The title of this debate was, “This house believes that conservation of the natural environment has greater importance than economic growth”.

For this debate we were split into the two groups, which were Marine Environmental Management (MEM) and Marine Leisure Management (MLM). The MEM group was to purpose the title of the debate, and the MLM was to argue to oppose this. Each group had to come up with their own agreements to back up what they were arguing.

As I’m part of the MEM team, my individual argument was to argue about deforestation and from this palm oil plantation. My main resource was the internet, the Green Peace UK website, also using other website such as mongabay and also I used case studies which I found was related to the topic. My information was mainly more globally. Deforestation is such a pressing and urgent issue around the world. Forests are not just important to the human race, they give a home to round about 50% - 90% of all organisms, and about 50 million creatures that can live no other places than a rainforests. What they trees give to us the human race range between food to life giving medicines, according to the world rainforests movement they say that 25% of medicines come from the forests. Also another thing that the trees give to us is that they improve the quality of the air. This is from how the species and other practices that produced some sort of pollution breathe out the carbon and the trees trap it. Trees are what cool and regulates the earth’s climate. This shows how Mother Nature or Earth has given much responsibility.

I found out how palm oil is used a lot around the world such as certain food products (margarine, chocolate, oven chips and other), in cosmetics and also used for biodiesel. In result of palm oil plantation this is another source of deforestation, which happens all around the world. But this is very devasting as there is such a high demand for this, for this to happens tropical rainforests and peatland in South East Asia are being cut down to make way for these palm oil plantations. But the problem is particularly acute in Indonesia. By this Indonesia was named the country with the fastest rate of deforestation, by the 2008 Guinness Book of Records. Experts say that in Indonesia they already have six million hectors of palm oil plantation and there is a plan for another four million by 2015. Also in Indonesia no less than ten million out of their twenty-two point five million hectors of peatland have already been deforested and drained.

But as I said before palm oil is also used for biodiesel. You would think this is a good thing by using biodiesel as this is meant to be reducing the impact of climate change, but in fact there is a downside to it. The down side of this is that instead of reducing the impact it could actually make things worse. This is by clearing the forests and draining and also burning the paetland to grow palm oil, this in term will release more carbon emissions than burning fossil fuels.

Deforestation is a main issue for the whole of the environment. As the forests are getting destroyed this effects all the life around on this planet, from the very small parasites to the human race. This is from when trees have been or being cut down at increasing high rates, and what has been found out this could result in bad side effects. So from this research I found out that there were a lot of consequences from deforestation. Also how this urgent issue isn’t getting as much attention as it should do.

The other debate issues in the MEM team not in any particular order:

· First of was the opening statement introducing what we were arguing and a little introduction of each topics.
· One person who had general help around the other arguements we had, also had figures and facts on morality.
· Another person talked about how algae (seaweed) and its importance to the environment. This topic was more on global issues.
· Another person’s topic was about the cruise ships and the dredging also how this causes pollution and what environmental impact it has on earth. This was more local issues.
· Another topic was how the aquaculture and overfishing was effecting the environment.
· Then there was also my topic on deforestation and referring to palm oil plantation, what has been done and what it is doing to the earth.

The other group which were the MLM who were opposing this, their issues where, not in any particular order:

· They started with the opening statement by explain why the economic growth is so important.
· One person talked about the general ecomonics and the local economy in Cornwall and the UK.
· Another person was backing how it was important by talking about how the marina being built.
· Another person was talking about another present issue, which was about the gulf course being built in Scotland and Donald Trump’s answers to this.
· The other topic which was address was the Heathrow airport expansion, were plans have been discussed in recent news.



To evaluate the debate I would say that the group I’m in the MEM our preparation was very good on are individual topics, but i thought on the whole its was not as well prepared in its flow. I thought this because for me personally I didn’t get to know the flow of the arguements and the didn’t know the other topics of the other members in the group, so for me personally i didn’t feel prepared in that way. But in a whole the groups ability to deliver the topics of each individual topics they presented them very well and clear to the other team. At first it was hard understanding the complex of the issue but after discussing with the other people in the group it got more clearly. Ideas for the future would be to discuss each others issues to help everyone feel comfortable when going into the debate and ready, also how all team members can get an understanding on the issue in the debate.

I personally think the MLM group were very prepared and they delivered their arguements to us very well and understandable. WE both came to the conclusion that both issues were very important and in the end we just came to a draw on all of it.

References

GreenPeace http:www.greenpeace.org.uk/forests/palm-oil