[GA, Passed] Repeal: “Pesticide Regulations” [Complete]

Sil Dorsett

Sil Dorsett

The Belt Collector
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Category: Repeal
Target: GA #376
Proposed by: Imperium Anglorum
Onsite Topic

General Assembly Resolution #376 “Pesticide Regulations” (Category: Environmental; Industry Affected: Agriculture) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

The World Assembly,

Agreeing with the co-author of the original resolution, that rational nations take reasonable precautions, and therefore, without World Assembly mandate, will:

monitor pesticide use and environmental effects,

provide information and enforce regulations to prevent environmental contamination that could kill thousands of people if exposed to toxic levels,

establish effective product controls which provide enough information to pesticide buyers,

inform other nations of possible pesticide contamination of their territories, and

encourage the use of non-pesticide pest controls;

Perplexed that the co-author would support legislation which does nothing more than codify what nations have long already done, meaning it is not an international issue,

Pleased that the self-resolution of this issue means that there is no real need for this legislation to stay on the books and that any flaw is therefore justification for repeal, and

Concerned that the requirement in clause four to prevent pesticide runoff with such things as buffer zones, selective application, and avoidance of irrigation is fundamentally flawed, as:

sapient lives are better saved and protected through the eradication of disease-bearing pests which serve as a vector for person-to-person transmission,

eradication campaigns of insects will necessarily require large-scale and large-area administration of pesticides or run the risk of leaving a reservoir population,

making it harder for poor nations to cheaply pursue eradication campaigns is principally unjust, since the people affected on the cost margins are the most disadvantaged and those which the world community has the foremost obligation to protect, and

these restrictions greatly increases the difficulty of pest eradication, thereby preventing nations from reducing the incidence of pest-borne diseases like malaria, costing lives, implicitly killing people, and violating the principles upon which this Assembly was founded, while

it massively increases the chance of disease-bearing pests developing resistance to common pesticides, allowing surviving generations to adapt to exposure, making future eradication campaigns ever more difficult and costly, costing yet more lives; and

Believing that the multitude of different nations in the World Assembly means that the only fair way to balance between the lives saved from pesticide usage and its inherent chemical dangers is to allow nations to make that decision themselves, hereby

Repeals 376 GA Pesticide Regulations.
Click to expand...

Voting Instructions:
  • Vote For if you want the Delegate to vote For the resolution.
  • Vote Against if you want the Delegate to vote Against the resolution.
  • Vote Abstain if you want the Delegate to abstain from voting on this resolution.

Detailed opinions with your vote are appreciated and encouraged!"
 
Below is a copy of the campaign telegram I sent to all delegates those delegates which don't block campaign telegrams.

From: Foreign Office, Greyhall
To: Foreign Ministry, %NATION%

Months ago, a resolution was passed which imposed substantial limitations on the use of pesticides, ostensibly for the protection of the environment. However, in doing so, it also caused a nasty side-effect, effectively preventing nations from administering pesticides to eliminate insects and other pests which can spread disease.

The effects of pesticides are small, and carry limited risks with even the most minimal of regulations. The effects of disease are enormous, and carry a risk of death. Eradicating pests like mosquitoes and biting flies has eliminated malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, West Nile virus, and other infections which used to kill millions per year from the developed world. Millions more lives can be saved by reducing the spread of mosquitoes and other pests.

The target resolution makes it much harder to do this. It prevents nations from using large-scale doses of pesticides, requiring that they be contained. This is a reasonable policy for agriculture. It is not a reasonable policy in terms of people's lives.

Moreover, there has sprung up a strange and weird debate in the World Assembly about whether or not rational nations would implement rational policies. Various persons have argued that some proposal is unnecessary because it produces some good for society, and in doing so, would already have been done by any nation, i.e. any good policy will inevitably be enacted without WA action. It is an argument that can be used to torpedo practically any proposal, shutting down the WA altogether.

This argument is ridiculous on face: (1) nations have ingrained biases which cannot simply be waved away, (2) nations have entrenched interests which manipulate the state for their own ends, abrogating the national interest, and (3) nations have different interests, which are not always the same as those thought of in the halls of the WA. This is a question of nuance. It is also a question which we can resolve. We must reject this argument by laughing it out of the room. It is false and destroys a significant part of the game. Voting for this proposal will send a message, that we will not accept the slaughter of the WA on an altar of lies. And this being NationStates, the only way to send that message is with satire.

This repeal solves two pressing issues. One affecting nations and one affecting the nature of the World Assembly itself. It again allows nations to save the lives of their citizens; it sends a defiant message of subversion as well. You can approve it at the link below:

https://www.nationstates.net/page=UN_view_proposal/id=imperium_anglorum_1493526365

I beg to remain, your obedient servant,

Cyril Parsons

Permanent Representative to the World Assembly
14-time GA resolution author
Delegate, Europe
 
I vote AGAINST.

As much as I would vote for, I believe there are alternatives to pesticides for rliminating unwanted and disease carrying insects. The chemicals affects good species like bees as well as nuisances, such as certain beetles. The main alternative I find is the option of genetic engineering both in humans, and insects to make them resistant to diseases. I am very much on the fence with this one, but have to vote against.
 
Seems like a well-written and well-argued resolution, and the drawbacks of the existing resolution definitely merit serious consideration. I'm willing to try again.

For
 
Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.
 
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