Topic: Offshore Drilling
Country: Portugal
Delegate Name: Gabby Corwin
School: Traverse City West High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Portugal position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
Portugal understands the problem of offshore drilling in the world. However, we are a country trying to create a balance between using oil and finding other ways to create energy. We find offshore drilling to be a good way to get oil as long as it is environmentally safe. At the same time we use wind power and other sources of energy to balance our uses of oil. We are building offshore turbines that can create 100% more revenue than inland turbines. Portugal does not want the environment to be harmed and we understand why some countries would not want offshore rigs. Pollution is harming our country just as much as it is harming others. As long as countries limit the pollution and keep drilling safe it can be a very effective method.
Wind turbines creates energy that replaces energy coming from natural gases and oil. Portugal launched one of Europe's largest wind power projects that would supply enough energy for 750,000 homes . In 2007, out of all energy produced by our country, 10.2% was from wind . In 2006, 36 new wind farms were opened . The offshore wind turbines that we have been using can produce much more energy than some inland turbines. Another program in Portugal that we use for energy is wave power. Portugal places wave generators out off the coast to produce energy that will power many off the nations homes . We are hoping that someday soon that our wave plants will supply 20% of our energy . Portugal has also opened the world's largest solar energy plant.
Portugal is a country committed to using less fossil fuel resources each year. Portugal uses alternate renewable resources such as geo-thermal, tidal, solar, wave, and wind power . Using a balance of energy sources reduces the amount of greenhouse gases produced and helps slow pollution. “This new goal will place Portugal in the frontline of renewable energy and make it,” is what Jose Socrates, Portugal's prime minister '07, said about his goal of having almost half of his countries energy be from bio-fuels . Portugal is becoming less dependent on oil, therefore is emitting less CO2 into the atmosphere. We are a country that is reducing the growth of many pollutants.
