non-fossil fuel energy sources will directly result in a loss of jobs, investment and possible recession in my country as it would realistically destroy Xiaodong's coal industry. Even if an Esquarian climate investment bank was created to transition countries to renewable fuel sources, countries such as mine that have large fossil fuel exports - and I suspect this applies moreso to petrostates in Nautasia - will face very serious economic effects, and will ensure that development in countries that rely on such exports will stifle. Sustainability does not go in hand with development in these states, Xiaodong included, and I do not see why the burden of such policies should fall on these countries. My country, for example, has a average income that is nine times smaller than Luziyca's - the destruction of our coal industry would be devastating for my people, much more so than developed countries whom import fossil fuels and do not count fossil fuel production as an integral part of their economy. If this summit unilaterally decides to impose regulations such as a carbon tax on developing economies reliant on fossil fuel exports than those countries should be compensated for the losses incurred by their fossil fuel sectors by developed countries as a result of these regulations - otherwise they could face serious economic troubles and possibly political instability."

[FreYhill]

Pissed that the President had accused him of not believing in Climste Change, the Prime Minister rose again to respond; "Mrs Svensson, The Commonwealth Government refuses to rise the price of electricity within Toksan, as internal reports from 2015 reporting that a tax of this sort shall do exactly that. Nonetheless, the Commonwealth Government agrees with Regent Anteko, who I had understood said that we should invest in clean and efficient Nuclear efforts, and I would be more than glad to invest into these efforts. Shame on the President Svensson for accusing me of not helping this serious issue, and I want a apology.

Prime Minister Mats Lundgren sat back down and took a sip of tea.

Svensson replied again.

"With all due respect, sir," she said, "the... rebate would only apply to coal-generated electricity. If you primarily use other forms of electrical power, I do not think that you will be affected by this tax as much. However, if you rely entirely on coal, you might need to consider changing to a form that pollutes much less than say, coal."

She had a sip of tea.

Svensson then added, "Your outburst regarding the 'carbon tax' caused me to believe that you doubted the existence of climate change. Thus, I acknowledge that I may have... erm... misinterpreted your statement. Please forgive me for this misunderstanding."

"President Svensson, although we do have Nuclear Sources in our Northern Provinces and in Hwanggum, most of the Southern Provinces of the Toksanish Commonwealth still run on Coal Sources due to their rather small populations. Therefore, we cannot change how we generate our power in these Provinces, with this tax raising the price of their standard of living higher and higher by the year. One would argue that we could invest in renewable sources, but the Commonwealth Government and our Provincial Polities believe in stable transmission, with numerous issues arising if we convert to these issues. Therefore, we are opposed on a Carbon Tax. "

"Also President Svensson, I accept your apology."

[Namor]

The President-General took notes as other leaders spoke. He looked up and shot a glance at Mats Lundgren when the Toksanese prime minister passionately railed against Odeta Luciàn's proposed carbon tax, which was followed by a fiery exchange with Luziyca's Svensson. Part of the President-General wanted to intervene on Lundgren's side, as Svensson's references to Nantai had somewhat irritated him, but he figured that it was better to present his own case instead.

"I think nuclear power is definitely an alternative, though I'd say in the long run renewable energy works a lot better because it does not cause as much potential ecological harm as nuclear power does," he began. "Ultimately, I believe reduced dependence on fossil fuels should be the goal of every nation, but individual nations should decide for themselves what approach they should take. In the meantime, we should strongly encourage countries with higher accessibility to clean energy to assist countries that don't. That way, we can proliferate the use of cleaner energy while reducing dependence on fossil fuels worldwide.

"Prime Minister Lotbinière is correct in saying that the development of emerging economies should not be hindered for the sake of the environment. Developing countries oftentimes do not have the adequate amount of resources needed to build sustainable infrastructure. Since a climate investment bank will fund clean energy projects in countries that cannot afford to do so on their own, and construction of clean energy creates more jobs, I don't see how this bank will harm the economic development or social stability of any country. Therefore, I support the inclusion of Prime Minister Lotbinière's proposal regarding the establishment of an Esquarian climate investment bank into the declaration on climate change.

"I am also supportive of Minister Luciàn's proposal for a carbon tax that can be used to fund the proposed climate investment bank. We should be aware, however, that since not all countries are participating in this summit, a declaration supporting a global carbon tax by itself will not lead to the actual imposition of the tax, unless the proposal passes in the form of an OEN General Assembly resolution. Until it does, all participants in the summit may agree to pay the tax if it is included in the declaration.

"Imposing the same tax on all countries may be seen as a burden to some, especially developing countries. Just like the graduated income tax, the carbon tax rate should vary according to a country's ability to pay. I propose that the rates proposed by Minister Luciàn be applied to countries with a GDP per capita of...NSD 11,000 or above, while countries with a GDP per capita lower than NSD 11,000 decide their own rates.

"Some in this summit have raised concerns that this tax will unnecessarily raise the price of electricity or harm already robust industries. But like Minister Luciàn said, the tax will provide funds to new sources of energy production. If we spend more of our resources supporting sources of energy that can't run out, we can create more jobs that are certainly not going away for a very long time, thereby ensuring sustainable economic growth.

"Yes, the transition from fossil to renewable energy should be gradual so that no industries are abruptly affected, but if we continue to rely heavily on unsustainable industries while rejecting the alternatives, someday that energy will run out, causing prices, unemployment and unrest to skyrocket. I'm sure this is not what those who desire stability or low prices want to see in the long run."

He shut his microphone.

[Pisdara]

Listening to the other leaders discuss the topic of climate change,Jean-Claude Herve Bouchard soon found that he might as well speak up after the Namorese President-General gave his considerations.

"I would like to second President-General Antelope's suggestion for more developed and wealthier nations to support those that may not have the funding or means to provide clean energy at this present time. I believe that helping these still-developing nations move towards alternative energy before mass industrialization occurs can help keep these areas from becoming dependent on sources such coal or fossil fuels. I would like to state that it is our own government's goal personally to promote alternative sources of energy, especially of the wind and solar variety, in Pisdara thanks to support from nations such as Ainin, and I hope all of us here in this room support similar moves after this conference."

"I would also like to thank President Svensson for pointing out the consequences my country, and those like it, can face if environmental degradation is not fought. Pisdara over the years has begun to have hotter and drier droughts over the summer, and as a nation that exports mainly agricultural products such as sugar and tobacco, it has the potential to be devastating. We are expected to lose over 60% of flora that is unique to the islands by around 2075 if this rise in extreme weather continues, and rising seas could cause issues with flooding and displacement. Of course, this issues affect the entire world, not just Pisdara. But if you look at my home, we are certainly seeing an accelerated form of global warming occurring."

"However, I must state that I oppose the idea of a carbon tax. Businesses, especially large ones, can simply not afford regulations that stifle the economy and and market. I am not opposed to a limit on the global carbon footprint and the goal to it in the future, but I cannot support a tax. There are other ways to lower the carbon footprint without destroying economies."

[Luziyca]

Svensson sighed. Even a carbon tax is too much for capitalists to accept, apparently. It's almost as if they'd rather just let the Earth die while they focus on short-term profit.

"Your excellency," she said to the Pisdari delegate, "if Shohai's proposal is implemented, there is no need for your country to worry, since poorer countries can decide their own rates... if they choose to, that is. And as much as I know, it seems Pisdara's GDP per person is below the 11,000 threshold."

[FreYhill]

Prime Minister Mats Lundgren was now aggravated, as President Svensson continued on her crusade against the people of Esquarium. Turning on his microphone, the Prime Minister of the Toksanese Commonwealth began to talk;

"The Toksanish Commonwealth is glad that Pisdara opposes a Carbon Tax against our people- as it would raise the price of living for all. Furthermore, the Commonwealth Government will not support a Declaration that includes a Carbon Tax - period."

[West Cedarbrook]

President Feld, following the discussion so far while occasionally glancing at his notes spoke up.

"I would like to expand upon some of the points raised by Prime Minister Lotbinière. It is important that policies and guidelines to address global warming not hinder economic development for those areas in great need of raising their standard of living. Many of these cases have unique or special conditions that require greater development of the infrastructure that allows the industrialized and post-industrialized world to enjoy a more disease and poverty free existence, and it is important that policies formulated to reduce the warming threat be tailored to allow these benefits to nations and societies in need of them. To proceed without due consideration of this factor would likely widen the gap between rich and poor nations, and indeed complicate efforts aimed at climate change by causing or exacerbating mass migration, thereby straining the resources of even the most prosperous nations, and adding to social conflict often seen as the result of such economic driven migrations. I view with interest the Prime Minister's proposal for an Esquarium Climate Investment Bank, and have further thoughts on how such an institution might operate. I would also remind the attendees that decisions regarding taxation often is in the hands of the legislature, as is the case in West Cedarbrook. I can bring any such proposals to the attention of the Cedarbrookese Senate, but in the last analysis, the decision on imposition of a tax or fee is in their hands.

What should guide the policy of a Climate Investment Bank? Scientific research leads to technical development in energy generation, manufacture of chemicals, disposal of pollutants, and the subsequent market changes that impact the demand for commodities and manufactured goods. Projects underwritten by such a bank must demonstrate scientific merit and technological feasibility. It is not the lawyer or banker that has driven technological progress throughout Esquarian history, but the scientist and engineer!

Some of the most beneficial technologies in the past few years, such as demand response tools which help utilities level out the spikes of energy consumption during times of peak use have been developed in small research laboratories and developed under private financing, without government mandate or support. Therefore it is necessary that any Climate Investment Bank involve the best minds in all the relevant scientific and engineering disciplines in decision making. Such a bank should have a Board of Science Directors as a voting subset of the Board of Directors. Taxpayers must be assured that projects funded through the CIB have been thoroughly investigated, and offer the greatest opportunity for meaningful change. The beneficiaries of these projects, our citizens, need assurance that results are forthcoming that will improve their daily lives.

A Climate Investment Bank needs to operate under proper financial practice, guided by solid business principles. Allocation of investment funds across national borders is complex. The bank needs to follow strict guidelines in regards to risk exposure. Central banks enforce capital reserve guidelines according to national needs, but how is the proposed CIB to evaluate overall risk across the spectrum of local needs, technologies, and global climate measurements likely to be in contention for it's funds? I believe it is incumbent on us to invite comment from our Central Banks on any proposed rules intended to help ensure the CIB maintains a strong capital position, enabling it to continue lending to creditworthy businesses and governments even after unforeseen losses and during severe economic downturns. There will need to be a meeting prior to charter of a CIB, including representatives of both the contributing governments and their Central Banks to establish an integrated capital framework that addresses shortcomings in regulatory capital requirements that became apparent during the recent financial crises. Capital is important to banking organizations and the financial system because it acts as a financial cushion to absorb a firm's losses. As guardians of our nation's public trust we must see to it that a CIB's capital requirements reflect the risk profiles spanning all proposed initiatives, so as not to harm the resilience of the contributing national banking system in times of stress. This can be accomplished only by rigorous risk analysis at both the micro and macro level.

Finally, such a bank should have a disaggregate structure, perhaps with regional or continental member banks. In this way nations will have a stronger voice in policy that effects them in particular, and will enable them to see more relevant results. I cannot speak for all of Conitia, and we prefer to work hand in hand with our partners in the Latin Block and Korivania on regional issues. I can state that membership in a CIB will be much easier for the man or woman in the street in Wrycova or Ironton to understand if he or she sees how our participation in the CIB improves their way of life, and this is more likely if investment is directed on at least a regional basis. In many ways, most notably scientific and engineering cooperation on the continent under the aegis of the Antarctic Treaty Commission, the average citizen has seen benefits in growth of jobs and expansion of the energy and manufacturing sectors. We believe such an approach is viable, and should be considered when bank chartering discussions get underway."

[Luziyca]

Svensson was losing her patience with Lundgren. He only seems to care about the short term interests of the now, not of the interests of his grandchildren. She imagined Lundgren explaining to his grandchildren why he refused to support the carbon tax.

"Poor kids," she muttered, and then sighed. She was about to speak, but Feld cut her off. She had to endure Feld's speech: she did kind of agree with his points, but... she was more consumed with the fury of the opponents of the carbon tax.

She had a sip of tea, slammed the cup on the table, and began to speak.

"With all due respect," she said in an annoyed tone of voice, "while it may be true that a carbon tax could raise the cost of living to some individuals in the short term, it is in the best interests of the world to have some minor price hikes, rather than for the cost of living to rise dramatically as all of your resources runs out and you have no alternative because all you cared about was keeping costs low right now."

"Costs will inevitably go up in the future. You may attribute them to inflation, Mr. Lundgren," she snarled, "but if you don't take action now, a good deal of this would boil down to how your government failed to invest in other sources of energy for the southern provinces of your country. With a carbon tax, costs may go up, but at least you can use the proceeds to fund projects to transition the south's source of electricity from coal to say, wind, or solar power, or even hydroelectricity."

Svensson sighed. She had another sip of tea, and felt relieved. She had let out some steam.

"Mr. Feld," she said, "your description seems like a brilliant idea for how a Climate Investment Bank should operate."

[FreYhill]

Svensson was losing her patience with Lundgren. He only seems to care about the short term interests of the now, not of the interests of his grandchildren. She imagined Lundgren explaining to his grandchildren why he refused to support the carbon tax.

"Poor kids," she muttered, and then sighed. She was about to speak, but Feld cut her off. She had to endure Feld's speech: she did kind of agree with his points, but... she was more consumed with the fury of the opponents of the carbon tax.

She had a sip of tea, slammed the cup on the table, and began to speak.

"With all due respect," she said in an annoyed tone of voice, "while it may be true that a carbon tax could raise the cost of living to some individuals in the short term, it is in the best interests of the world to have some minor price hikes, rather than for the cost of living to rise dramatically as all of your resources runs out and you have no alternative because all you cared about was keeping costs low right now."

"Costs will inevitably go up in the future. You may attribute them to inflation, Mr. Lundgren," she snarled, "but if you don't take action now, a good deal of this would boil down to how your government failed to invest in other sources of energy for the southern provinces of your country. With a carbon tax, costs may go up, but at least you can use the proceeds to fund projects to transition the south's source of electricity from coal to say, wind, or solar power, or even hydroelectricity."

Svensson sighed. She had another sip of tea, and felt relieved. She had let out some steam.

"Mr. Feld," she said, "your description seems like a brilliant idea for how a Climate Investment Bank should operate."

“President Svensson, you seem to be in a rather obvious mood today. Is there anything I can order for you to become pleasant again?" Lundgren sneered back to a politician who they call a “Liberal”. "Let us go personal, as that is how most people connect after all. President Svensson, I grew up as the son of a Butcher and a housewife, who had made a living of themselves due to the cut of regulations during the rule of the Commonwealth Conservatives. You accuse me of not looking long term, when I know for a fact that my economy, and in fact yours will cripple with taxation like this, and I refuse to support a declaration containing any extra taxes. What's next Svensson? A tax on Junk Food because people are becoming obese?”

[Xiaodong]

First Minister Xi shook his head as proposals from Antelope, Svensson and Feld were made to those assembled. In all cases, Xiaodong's national sovereignty would be infringed and its own industries impacted in a negative way. It would be extremely difficult for him - in light of the current political troubles and economic malaise in Xiaodong - to explained to unemployed Xiao workers' that the government had sacrificed their jobs to help places like Pisdari, which most Xiao citizens had never heard of let alone care about. Plus, Xi's own authority within his party would be severely undermined if he backed climate change - after all, he had largely built his political career off of donations from the mining industry. He cleared his throat before speaking slowly in his microphone -

"The proposals here are for my government unacceptable in their current form. Even if a punitive carbon tax is left off the agenda, the fact remains that the proposals here would infringe on the economic and political sovereignty of my country - ultimately, the people of my country expect the government they elected to implement policies relating to the climate, not for that government to be browbeaten into accepting the climate policy proposed by larger, more developed countries. A climate investment bank would undoubtedly result in an erosion of our sovereignty, especially if payments to such a bank are made mandatory by attendees to this summit. Developing countries such as my own should have the ability to set our own climate change and energy policy as we on average have much less carbon emissions than developed countries and so posses differing policy priorities regarding climate change. A "one glove fits all" approach to climate change across Esquarium will undoubtedly reflect the priorities of more powerful and influential states, which is why I sympathise more with President Feld's suggestion of a more regional-centric approach. Ultimately however, policy regarding climate change must be implemented in accordance with the desires of nation-states, and that any overarching regulations and policy plans must be approved on an individual nation-by-nation basis, not imposed from above by a small clique of developed nations who have a monopoly on wht climate and energy policy is "acceptable". As it stands, any proposal advocated here that does not meet these conditions will not get the support of the government of Xiaodong.".

[Luziyca]

Sera Svensson had listened to Lundgren and Xi's statements.

She finally spoke.

"Region-centric approaches could work," she said, "but the problem is that they would not really sync up with each other. Sure, it is true that some things don't work in specific areas, but at the same time, we can't have each country taking contradictory approaches to this issue, especially if they're in the same geographic area."

She refused to answer Lundgren's comment.

[Namor]

The President-General scrutinized the words of the other leaders. On notebook paper, he drew a two t-charts - one showing which countries are for and against the idea of a carbon tax, and another showing which countries are for or against the idea of a climate investment bank. He realized that while there are a fair number of leaders who were either pro or anti-carbon tax, there isn't much disagreement concerning the proposal of a bank. Figuring that right-wing leaders like Lundgren are simply not going to give in to any proposal regarding a carbon tax, the President-General decided to make more modifications to Luciàn's proposal if needed.

"I would first like to address President Feld's suggestions regarding the proposed climate investment bank. Since this is a summit where many issues are discussed and we have relatively limited time, any discussion regarding the specific inner workings of the proposed bank will be discussed in another setting, preferably one exclusively reserved to discussion regarding the bank. The most we can do here and now, if we all agree to this bank, is affirm our support for the bank's establishment in the declaration, providing a precedent for future action.

"If I...haven't misinterpreted what Prime Minister Lotbinière said, the proposed Esquarian climate investment bank, under any circumstance, will not force sovereign states to do anything against its will. The bank is supposed to support a developing country in building a cleaner infrastructure, but only when the country requests assistance. In other words, if a certain government feels like it is not compelled to receive support from the bank, then it can refuse the bank's support. All governments are free to pursue the goal of building a cleaner infrastructure through means that satisfy their national conditions.

"I feel that much of the...discord being conveyed right now do not concern the proposed bank per se, but Minister Luciàn's proposed global carbon tax. Even those who are vehemently against the carbon tax do not seem to have problems with a bank funding cleaner infrastructure projects. Prime Minister Lundgren, Speaker Herve Bouchard and First Minister Xi - do you support a climate investment bank that is supported by means other than a global carbon tax?"