GA Resolution: Extinction Preparation Act

[Guy]

This is the discussion thread. Please go here to cast your vote.

Extinction Preparation Act
A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.

Category: Education and Creativity
Area of Effect: Educational
Proposed by: The Associated Peoples


Description: REALIZING that a major catastrophe could threaten the existence of any number of species.

SEEKING to install safeguards for the recovery of any species that falls victim to an extinction event.

RECOGNIZING that many nations may have safeguards in place.

CONCERNED that such safeguards can be lost due to disasters both natural and manufactured.

BELIEVING that all nations can benefit from mutual preparation.

HEREBY:

I. AUTHORIZES the creation of the Extinction Preparation Research Facility (EPRF).
a.) The facility will be located in a neutral World Assembly controlled territory. Ideally, in an arctic region well above sea level, with little to no seismic activity, to minimize the danger of damage due to electrical failure, flooding or structural damage.
b.) The facility is to be staffed, constructed and maintained by the World Assembly Scientific Programme (WASP).
c.) Member nations may use this facility freely, while non-member nations may use it for a nominal fee, which will provide additional funding for upkeep.

II. EMPOWERS staff scientists to research advanced methods of artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, embryo transfer, cloning and efficient horticultural replenishment, as well as the study of keystone species and methods for rebuilding ecosystems.
a.) All discoveries shall be made available to any establishment showing legitimate interest.

III. URGES member nations to supply specimens of seeds, saplings and genetic animal materials (sperm, eggs and DNA).

IV. REQUIRES acceptable preservation methods to be observed.

Co-authored by The Coyote Coalition

[Eist]

A reasonable idea, written and thought out poorly. Aside from whether this should even be a WA issue, I have a few points to make AGAINST this proposal.

1). Why is there a need to set up a neutral WA territory region - this could be a resolution upon itself, and it's unlikely any nation would be willing to give this up. IRL something like CERN and its member nations works better. Believing that it should be created in an arctic region is illogical (due to electrical failure?!)

2). Embryo transfer is a process within in-vitro fertilisation, so is redundant. Cloning is a far too controversial topic to just be casually thrown in there - in fact I'd be surprised if there was not a resolution already addressing this.

3). I'm not sure why keystone species is particularly mentioned. Within ecosystem conservation, keystone species are but a small aspect of. Alternative stable states, trophic cascades and top-down predator control are other examples.

4). Although there is another resolution that has created a WA seed bank, seed banks are fickle in nature as many recalcitrant seeds must be replaced continuously and all seeds need to be replaced after some time. This has not been addressed in this resolution.

[Dinarii]

Eist addressed both of my key issues with this resolution, in parts 1 and 4. I agree that this proposal is good in theory but is poorly thought out and not very well constructed. This also, for me, falls under "non-WA" issue as well. Against.

[Sionis Prioratus]

AGAINST. As executed, a waste of time, if there's ever been one. Also, I totally fail to see how this qualifies as a mainly "Educational" proposal.

[Shelter from the Storm]

I voted against, but it seems even poorly thought out proposals seem to pass.

[Ketab]

Jan 3, 2011 6:32:16 GMT -5 Sionis Prioratus said:

AGAINST. As executed, a waste of time, if there's ever been one. Also, I totally fail to see how this qualifies as a mainly "Educational" proposal.

I think it is more of an "educational" proposal because of the fact that it relates to cloning and so on, which are scientific , and they probably thought that had some educational value.
Just an idea.