Topic: Environmental Impacts of Emerging Energy Technology
Country: Ukraine
Delegate Name: Annie Kidder
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Ukraine position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
As the world moves toward clean and renewable energy sources, Ukraine is eager to move with it. One of Ukraine’s particular focus’ on renewable energy is wind power. Increasing the use and production of wind power has been a priority since 1996. However, in Ukraine, there are also possibilities for biomass energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, and hydroelectric energy. Unfortunately, Ukraine hasn’t been able to fully expand production of any of these clean energy resources due to a lack of financing.
However, it is not only the cost of implementing such programs that poses a problem. Many renewable and cleaner energy sources have unexpected side effects that can potentially be harmful to the environment, such as possible negative impact on bird population caused by wind turbines, or the disposal of lithium ion batteries from electric cars. However, Ukraine believes that these problems are currently relatively minor, especially in comparison to certain other environmental disasters we are dealing with right now, such as the BP oil spill. Furthermore, even with these emerging flaws, these green energy sources remain better for the environment than the crude energy sources that were used before them, and are still used. Though Ukraine would like to discourage time spent discussing this topic at this time, we are most certainly not opposed to furthering research on prevention of these problems as the use of green energy becomes more widespread.
Currently, in the United States, it is estimated that wind turbines will cause the death of 6,000 birds a year. This will have little effect on the bird population. Another issue regarding emerging energies is the disposal of lithium ion batteries from electric cars. These can be quite harmful to the environment if disposed of improperly. Ukraine advises that programs to safely recycle or dispose of these batteries are implemented.
Ukraine believes that this matter is not pressing at the time. Emerging problems in new energy sources are overshadowed by the worse problems in traditional energy sources, and other current environmental disasters. However, these problems could worsen as the use of green energy becomes more widespread. Conclusively, Ukraine advises that the United Nations does not currently take drastic measures, but rather keeps an eye on the problem.
