Proposition Summary

Before moving onto a summary of the proposition case in this debate, we would like to point out some fallacies. Just in their recent rebuttals to our refutations, they have provided an analysis into the workings of EU beef surplus, but failed to portray how this will create a crisis overpowering that of the environmental one we are debating. We have pointed this specific irony in our rebuttals, but they have simply evaded the point. Lastly, regarding the status quo in Brazil, proposition has been arguing from the very beginning that although the nations destructing their rainforests are aware of the serious consequences, they are choosing development over environment. Obviously, opposition seems to have misconceived this idea to the point of claiming that we are contradicting ourselves. Now that we have shown how the opposition has failed to “show the loopholes” in our case even in their second rebuttal, we would like to ask three simple questions in this summary. Firstly, which policy side has solvency and will benefit the international society? Second, which plan will actually help the nations in concern? Last, but not least, which side has provided a higher moral principle in this debate? 1. Will sanctions be more effective in helping the environmental and benefiting the international society? The benefits that rainforests bring to the world are quite diverse and prominent: clean air, biodiversity, and much more. This was a concession between the two sides; the debate was on whether sanctioning is the right way to conserve these benefits. The Opposition claims that they are not going to be “twiddling their thumbs,” but in fact use peaceful methods to solve the problem. However, this is not what is happening in reality. Despite countless lobbies and financial support by the members of the UN and other private organizations that advocate the protection of rainforests, - unlike what opposition claims in their rebuttal, this international effort has been clearly proved in our introduction of this debate - one and a half acres are being destroyed every second. Brazil’s just acknowledging the threat and then continuing with its rainforest destruction is definitely not enough. What this world needs is a clear solution that will take care of the problem once and for all. As we have proven continuously throughout this debate, sanctioning is a plausible method that prevents further destruction of rainforests for sure. Here the Opposition claims that sanctions are harmful to the certain industries and trades, so they should not be carried out. However, we have shown again and again how on both economic and political level, the international society will be able to adjust to the situation as they have done in the past cases of sanction and may also benefit from the policy. But still, the ultimate benefit that the international community will gain by preventing deforestation right now is that the globe’s next generation will not have to commercialize clean air and sell portable oxygen canteens. We would again like to remind you that by the time “gradual change” is achieved, suffocation will be a commonplace death cause. 2. Are sanctions beneficial for individual nations with rainforests? In this clash the proposition clearly dominates. While the proposition has shown the various benefits of sanctions for countries, the opposition has totally neglected to respond and thus conceded the point entirely. We have shown you the benefits are immense for individual nations through many different lines of logic. Nations are better off in that they can continue to receive the benefits of rainforests. Moreover, rainforest protection helps increase agricultural yields and leads to developing farming technologies. Finally, countries will gain a much higher political standing than before. All these arguments were made in our constructive case and never addressed by the opposition. While ignoring all these benefits, the opposition could only manage to offer – late, in fact – three points that were negative to nations. The first was that subsidies would not be enough. This was only asserted without any logic or evidence thus we cannot take this as a valid rebuttal. Given the enthusiasm with which the EU nations, and even the United States, are responding to the climate change crisis (with intiatives such as the Copenhagen Consensus, or the volunteering to pay for rainforest upkeep) we do not think there is reason to be so skeptical about international support if countries decide to stop destroying their rainforests. The second was that farmers would become dependent on the subsidies. In this case gradually decreasing subsidies can be used to put pressure on them to find new jobs soon, which is utilized quite often. The third was that rainforests are razed for the sake of increasing population. Not only is that assertion totally without even one piece of evidence, it is not true. We have already told you that land razed for non-farming purposes turns into wasteland in our 1st argument. This means land unfit for humans to live in. Furthermore, the proposition stands that population problems can be well handled by infrastructural policies, as in the case of many Asian cities. Threatening humanity for the sake of room for more humanity does not seem very bright. 3. Is imposing a sanction based on a higher moral principle? The final crux of the debate lies in the issue of moral principles. We, the proposition has provided a very detailed account of both moral and legal justification for imposing a sanction on the nations in concern. Unlike other natural resources, clean air and water produced by rainforests are universal and the entire globe is heavily dependent on those common resources. Because of this aspect, there are international protocols and laws delineating the principle that other countries can take multilateral action against certain countries that condone critical environmental threats. Since we the proposition have established the imminent threat posed by the destruction of rainforests, which will be nonexistent within the next 20 years, our policy of sanctions completely falls under the jurisdiction of those agreements. Even if we take into account the immediate sacrifices supposedly caused by sanctions, our policy still has the higher moral grounds from a utilitarian viewpoint. Under the principle, it is always better to serve in the interest of the majority and maximize the aggregate benefit. The policy of sanction not only serves in the interest of the majority threatened by depleting oxygen resources, but also brings immediate benefits to the nations in concern by institutionalizing sustainable development. Meanwhile, the opposition has failed to respond to these ideas included in our constructive cases. They conceded to the fact that we face an urgent crisis with majority of lives at stake, but only kept on insisting that the change be made slow. They have not provided any justification whatsoever as to explain why speculations of minor negativities should hinder the international community from saving the world. Thus, we see this as an irresponsible stance neglecting an urgent problem. Conclusion For the past few decades, governments have tried various measures to discourage and ultimately stop further destruction of rainforests. However, so far, none of them have worked sufficiently. Those incentivizing methods could be ameliorated and reused to a certain level, but we have already passed the tipping point. We the proposition value the world, the environment, and the people, and for that we firmly stand for the motion.