Tournament: Heritage Hall | Round: 1 | Opponent: na | Judge: na
Plan text: The United States Federal Government should invest in renewable energy technology with Mexico.
Mexico has a dangerous dependence on oil
Jimenez 12 (Alfredo Montufar-Helu Jimenez has a masters Degree in Political Science)
Despite having been favored with considerable hydrocarbon resources, Mexico’s energy security is in a dire state. Years of a corporatist and clientelist regime under the Institutional Revolutionary Party consolidated various structural flaws, preventing state owned company Petróleos Mexicanos or Pemex from being able to adapt to changes in the energy market and the difficulties in upstream activities.
Four main challenges characterize Mexico’s current energy security situation.
The first is the continuous importance of oil for government revenue coupled with a diminishment of its production. Next are the insufficient technological capabilities of Pemex. The vested interests within the industry represent a third challenge. Finally, there is a blind belief in oil as the center of economic development that needs to be changed.
Regarding the first challenge, Mexico’s oil production peaked in 2005 and has since diminished to a stable production of approximately 2.4 million barrels per day. Nonetheless, the percentage of government revenue obtained through oil exports has not varied greatly and, in fact, absolute quantities for 2010 and 2011 were larger than those for 2005 and 2006.
Clearly, the rise in international oil prices has helped the government to counter the diminishment of production. However, prices remain too volatile, as their sudden fall after the 2008-2009 financial crisis demonstrated.
Not surprisingly, Mexico’s current administration has tried to revamp oil production and recover its 2005 production levels. This has proven difficult given Pemex’ technological deficiencies on the production side.
While Mexico’s oil exports to the United States represent more than 70 percent of its total exports since 2000 and more than 80 percent in the first months of 2011, they only amount to 9 percent-http://www.eia.gov/energy_in_brief/foreign_oil_dependence.cfm of American total crude oil imports. In other words, the United States have a diversified supply base, which has reduced the vulnerability of its energy security to external shocks. Mexico, on the contrary, has become dependent on American consumption.
This is unfortunate. Mexico has huge potential in other types of resources such as solar, wind and thermoelectric energy. Also, the country currently holds the fourth largest reserves of shale gas. More attention should be paid to the development of these resources.
Mexico is overly dependent on oil – leads to economic catastrophe and environmental destruction
Business Owners Direct 5/17 ( Business Owners Direct, "OECD warns Mexico on Oil dependence", 5/17/13, http://www.businessownersdirect.com/sales/index.php/news/43-europe-business-news/5546-oecd-warns-mexico-on-oil-dependence-http://www.businessownersdirect.com/sales/index.php/news/43-europe-business-news/5546-oecd-warns-mexico-on-oil-dependence ) Okuno
Mexico is too dependent on oil and environmental degradation has accounted for a drop in
AND
GDP and the country was behind other member states in terms of emissions.
Mexico fossil fuels cause pollution
Ross 13 (Kristina Ross is the webmaster and sustainability blogger at SaveOnEnergy.com
All this talk about the production of oil and natural gas seems to contradict Mexico’s General Law on Climate Change passed in April 2012. The legislation calls for a 30 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and a 50 percent reduction by 2050. In addition, Mexico has committed to using renewable energy sources to provide 35 percent of its electricity by 2024.
But as this proposed energy reform bill goes to Congress, you might wonder what toll the drilling will take on Mexico’s environment? And how might it affect the nation’s carbon emissions and renewable energy goals?
Though Pemex has hydraulically fractured a few wells, the potential for natural gas under the country’s surface has yet to be tapped. If the energy reform bill is passed, fracking could open up a slew of environmental concerns for Mexico’s citizens.
In order to push natural gas resources out of shale formations, millions of gallons of water, laced with chemicals and sand, are forced into the earth’s surface. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at least 65 of the chemicals known for use in fracking are hazardous. Many believe this contaminated water seeps into nearby drinking water and can cause severe sickness or permanent damage to people’s health.
Furthermore, some methane escapes into the atmosphere during natural gas production. This not only adds to the harmful greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but methane also puts fracking sites at risk for explosion
Offshore drilling also comes with a big environmental price tag. When you think of
AND
today, is the bill the best answer for a secure energy future?
Alt Energy Solves Global warming
Zervos and Coequyt 7
The good news first. Renewable energy, combined with energy efficiency, can meet
AND
, economic development, millions of new jobs, and a livable environment.
warming causes extinction
Deibel 7 (Terry L. Professor of IR @ National War College, 2007. "Foreign Affairs Strategy: Logic for American Statecraft", Conclusion: American Foreign Affairs Strategy Today)
Finally, there is one major existential threat to American security (as well as
AND
States, but potentially to the continued existence of life on this planet.
U.S-Mexico Cooperation is key to solving
Selee 10 (Andrew Selee has a Ph.D. in Policy Studies from the University of Maryland)
Mexico has large and untapped geothermal, wind, and solar deposits, said Duncan
AND
In biomass, little investment has been made so far, he said.
Wood cited recent developments that have encouraged renewable energy investment in Mexico. Mexico’s oil
AND
renewables sector further align with regional efforts to make North America energy interdependent.
Discussant Joe Dukert pointed out that U.S.-Mexico cooperation on renewables is
AND
be assigned to the embassy and consulates. Read all of Joe Dukert’s comments-http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/docs/Dukert Commentary on Duncan Wood RE Report.pdf
Discussant Johanna Mendelson Forman stressed the linkages connecting climate change, energy, and economic
AND
S. companies suffer from a lack of adequate export-import financing.
America must lead
Krupp-http://www.edf.org/blog_author/fred-krupp 13 (Fred, Educated at Yale and the University of Michigan Law School, Top18 people named America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News and World Report)
¶ Here’s a sure sign the U.S. is starting to get serious
AND
address it, and that is something all of us should support.
Damage caused by climate change destroys economies
Nicholas Stern, Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank from 2000 to 2003, and government economic advisor in the United Kingdom, "Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change," 2008 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/stern_review_report.cfm)
The consequences of climate change in the developed world are likely to be felt
AND
increase disproportionately at higher temperatures (convexity in damage function; Chapter 3).