Free Market Environmentalism Disadvantage 08

FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DISAD SAMFORD DEBATE INSTITUTE ’08

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FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DISAD INDEX Thesis: The thesis of this disadvantage is that a substantial increase in alternative energy incentives would undercut free market forces which are moving the United States toward renewable energy in the present system. In the present system, high oil prices are creating a massive market incentive for companies to develop renewable energy on their own—without government funding and financing. However, the plan would provide financial incentives from the government to promote alternative energy, distorting the free market forces pushing the country toward renewable energy sources. Government intervention has a historically poor track record of “picking” the best companies and technologies in the marketplace, undercutting the best methods of creating renewable energy in the United States. Absent a strong renewable energy infrastructure, dependence on foreign energy sources and environmental destruction will persist, causing the affirmative plan to actually backfire with regard to its intended goals. In addition, the need for the affirmative case is completely obviated, as market forces alone will provide the best and most efficient alternative energy sources available.

FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DISAD INDEX.............................................1 FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DA SHELL (1/2)...........................................2 FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DA SHELL (2/2)...........................................3 UNIQUENESS EXTENSIONS...........................................................................................4 UNIQUENESS EXTENSIONS...........................................................................................5 UNIQUENESS EXTENSIONS...........................................................................................6 TIME FRAME: NOW KEY TIME.....................................................................................7 LINK EXTENSIONS: Subsidies/Incentives......................................................................8 LINK EXTENSIONS: Subsidies/Incentives......................................................................9 LINK EXTENSIONS: Mandates/Regulations.................................................................10 IMPACT EXTENSIONS: FREE MARKET SOLVES BEST..........................................11 IMPACT EXTENSIONS: FREE MARKET SOLVES BEST..........................................12 IMPACT EXTENSIONS: FREE MARKET SOLVES BEST..........................................13 Impact Extensions: Renewables Are Good.......................................................................14 *****Affirmative Answers*****......................................................................................15 Affirmative Answers..........................................................................................................16

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FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DA SHELL (1/2) A) UNIQUENESS: High oil prices are causing a move to alternative energy now: Richard Valdmanis, 6/2/2008 (http://www.reuters.com/article/CentralEuropeanInvestment08/idUSSP32671320080602) "The oil price is unsustainable. I think we've reached the point now where we're starting to see significant responses from consumers," said Jim Hamilton, professor at the University of California in San Diego. The silver lining could be in how the world fights back. Whereas in the 70s, governments looked mainly to conservation as a way to ease price woes, this

era is looking to increased investment in alternative energies and better oil field technology to reach more resources. "Our time is very definitely coming," said Jeremy Leggett, chairman of British solar power company Solarcentury and former environmental campaigner. "The world is going to be beating a path to our doors... The oil crunch is coming soon." In a sign of the shifting mentality, legendary Texas oil man T. Boone Pickens -- who made billions betting on higher oil prices -- has gone green with a plan to spend $10 billion to build

record U.S. crude oil prices have reached a "break point" that will spur a shift away from an oil-centric transportation sector toward alternatives. Alternative fuels have already made big inroads into energy markets, with ethanol making up some 7 percent of the U.S. gasoline pool thanks to government mandates and subsidies. the world's biggest wind farm. Energy analyst and oil historian Daniel Yergin said earlier this month that

B) LINK: GOVERNMENTAL ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INCENTIVES DISTORT THE FREE MARKET’S ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE INNOVATION NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY. Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). Rely on the private sector's research and development capabilities. The competitive private sector is best able to improve fuel efficiency and develop the next generation of fuels. There are many guesses as to what the “new oil” might be, but no one knows for certain—least of all the federal government. We do know, however, that finding and commercializing these new fuels is crucially important to our economic future. The best way to secure abundant energy sources in the future is to encourage entrepreneurs to discover them, not for agencies and congressional committees to try to pick winners with directed research, regulations, mandates, and subsidies. Entrepreneurs need a regulatory, trade, and tax system that creates the best climate for private-sector innovation.

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FREE MARKET ENVIRONMENTALISM DA SHELL (2/2) C) IMPACTS: 1) Central governmental planning frustrates the ability of the free market to provide for new energy sources. Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). U.S. energy policy should recognize that the creativity of free enterprise is best suited to building the infrastructure that is needed for exploration and distribution, producing domestic supplies safely, and developing viable new energy sources. To unleash American entrepreneurship, Congress and the Administration should let the free market do its job. Central planning frustrates the functioning of markets and undermines security by limiting opportunities to adapt and innovate. Washington must clear away the red tape that obstructs energy production and innovation while also assuring safety and appropriate environmental protection.

2) New energy sources key to stopping Middle East wars and stopping climate change: Gary Hart, 2007 (Former United States Senator, April 24, 2007. Online. Internet. May 7, 2007. http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_5741007) Our policy of oil dependence is why we are engaged in the second Persian Gulf war in a decade and why we will continue to fight wars in the Gulf for decades to come. To believe that military intervention is the key to security is to badly miss the point. Were we to become sufficiently independent of Persian Gulf oil, so that our economy could flourish without it, we would liberate our foreign and defense policies, contribute substantially to solving climate change, make our livelihood more secure, liberate resources for education and health, and dramatically increase our sense of genuine security.

3) Middle East war risks nuclear war: Steinbach 2002 (µwww.converge.org.nz/pma/mat0036.htm§, 3 March 2002) "Should war break out in the Middle East again,... or should any Arab nation fire missiles against Israel, as the Iraqis did, a nuclear escalation, once unthinkable except as a last resort, would now be a strong probability." Seymour Hersh(1)

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UNIQUENESS EXTENSIONS High oil prices triggering push for alternative energy now: Richard Valdmanis, 6/2/2008 (http://www.reuters.com/article/CentralEuropeanInvestment08/idUSSP32671320080602) NEW YORK (Reuters) - A surge in the price of crude is threatening global growth for the first time in decades and spurring a desperate surge in interest in energy alternatives and new technology to keep conventional oil flowing.

Higher energy prices are spurring a transition to renewable energy now: Ray Unger, 6/13/2008 (chair of Forward Investment Advisors The Capital Times, Lexis, accessed June 19, 2008) I know many environmentalists are fretting about how petulant and shortsighted many of our political leaders are about global

The cap and trade bill, in particular, showed how regional interests can sway even the most ardent supporters of global warming legislation. But they should take solace that free-market forces - namely higher energy prices - are creating incentives to reverse global warming's impact on our world economy. The DWS Climate Fund invests in companies that have these warming.

incentives.

HIGH OIL PRICES PUSH THE US TOWARD ALTERNATIVE ENERGY Steve A. Yetiv, 2/6/2006 (staff writer, San Diego Union-Tribune, Lexis, Accessed January 27, 2008). From Wall Street to Main Street, people hate high oil prices because they cause economic pain. But like coffee, red wine, and perhaps even chocolate, high oil prices can do some good too. Current energy legislation, which was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in August 2005, moved America in the right direction, but it has a core weakness. This

fails to do what higher oil prices can accomplish: decrease oil consumption in the transportation sector where 70 percent of oil is used and diminish our dependence on foreign oil. Current energy legislation, like President Bush's vision of oil independence laid out in his recent State of the Union speech,

legislation, and President Bush's vision, does encourage power sources such as nuclear, coal, solar and wind. But, with the potential partial exception of solar power, they can't run vehicles. Astonishingly, less than one-eighth of that $14.6 billion in energy legislation

what can high oil prices do that America's energy policy fails to do? First, sooner or later, high oil prices spur the development of alternative energy resources because they make it more profitable to produce them. The higher prices go, the more entrepreneurs and companies around the world work to move us beyond the hazardous petroleum era. actually decreased oil use in transportation. In particular,

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UNIQUENESS EXTENSIONS High oil prices are making alternative sources of energy more viable: Derek Brower, 2008 (staff writer, Prospect Magazine. January 31, 2008. Online. Lexis. Accessed February 10, 2008) Crude prices are close to their historical real-price high-the result of America's failed military adventures in the middle east, the economic rise of China and India and the "resource nationalism" of producer countries like Russia and Venezuela. There are other, more short-term reasons why the price of oil breached the $100-a-barrel mark in New York this January-

But one effect of the $100 barrel is to make alternative sources of energy-and of oil-more economically viable. among them deficiencies in the US refining sector and a rush of "speculative" money into the commodities markets.

Market forces will allow the growth of alternative fuels in the status quo. Charles T. Drevna, 2008 (President of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, February 7, 2008. CQ Congressional Testimony. Online. Lexis. Accessed February 10, 2008). There is universal agreement that alternative fuels will continue to be a strong and growing component of our nation’s transportation fuel mix. However, as we have stated on many occasions, including last year before this Committee, NPRA opposes the mandated use of alternative fuels and supports the sensible and workable integration of alternative fuels into the marketplace based on market principles.

Companies are increasingly moving toward renewable energy investments: Wireless News, January 17, 2008. (staff writer. Online. Lexis. Accessed March 7, 2008). Reinforcing GE's ecomagination program, GE Energy Financial Services announced that it has raised its 2010 renewable energy investing target by 50 percent to $6 billion, and has just topped $3 billion. GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE, crossed the $3 billion mark with its single highest-value wind deal, a $300 million investment in wind projects spanning four states. GE Energy Financial Services is investing equity in the 600-megawatt portfolio of wind farms in Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois and Texas owned by Houston-based Horizon Wind Energy LLC, a large US wind farm developer that is a

GE Energy Financial Services' goal of investing $6 billion in renewable energy by 2010 is a major acceleration of a previously announced target of $4 billion. subsidiary of EDP- Energias de Portugal SA.

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UNIQUENESS EXTENSIONS Major corporations are increasingly investing in renewable energy: Wireless News, January 17, 2008. (staff writer. Online. Lexis. Accessed March 7, 2008). "Thanks to our strong customer relationships, our expertise, GE's technical capabilities, high fossil fuel prices and popular support for cleaner power, renewable energy has become our fastest-growing business," said Alex Urquhart, President and CEO of GE Energy Financial Services. "With our broad capabilities to invest equity and debt within and outside the United States -- not only in wind but in solar, biomass, hydro and geothermal power -- we have become a major player in a $60 billion annual renewable energy market."

Free markets are already leading to higher miles-per-gallon vehicles. Cheryl K. Chumley, 2008 (staff writer. Environment News. Online. Internet. Accessed February 10, 2008. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=22603) Max Schulz, a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute who specializes in energy policy, believes auto manufacturers agreed to the tightened CAFE standards because of free-market advances that are naturally leading to higher miles-per-gallon vehicles anyway. "Detroit automakers have been correct in the past to oppose these CAFE standards, but [their] willingness to go along with this measure leads me to think they're going to be able to meet the new targets," Schulz said. "But that's not because of what Congress is doing. It's because of new technology ... sort of the free market at work."

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TIME FRAME: NOW KEY TIME Now is the key time for alternative energy—decisions today will affect the energy landscape for a decade: Richard Valdmanis, 6/2/2008 (http://www.reuters.com/article/CentralEuropeanInvestment08/idUSSP32671320080602) How companies and governments navigate the treacherous energy landscape -- which some analysts liken to that of the 1970s and 1980s -- will shape the future of the global economy and potentially tilt the geopolitical balance, experts said. "What happens ten years down the road will be determined by the decisions made on energy today," said David Kirsch, analyst at PFC Energy in Washington. "Countries need to get serious about the underlying problem of demand for oil."

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LINK EXTENSIONS: Subsidies/Incentives Subsidies for renewable energy undermine the innovation needed to promote new renewable technologies. James Taylor, 2008 (staff writer, Environment News. January 1, 2008. Online. Internet. Accessed. February 10, 2008. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=22424)

“It would be bad enough if these heavy subsidies were simply inefficient,” observed Tom Tanton, vice president of the Institute for Energy Research. “Worse, the subsidies to renewables are actually counterproductive. “Originally intended to spur innovation and bring these ‘infant’ technologies to market,” Tanton explained, “the subsidies are so fat--actually morbidly obese-that any incentive to innovate has long gone. “When the government is paying upwards of 65 percent of your operating costs, it is hardly worthwhile to look for 2 or 3 percent gains on margin from improved efficiency or technology,” said Tanton. “By propping up inefficient and ineffective producers, at the expense of both consumers and the few efficient producers, innovation is stifled rather than encouraged.”

Governmental initiatives undermine the ability of energy companies to promote America’s energy needs: Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). Meanwhile, many Americans harbor misunderstandings and myths about energy and market forces. They want low energy prices and plentiful supply but resist the steps that energy companies must take to achieve these goals. This confusion leads their representatives in Congress to enact conflicting policies that harm America's ability to meet its energy needs. This has to change.

A return to cheaper oil prices will decrease enthusiasm for alternative energy: Laura Thomas Gebert, 2007 (J.D. candidate, Barry University School of Law, Barry Law Review, Spring 2007. Online. Lexis. Accessed February 10, 2008). There is no guarantee that California's Solar Initiative will be as successful as its promoters hope. Although the Yale Study suggests that Americans are receptive to the idea of alternative energy, the study does not indicate how much of American sentiment is caused by the latest spike in oil prices. Common sense suggests that a return of inexpensive oil could cause public enthusiasm for alternative energy to wane. In addition, although a central tenet of the California plan is that the price of solar energy will fall as demand for photovoltaic panels increases, this idea is speculative.

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LINK EXTENSIONS: Subsidies/Incentives The plan’s adds unpredictability to the market for alternative energy—destroying market effectiveness: Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). In today's dangerous world, policymakers must take steps to secure America's energy sources and protect the nation's energy infrastructure. However, they also need to keep down the economic cost of achieving security by enabling the energy production and distribution market to operate as efficiently as possible. Markets function most efficiently when they are transparent and predictable and when businesses can respond to market incentives.

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LINK EXTENSIONS: Mandates/Regulations Governmental mandates of particular kinds of renewable energy destroy free market innovation: Charles T. Drevna, 2008 (President of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, February 7, 2008. CQ Congressional Testimony. Online. Lexis. Accessed February 10, 2008). Energy policy based on mandates is not a recipe for success. There is no free market if every gallon of biofuels - including those that do not exist - is mandated. Mandates distort markets and result in stifled competition and innovation. Ethanol is currently used in more than half of U.S. gasoline supplies. And despite the misperceptions, our industry supports the use of renewables. In fact, we are currently the largest

allowing the market to operate is the best way to address consumer needs at reasonable prices. consumers of ethanol and will continue to rely on ethanol as a vital gasoline blend stock. However, we believe that

Governmental efforts to force renewable energy use distort the marketplace. Ben Lieberman, 2007 (senior policy analyst in the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, December 22, 2007. Online. Internet. Accessed February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed122207a.cfm). There shouldn't be any mystery why these laws fail. They all involve Congress trying to force the public into using something the marketplace has rejected. If newfangled toilets or increased ethanol usage actually made sense, they would catch on without heavy-handed government mandates. Ditto the required modifications to appliances. More often than not, this kind of government interference with the free market works to the detriment of consumers. Washington may think it is passing energy bills, but all it's really doing is proving the law of unintended consequences.

Governmental mandates undermine environmental goals. Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). Avoid costly environmental regulatory mandates that will achieve little environmental gain. Numerous costly regulations have been proposed or implemented to address various environmental goals, from water quality to global warming. However, past experience— such as with the morass of gasoline regulations that push up the price at the pump and the requirements that have stopped construction of any new coal-fired power plants for the past 15 years—shows that mandates can be expensive and economically harmful while making only marginal progress toward environmental goals. The full cost of current and proposed regulations and mandates, including the economic and security impact, should be evaluated and compared with the likely environmental gain.

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IMPACT EXTENSIONS: FREE MARKET SOLVES BEST Private sector development best promotes energy independence and a move away from fossil fuels. Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). Ensure that any effort to reduce reliance on foreign oil is grounded in policies that are best for the economy. Reducing oil imports from unstable or unfriendly regimes should be done in a way that minimizes the economic cost to Americans. Policies such as raising taxes on gasoline while mandating or subsidizing expensive or unproven alternative fuels and vehicles lead to large costs with marginal—or even negative—results. The first steps in reducing reliance on foreign oil are to make full use of domestic petroleum reserves and to remove disincentives to investment in oil production from friendly nations. These should be coupled with efforts to encourage diversification away from petroleum, which will be best achieved not by government fiat, but by the private sector–led development of alternatives that can compete in their own right.

The free market is the best way to promote energy innovation. International Chamber of Commerce, 2007 (Policy statement. May 2007. Online. Internet.

http://www.iccwbo.org/uploadedFiles/ICC/policy/Environment/Policy%20Statem ent%20Energy%20Security.pdf) · Governments should establish stable, long-term energy policy, recognizing the need for open, competitive markets supported by reliable legal, fiscal and regulatory frameworks to encourage energy investment and innovation that responds to and marshals market forces.

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IMPACT EXTENSIONS: FREE MARKET SOLVES BEST Business investments in the energy sector function best in a free, open marketplace. International Chamber of Commerce, 2007 (Policy statement. May 2007. Online. Internet.

http://www.iccwbo.org/uploadedFiles/ICC/policy/Environment/Policy%20Statem ent%20Energy%20Security.pdf) Business plays a crucial role in energy security. The private sector provides significant investment and produces, transports and distributes energy to end users, and is a significant energy user itself. Business’ ability to generate economic growth and its associated benefits (basic infrastructure development, job creation, technology transfer, sustainable development and in some cases regional benefits) depends on access to reliable, affordable energy. Business provides solutions to energy security challenges through research and development of new energy-relevant technologies and subsequent commercialization, deployment and transfer. Business operates most effectively to meet demand in open, competitive markets. This is true not only in local markets driven by individual consumers, but also in today's increasingly global energy markets. Business exploration for energy supplies, energy efficiency and conservation measures are all important contributions to balancing future energy supply and demand.

Free enterprise best protects America’s energy interests. Stuart Butler & Kim Holmes, 2007 (Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies & Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at Heritage Foundation. Twelve Principles to Guide U.S. Energy Policy. Online. Internet. Accessed, February 10, 2008, http://www.heritage.org/Research/EnergyandEnvironment/bg2046.cfm). Americans clearly understand that freedom, opportunity, and their very quality of life suffer when abundant, affordable energy supplies are threatened. They expect Washington to enact policies that protect their interests. Congress and the Administration would do this best by following these 12 principles to unleash the power of free enterprise, protect America's energy interests, and advance freedom in energy markets not just at home, but worldwide.

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IMPACT EXTENSIONS: FREE MARKET SOLVES BEST Free markets create incentives for energy conservation. Lawrence Kudlow, 2006 (former Reagan economic advisor. April 26, 2006. Online. Internet. Accessed February 10, 2008. http://lkmp.blogspot.com/2006/04/free-markets-work.html) Confiscating Lee Raymond’s bank account will not produce more energy. Nor will breaking up oil companies as per Sen. Chuck Schumer’s goofy idea. And a windfall profits tax will only lower energy exploration and investment. The point is free markets work. Rising prices from the global economic boom will lead to more conservation, less consumption, and more production. That is, if government steps out of the way, deregulates sufficiently, and finally allows drilling in ANWR, the Outer Continental Shelf, sets up LNG terminals, and creates nuclear power facilities. Just look at the deregulated boom in Canadian oil sands production.

Any failure to develop renewable energy solutions is because renewables are not economically feasible. James Taylor, 2008 (staff writer, Environment News. January 1, 2008. Online. Internet. Accessed. February 10, 2008. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=22424) The GAO report, released October 26, directly contradicts assertions by renewable power advocates who claim fossil fuels receive disproportionately favorable federal subsidies. “GAO is to be complimented for finally exposing the folly of excessive subsidies to the renewable energy industry,” said Jay Lehr, science director for The Heartland Institute. “Wind, solar, and biofuels have been around and in use for nearly a century, and if renewable power could have been made economically feasible for large-scale use, entrepreneurs and industries would already have created a successful renewable power industry.”

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Impact Extensions: Renewables Are Good [Note the affirmative may have already claimed such advantages]

The failure to develop adequate alternative energy supplies risks future wars for oil Gerald Kaufman, 2007 (May 2, 2007. Online. Internet. May 7, 2007. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/letters/sflpb312may02,0,5136194.story?coll=sfla-news-letters) In my opinion, we are being governed by politicians who have been false to their obligations and therefore by definition are traitors. By not developing a comprehensive, credible plan to reduce our dependence on imported oil, we are in effect being encouraged to pollute our atmosphere, go to war for oil and enrich our enemies. This will continue until we demand action to remedy the situation. I challenge our elected officials to start a dialogue with their constituents and prove me wrong.

High oil prices will lead to solutions to global warming. Steve A. Yetiv, 2006 (San Diego Union-Tribune, February 6. Online. Lexis. Accessed February 10, 2008). Fourth, high oil prices benefit the environment. Indeed, one study has shown that a broad energy tax on carbon content in fuels would reduce oil use and carbon emissions by over 10 percent. For that matter, vehicles that run on fuel cells emit only water and heat as waste, and hybrids emit more limited emissions than conventional vehicles. Since carbon emissions cause global warming -- a scientific fact rather than science fiction -- we should tip our hats to high oil prices, in this respect.

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*****Affirmative Answers***** (--) No link: evidence isn’t specific to the affirmative plan (--) No threshold: no reason the plan decreases prices enough to trigger the disad (--) Non-unique: High oil prices merely causing a push for new forms of fossil fuels: Richard Valdmanis, 6/2/2008 (http://www.reuters.com/article/CentralEuropeanInvestment08/idUSSP32671320080602) Americans have already tapped the brakes on their notoriously voracious road travel and are also starting buy more fuel efficient cars in a shift away from SUV's. But the move isn't all green. Rising prices and the scarcity of conventional supplies have triggered an inflow of cash into development of nonconventional petroleum sources -- like the Alberta oil sands, gas shale in Colorado and technology to turn coal into motorfuel -- that could be harmful to the environment. Companies have already poured $100 billion into the Alberta oil sands and hope to triple production by 2015. "The signals that (record oil) could send are a little scary," said Chris Walker, the North American director of The Climate Group, an international nonprofit organization.

(--) The case solves the impact: we cause renewable energy (--) Non-unique: High oil prices is causing a push for drilling, not renewables: Moira Herbst, 6/20/2008 (staff writer, Business Week, http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2008/db20080619_412349.ht m?chan=top+news_top+news+index_news+%2B+analysis) High energy prices are painful for consumers, but they're giving politicians plenty of rhetorical opportunities. On June 18, President George W. Bush kicked off a speech with an empathetic refrain heard often in Washington these days. "For many Americans, there is no more pressing concern than the price of gasoline," he said at a press conference. "Truckers and farmers and small business owners have been hit especially hard. Every American who drives to work, purchases food, or ships a product has felt the effect. And families across our country are looking to

Bush's preferred response: lift a ban on drilling off the U.S. coast, open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, develop oil shale resources, and expand domestic oil-refining capacity. He echoed the views of the GOP Presidential candidate, Senator John Washington for a response."

McCain (R-Ariz.), who this week also called for more offshore drilling and new nuclear power plants. They follow the June 17 announcement by Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who surprised many by reversing his long-stated opposition to drilling off that state's coast. "I mean, let's face it, the price of gas has gone through the roof, and Florida families are suffering. And my heart bleeds for them," Crist said, according to the Associated Press.

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Affirmative Answers (--) Turn: FOOD PRICES A) High oil prices cause high food prices Richard Valdmanis, 6/2/2008 (http://www.reuters.com/article/CentralEuropeanInvestment08/idUSSP32671320080602) High prices are hitting motorists at the pumps, hobbling energy-intensive industries like airlines and freight and feeding broader inflation including prices hikes for food that have led to protests and even in extreme cases riots around the world. "The oil price is unsustainable. I think we've reached the point now where we're starting to see significant responses from consumers," said Jim Hamilton, professor at the University of California in San Diego.

B) Food price increases threaten 1.1 billion people Power, staff, Tampa Tribune, January 20, 1996, Lexis "Even if they are merely blips, higher international prices can hurt poor countries that import a significant portion of their food," he said. "Rising prices can also quickly put food out of reach of the 1.1 billion people in the developing world who live on a dollar a day or less." He also said many people in low-income countries already spend more than half of their income on food.

(--) Turn: Global recession: A) Oil price hikes threaten a global recession: Richard Valdmanis, 6/2/2008 (http://www.reuters.com/article/CentralEuropeanInvestment08/idUSSP32671320080602) In the meantime continued price hikes are darkening the clouds on the global economic horizon. Energy experts said a continued rise could worsen an economic slowdown in Europe and the United States, already hit by a housing slump and credit crisis and potentially trigger a decisive recession. It's also bad news for the developing Asian economies that fueled the spike, threatening to slow down their pace of growth. "We'll see growth slow globally," said Jay Bryson, global economist at Wachovia Bank. "But the big losers are the oil importers of the world, including (South) Korea, Japan, China and a lot of other Asian economies in general."

B) Economic Decline Causes Nuclear War: Walter Mead, NPQ's Board of Advisors, New Perspectives Quarterly, Summer 1992, p.30 What if the global economy stagnates-or even shrinks? In the case, we will face a new period of international conflict: South against North, rich against poor, Russia, China, India-these countries with their billions of people and their nuclear weapons will pose a much greater danger to world order than Germany and Japan did in the '30s.