Oceans Exploration and/or Development

1. Oceans Exploration and/or Development Topic Overview

2. The Resolution • Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its non-military exploration and/or development of the Earth’s oceans.

3. Policy-Focused Definitions • Resolved—statement of belief • United States federal government—sovereign entity based in Washington D.C. Not the states. • Substantially—big, or nothing • Increase—make larger • Its—possessive • Non-military—not the armed forces

4. Definitions [cont’d] • Exploration: looking for things—may be distinct from research • And/or: one, the other, or both • Development—broad definitions include • Explore and assess resources • Harness and manage resources and create new resources • Cope with and protect its environment • Develop human resources (knowledge, skill, expertise) • Marine science and technology • Earth—this planet, not Titan • Oceans—Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, (Great Southern), plus connected saltwater bodies (gulfs, bays, seas)

5. Who Determines U.S. Ocean Policy? • Several major pieces of legislation, including; • Coastal Zone Management Act • Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation & Management Act • Marine Mammal Protection Act • Oceans Act of 2000—created U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, produced major 2004 report • Several executive actions, esp. National Ocean Policy (EO 13545) / National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts and the Great Lakes

6. Federal Agencies • Department of Commerce (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration—NOAA) • Department of Defense (Army Corps of Engineers, DARPA, U.S. Navy) • Department of Energy • Department of Interior (USGS, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement) • Department of State • Department of Transportation • National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)

7. Why Care About the Ocean? • It is • Culture • Ecosystem Services • Energy • Food • Military/Security • Recreation • Trade

8. Advantage Areas • Biodiversity / Ecosystem Services & Stability • Climate Change • Economy & Trade • Energy • Food • Geopolitics • Resources • Structural Violences

9. Aff Area: Exploration / Science • Critical Exploration • Exploratory Expeditions • Deep Sea • Specific ecosystems/geographic areas (Arctic) • Mapping • Monitoring • Acidification • Bioindicators (other) • Climate • Tsunami • Weather / storms

10. Aff Area: Eco-Protection • Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) • Prohibit Bad Practices • Ballast water dumping • Coastal Development • Unsafe oil transportation • Protect/Preserve Specific Areas • Coral Reefs • Estuaries • Mangroves • Whaling Bans

11. Aff Area: Food • Lots of people depend on food from the oceans • Overfishing is a serious problem, threatening both biodiversity and food security • Affirmatives will • Alter how we regulate the “take” from a fishery • Limit bad fishing practices • Promote alternatives to capturing wild fish (aquaculture) • Whaling / Makah • Salmon!

12. Aff Area: Energy • Should be really popular • Many potential options • Renewables • Wind power • OTEC • Wave power • Tidal power • Hydrocarbons • Old school—oil and natural gas • New school—methane hydrates

13. Other Cases • Human Migrations • Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) Ratification • Piracy • Radical Ecologies • Situated-ness • Specific Areas—Arctic!! • Water—seawater desalination • Throw Blaize in the ocean

14. Disadvantages • Budget—tradeoffs, spending • Environment • Energy Prices / Fuel Switching • Politics—agenda, midterms • Trade

15. Counterplans • Have someone else do the exploration / development • USFG Agents—congress v. executive v. courts • Non-USFG Agents—states, other countries, private actors • Advantage Counterplans—fix the problem using a different mechanism

16. Critical Negative Arguments • Development Ks • Radical Ecology Ks • Security Ks • Situated-ness Ks • Class • Gender • Race