Topic: Environmental Impacts of Emerging Energy Technology
Country: Germany
Delegate Name: MacKenzie Rennick
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Germany position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
In our modern society, many nations such as Germany are blazing the trail in the development and deployment of renewable energy sources as well as improving the efficiency of the current fossil fuel-based system. When using these new systems, it is imperitive that we make sure that we aren’t doing more harm to the environment by using these “green” technologies.
Germany is well-known for being a leader in the production of green energy. Three of the five largest solar farms in the world operate inside Germany. We are heavily invested in wind power, and are currently forerunners in the project to place wind turbines offshore, increasing production by fifteen percent without substansive changes.
Due to our interest in these energy sources, it is necessary for Germany to investigate any problems that they might cause, and are pleased to find that there are not any conclusive problems with any of
the commonly used technologies.
The two largest complaints are that wind turbines lead to a sharp increase in the death of migratory birds, and that solar farms take up land space used by animals. To address the first issue, while there are increased amounts of avian death around wind turbines, there is no more difference than around tall buildings, and there are not enough casualties to have a significant effect upon a population. Second, while vast quantities of land are used for the placement of solar farms, proper surveying and reasonable judgment can be used to determine if an area is a nexus of migrating cows.
In closing, Germany is leading the way in enviromental technology, and we are confident that it is the right thing to do.
