Resolved: Developing countries should prioritize environmental protection over resource extraction w

Value- Morality Criterion- Kant's Categorical Imperative Theory Contention 1- Governments have moral obligation to their people Developing countries do not know always where to start putting their money and time into, this is why the United Nations made eight primary goals that developing countries need to work on. These eight goals are 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2. Achieve universal primary education 3. Promote gender equality and empower women 4. Reduce child mortality 5. Improve maternal health 6. Combat HIV/Aids, malaria, and other diseases 7. Ensure environmental stability 8. Global partnership for development. These 8 ideals are the first things that developing countries need to work on. The most relevant for today's debate will have to be environmental stability, which is the same thing as environmental protection. Countries also have moral obligations to their people that can not be achieved if resource extraction is prioritized over resource protection. Countries have an obligation to provide clean water to their people, but they can"t when oil and other pollutants are being dumped in it by resource extraction companies, or factories. WWDR writes, "Up to 90 % of wastewater in developing countries flows untreated into rivers, lakes and highly productive coastal zones, threatening health, food security and access to safe drinking and bathing water." With all of this waste water flowing into streams and rivers people no longer can have clean water. Also WWAP writes, "In developing countries, 70 percent of industrial waste is dumped untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply." Countries that prioritize resource extraction have a harder time obtaining clean drinking water. Secondly countries have an obligation to provide food to their people. According to Julia Allen, and Douglas Barnes of the department of environmental studies at the University of California they write, "Deforestation has recently become a major concern for developing countries. Studies have conveyed the impression that many developing countries are on the verge of being transformed into vast deserts and barren mountain watersheds." When countries deforest they limit the biodiversity in the area and eliminate animals from the are. With limited amount of animals means limited amount of few for the few people. When countries focus too much on resource extraction it leads to the hurting of their people. This situation is called Dutch Disease. Dutch Disease is defined by the Financial Times as, "The negative impact on an economy of anything that gives rise to a sharp inflow of foreign currency, such as the discovery of large oil reserves." This "disease is very common in developing countries that have lots of natural resources at their disposal. Much like the Dutch in the 1960"s countries will over extract different natural resources and have too much wealth in their possession. Having too much wealth in developing countries leads to terrorism and corruption. Contention 2- Prioritizing resource extraction leads to immoral actions To determine if an action is immoral, resource extraction, we must look at Kant"s Categorical Imperative philosophy, since it is my value criterion for the round. If the means are immoral then by my value criterion the whole process is immoral. This leads me to Sub Point A- Resource extraction leads to political corruption Countries that resource extract for their wealth when they are developing are more prone to less development and corruption. According to Joseph Stiglitz winner of the Nobel prize in economics he writes, "On average, resource-rich countries have done even more poorly than countries without resources. They have grown more slowly, and with greater inequality " just the opposite of what one would expect." This is due to rulers wanting more money and political power. This example proves "The theory of extractive corruption." This theory ,proven by J.W. Oosterbroek of the University of Twente, states in its most basic form that governments with more natural resources that the can harvest and sell are more likely prone to corruption. "Within the theory of extractive corruption, however, embezzlement is seen as one of the most important modes of economic accumulation. Embezzlement is a fundamental part of the resource extractive capacity of the ruling elite" writes Inge Amundsen researcher of Development Studies and Human Rights for Michelsen Institute. Countries need all of this wealth to suppress their people and eventually take over their country. Examples of this can be shown in Central African countries. Endowed with ample diamond and oil deposits, Angola should not be on the bottom rungs of the world" social ladder. But instead of a blessing, Angola"s natural resource wealth has turned out to be a curse.While the majority of the population lived in misery and terror, the leaders of both the government and the rebel UNITA forces devoted most of the money they gained selling Angola"s resources to buying weapons and lining their own pockets. This situation is immoral because people are being suppressed to gain wealth for these oppressive rulers, and they are harming the environment in a major way which also immoral. Sub Point B- Harming the Environment for no positive gain is immoral The environment is the worlds most important asset. It provides everything everyone needs, from food to shelter. Destroying the environment with no positive gain is completely immoral. W. Corbett Dabbs researcher at American University writes, "The environmental damage that is a result of oil retraction and production can also directly affect human life in the region. Damage can include pollution of water resources and contamination of the soil. Humans are affected by environmental devastation because it is damaging to vegetation, livestock, and to the health of the human body itself. Oil spills can interfere with the normal working of power stations and desalination plants that require a continuous supply of clean seawater and with the safe operation of coastal industries and ports." When governments become too greedy and just want to make money, the people of the nation will suffer. It is immoral to harm the environment with oil spills, but it is also immoral to dirty clean drinking water where there is not an abundance of it. Instead of poisoning the water developing countries should try to bring it to their people.