Tournament: VBT | Round: 1 | Opponent: Jae Lee | Judge: Chris Castillo
I affirm
In response to out of control poaching and plummeting Elephant populations, the international trade of Ivory was banned in 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES. Although the ban was initially successful at stabilizing elephant populations, recently poaching is on the rise.
Large sell-offs of Ivory stockpiles by African Elephant Range Countries have stimulated demand and provided an incentive for poachers. 

Kahumbu 2012 Paula Kahumbu - Executive Director of Wildlife Direct. “Why it's time to ban the ivory trade for good” Environmental News. 12/12/2012 http://news.mongabay.com/2012/1212-kahumbu-op-ed-poaching.html#jf7Yt1yP5YPczdHI.99

To make matters worse, Kenya is not just a haven for poachers, it
AND
or has already started to threaten conservation efforts and relations with local communities. 

AND, loopholes have undermined the ‘89 ban. The sale of pre-ban ivory is still legal, making it impossible to delineate legal and illicit ivory, and domestic markets are unregulated by CITES. So, when one-off sales flood the markets, laundering becomes easy.
Montazeri 2013  Sharon Montazeri  - Senior Notes Editor, Cardozo Journal Of International and Comparative Law. Candidate for Juris Doctor, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, May 2014; B.A. (cum laude), New York University, May 2011. “PROTECTING THE PACHYDERM: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IVORY TRADE REGULATION FOR AFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION” CARDOZO J. OF INT’L and COMP. LAW Vol. 22 2013
In 1975, CITES placed the Asian elephant in Appendix I.104 A few
AND
border control security has resulted in a perfect storm of noncompliance with CITES.

Thus, I advocate that all African Elephant Range Countries institute a ban on the domestic harvesting, sale, export of all Ivory and Ivory products, and adopt non-extractive use policies toward local elephant populations.  
Sub-point A: Solvency 

An absolute ban would make it much more difficult for illicit traders to launder ivory. Any legal means of trading facilitates poaching. 

Montazeri 2 Senior Notes Editor, Cardozo Journal Of International and Comparative Law. Candidate for Juris Doctor, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, May 2014; B.A. (cum laude), New York University, May 2011. “PROTECTING THE PACHYDERM: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IVORY TRADE REGULATION FOR AFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION” CARDOZO J. OF INT’L and COMP. LAW Vol. 22 2013

Any curbing on the legal sale of ivory also reduces illegal ivory
AND
elephant populations, as will be discussed infra in Part V. B.¶ 

A ban on ivory sales would drive up prices, reducing demand, and driving suppliers out of the market.

Montazeri 3 Senior Notes Editor, Cardozo Journal Of International and Comparative Law. Candidate for Juris Doctor, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, May 2014; B.A. (cum laude), New York University, May 2011. “PROTECTING THE PACHYDERM: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IVORY TRADE REGULATION FOR AFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION” CARDOZO J. OF INT’L and COMP. LAW Vol. 22 2013

On the other hand, one-off sales and other means of legally trading
AND
and public policy efforts to ensure compliance with such a sizeable trade restriction.

Sub-Point B: Biodiversity Adv

Although initially stabilized by the CITES ban, elephant populations are plummeting and on the brink. If nothing is done the African Elephant could be extinct by 2020. 

Matt Forde 2011 Matt Forde - Why the African Elephant Could Be Extinct by 2020, Environmental
Graffiti (2011), http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/animals/news-african-elephants-be- extinct-2020.

But a dark stain is fast returning to this beautiful landscape. Despite the worldwide
AND
elephants in Africa could become extinct by as soon as 2020.

AND, Elephants are a keystone species. Loss of African Elephants could lead to the extinction of up to 50 of species in the ecosystem. 

Western 1989 David Western, Chairman of the African Conservation Centre, Professor of Biology at UCSD and UofM , Pachyderm: A Publication of the African Elephant and Rhino Specialist Group, number 12, 1989

Elephants play a previously overlooked keystone role in African savannas, and almost certainly tropical
AND
our keystone species and we will lose a great deal more in the proces

AND, A loss of biodiversity will cause human extinction.

Diner 1994 Major David Diner, JAG Corps, United States Army, Winter 1994, Military Law Review, 143 Mil. L. Rev. 161, p. 170-173

Why Do We Care? -- No species has ever dominated its fellow species as
AND
aircraft’s wings, mankind humankind may be edging closer to the abyss

Sub-point C: Terrorism Adv

Al-Qaeda is seeking a nuclear device to use against the U.S. If they get a weapon they will use it. This is not an empty threat it is a top priority. 

Harvard’s Belfer Center 2010 Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs “Al Qaeda Weapons of Mass Destruction Threat: Hype or Reality? A Timeline of Terrorists' Efforts to Acquire WMD” Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. January 2010. http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19852/al_qaeda_weapons_of_mass_destruction_threat.html

Osama bin Ladin's assertion in 1998 that it was his Islamic duty to acquire weapons
AND
course of devising a "dirty bomb," or a radiological dispersal device.

East Africa is hot-spot for the potential smuggling of nuclear materials to terrorist groups. Al-Shabaab poses the greatest threat in the region and is intimately connected to Al-Qaeda and provides an opportunity to obtain a nuclear device. 

Huber 2010 Rita Grossman-Vermaas, Konrad Huber, Alexandra Kapitanskaya -- “Minimizing Threat Convergence Risks  in East Africa and the Horn of Africa:  Prospects for Achieving Security and Stability” Center for the Study of Threat Convergence. May 2010.

Nonetheless, there have been reports of smuggling of nuclear source material which are a
AND
mitigating a threat convergence scenario in, or ¶ from, the region.
And, nuclear terror causes extinction.

Ayson 2010 Robert – Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington – “After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Volume 33, Issue 7, July AT

A terrorist nuclear attack, and even the use of nuclear weapons in response by
AND
, is further international cooperation on the control of existing fissile material holdings.
Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda rely on ivory for funding. Al-Shabaab receives 40 of its funding from illicit ivory. 

Goldsmith on December 18th, Zac Goldsmith, journalist and member of UK Parliament, “At This Rate, Elephants Will be Extinct Within 10 Years,” The Independent Dec 18, 2013 MOCH

Beyond the sheer pettiness of the trinkets, there is a more sinister motivation too
AND
Lord's Resistance Army, and Sudan's murderous Janjaweed organisation, and many others.

AND, ending the Ivory trade is THE key to stopping al-shabaab and other terror groups. The revenue from Ivory gives Shabaab a decisive recruiting advantage. 

LA Times October 14th Laurel Neme, Andrea Crosta and Nir Kalron – Laurel Neme is the author of "Animal Investigators: How the World's First Wildlife Forensics Lab Is Solving Crimes and Saving Endangered Species." Andrea Crosta is founder of the Los Angeles-based Elephant Action League. Nir Kalron is founder and CEO of Maisha Consulting. “Terrorism and the ivory trade” LA Times. October 14, 2013. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/commentary/la-oe-neme-ivory-poaching-terrorism-20131014,0,1915512.story#axzz2nvbkTWCc

If the world needs another reason to get serious about combating elephant poaching, here's
AND
ultimately to slaughtered human beings, like those in the Nairobi shopping mall.

Sub-point D: Impact calculus. 

The resolution is not a comparison of action to inaction, prioritizing environmental protection or resource extraction would both prescribe particular actions that would involve trade-offs between the interests of different parties. This is generally true of government policy and means states must evaluate the consequences of their actions. 

Sunstein 2005 Cass R. Sunstein  and Adrian Vermeule “Is Capital Punishment Morally Required? Acts, Omissions, and Life-Life Tradeoffs.  Copyright (c) 2005 The Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University.  Stanford Law Review December, 2005 58 Stan. L. Rev. 703

The critics of capital punishment have been led astray by uncritically applying the act/
AND
creating entitlements  *722  and prohibitions, is not inaction at all.

AND, the interests of species groups are more important than the interests of individuals. 

Holmes Rolston Distinguished Professor, Department of Philosophy Colorado State University Reflecting on Nature: Readings in Environmental Philosophy. Edited by Gruen, Lori, and Dale Jamieson (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), Contains Rolston, "Environmental Ethics: Values in and Duties to the Natural World," pp. 65--84.

A species exists; a species ought to exist. An environmental ethics must make
AND
level? The appropriate survival unit is the appropriate level of moral concern.

AND, species extinction is the biggest impact. 

Holmes Rolston 2 Distinguished Professor, Department of Philosophy Colorado State University. Reflecting on Nature: Readings in Environmental Philosophy. Edited by Gruen, Lori, and Dale Jamieson (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), Contains Rolston, "Environmental Ethics: Values in and Duties to the Natural World," pp. 65--84.

A shutdown of the life stream is the most destructive event possible. The wrong
AND
An ethics of respect for life is urgent at the level of species.¶

Tournament: Stanford | Round: 1 | Opponent: all | Judge: all
I affirm.
Advantage 1: Peak Oil
The global model of industrial agriculture has massive over-reliance on fossil fuels – means peak oil guarantees total collapse within 40 years

Barker 7 (Debbie, international director for the Center for Food Safety, public policy institute, and director of the International Forum on Globalization, think tank that analyses economic globalization) “The Rise and Predictable Fall of Globalized Industrial Agriculture” a report from the international forum on globalization AT
Oil shortages cause extinction
Lendman 7 (Steven, Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization. “Resource Wars - Can We Survive Them?,” Rense.com, 6-6-7, pg. http://www.rense.com/general76/resrouce.htm
Advantage 2: Disease
 A shift to small farms is key to adapt to disease, and pests – solves use of pesticides
Ho 13 (Mae-Wan, Ph. D. in Biochemistry, Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemical Genetics, in the University of California in San Diego, Senior Research Fellow in Queen Elizabeth College, Lecturer in Genetics and Reader in Biology in Open University, Visiting Reader in Biology at the Open University, and Visiting Professor of Biophysics in Catania University, Sicily) “Paradigm Shift Urgently Needed In Agriculture – UN Agencies Call for an End to Industrial Agriculture and Food System” Permaculture Research Institute Sept 18 AT
Pesticides cause fertility decreases that results in extinction
WDP 97 Western Daily Press, 10/6/1997. “Diana's gone all sari-eyed,”
Industrial farming creates antibiotic resistance
Cassuto and Saville 12 (David, professor at Pace Law School and the Director of the Brazil-American Institute for Law and Environment, Visiting Professor of Law at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil; and Sarah, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2012, at Pace Law School) “HOT, CROWDED, AND LEGAL: A LOOK AT INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES AND BRAZIL” ANIMAL LAW Vol. 18:2 AT
Antibiotic-resistant diseases cause extinction
Sample 13 Ian, Science Correspondent for the Guardian, citing Dame Sally Davies, United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer, January 23, “Antibiotic-Resistant Diseases Pose 'Apocalyptic' Threat, Top Expert Says,” http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/23/antibiotic-resistant-diseases-apocalyptic-threat
Advantage 3: Ocean Biodiversity 

Industrial farming causes deadzones which also causes water crisis and destroys ocean ecosystems
Wagner 9 (Cynthia, Editor of The Futurist magazine, explores the technological, scientific, environmental, social, and policy trends shaping our collective future) “Oceans’ Dead Zones on the Rise” World Future Society, Nov-Dec 2009 AT
Ocean degradation causes extinction
Craig 3 Robin Craig, Indiana University, Robin Kundis, Winter, 34 McGeorge L. Rev. 155, p. 264-266
Advantage 4: Water Scarcity 

A shift to organic ag solves water crisis and ecosystem disruption
Pretty 6—Professor of Environment and Society at University of Essex Jules Pretty, Agroecological Approaches to Agricultural Development, Background Paper for the World Development Report 2008, November 2006
Destruction of the water cycle causes extinction
GNG 12 (Global Nomad Group, an international NGO whose mission is to foster dialogue and understanding among the world’s youth, http://gng.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Module-2-Flows-and-Cycles1.pdf?f22064)JFS
Thus the plan – developing countries should implement programs to support organic agriculture. This involves a shift from industrial agriculture, which uses monocultural production by large corporations for exports, to sustainable agriculture, which uses organic farming techniques by small farmers for local consumption.
That’s key to effect a shift to small-scale, sustainable agriculture – 7 warrants
Hoffmann 11 (head of the Trade and Sustainable Development Section at the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, member of the International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture, editor in chief of UNCTAD's annual Trade and Environment Review) “ASSURING FOOD SECURITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES UNDER THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE: KEY TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES OF A FUNDAMENTAL TRANSFORMATION OF AGRICULTURE” UN Conference on Trade and Development Discussion Paper No 201, Feb 2011 AT
Framework 

Utilitarianism is true.

1. Epistemically the only basis for truth is practical use.

James, William. Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking . New York: Longman Green and Co., 1907
2. A pragmatic approach to moral belief is necessary moral theories must be helpful in guiding action, otherwise they would not tell us anything interesting about what we ought to do. 

Misak “The Pragmatic Maxim: How to Get Leverage on a Maxim.” Cheryl Misak. Harvard Review of Philosophy Vol XVII 2010.
3. On this topic specifically, role-playing to model policymaking is the best way to promote education. 

Babb (Stephen, debate coach) “Topic Analysis by Stephen Babb” Victory Topic Analysis: Jan-Feb 2014 AT

4. If there’s even a risk of ethical uncertainty, we should always prioritize the survival of the human race to ensure future value.
Nick Bostrom – 2012 Faculty of Philosophy and Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford., Existential Risk Prevention as Global Priority.  Forthcoming book (Global Policy). MP. http://www.existenti...org/concept.pdf
5. Policy actions inevitably entail rights tradeoffs, Util. is the only philosophy appropriate for government use. 

Gary Woller, June 1997 (BYU Prof.), “An Overview by Gary Woller”, A Forum on the Role of Environmental Ethics, pg. 10/
Thus, the standard is minimizing existential risk. 

Underview

Aff gets RVIs
Aff gets drop the argument –
Use reasonability for T and Theory

Tournament: NDCA | Round: 2 | Opponent: Tommy Phung | Judge: Patrick Grahm
Advantage 1: Peak Oil
Peak oil is real and causes conflict – new discoveries are irrelevant since prices would be too high, reserves insufficient, and production is insufficient – this is confirmed by consensus
Ahmed 12/23 Nafeez, That Badass Security Author, Executive Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Development, Former Professor of International Relations at the University of Sussex, 2013, “Former BP Geologist: Peak Oil is Here and it Will ‘Break Economies’” http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/dec/23/british-petroleum-geologist-peak-oil-break-economy-recession
A former … in the longer term."
The global model of industrial agriculture has massive over-reliance on fossil fuels – means peak oil guarantees total collapse within 40 years

Barker 7 (Debbie, international director for the Center for Food Safety, public policy institute, and director of the International Forum on Globalization, think tank that analyses economic globalization) “The Rise and Predictable Fall of Globalized Industrial Agriculture” a report from the international forum on globalization AT
Recently, there has … later in Part Three.
Oil shortages cause extinction
Lendman 7 (Steven, Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization. “Resource Wars - Can We Survive Them?,” Rense.com, 6-6-7, pg. http://www.rense.com/general76/resrouce.htm
With the world's … would have survived.
Advantage 2: Disease
 A shift to small farms is key to adapt to disease, and pests – solves use of pesticides
Ho 13 (Mae-Wan, Ph. D. in Biochemistry, Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemical Genetics, in the University of California in San Diego, Senior Research Fellow in Queen Elizabeth College, Lecturer in Genetics and Reader in Biology in Open University, Visiting Reader in Biology at the Open University, and Visiting Professor of Biophysics in Catania University, Sicily) “Paradigm Shift Urgently Needed In Agriculture – UN Agencies Call for an End to Industrial Agriculture and Food System” Permaculture Research Institute Sept 18 AT
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference … longer suitable for agriculture.
Pesticides cause fertility decreases that results in extinction
WDP 97 Western Daily Press, 10/6/1997. “Diana's gone all sari-eyed,”
For new research … now and again?
Industrial farming creates antibiotic resistance
Cassuto and Saville 12 (David, professor at Pace Law School and the Director of the Brazil-American Institute for Law and Environment, Visiting Professor of Law at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil; and Sarah, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2012, at Pace Law School) “HOT, CROWDED, AND LEGAL: A LOOK AT INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES AND BRAZIL” ANIMAL LAW Vol. 18:2 AT
The U.S. … treat human illnesses.62
Antibiotic-resistant diseases cause extinction
Sample 13 Ian, Science Correspondent for the Guardian, citing Dame Sally Davies, United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer, January 23, “Antibiotic-Resistant Diseases Pose 'Apocalyptic' Threat, Top Expert Says,” http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jan/23/antibiotic-resistant-diseases-apocalyptic-threat
Britain's most senior …trouble," Johnson added.
Advantage 3: Ocean Biodiversity 

Industrial farming causes deadzones which also causes water crisis and destroys ocean ecosystems
Wagner 9 (Cynthia, Editor of The Futurist magazine, explores the technological, scientific, environmental, social, and policy trends shaping our collective future) “Oceans’ Dead Zones on the Rise” World Future Society, Nov-Dec 2009 AT
A predicted global … enforceable environmental regulations.
Ocean degradation causes extinction
Craig 3 Robin Craig, Indiana University, Robin Kundis, Winter, 34 McGeorge L. Rev. 155, p. 264-266
Biodiversity and ecosystem function arguments for conserving marine ecosystems also exist, just as they do for terrestrial ecosystems, but these arguments have thus far rarely been raised in political debates. For example, besides significant tourism values - the most economically valuable ecosystem service coral reefs provide, worldwide - coral reefs protect against storms and dampen other environmental fluctuations, services worth more than ten times the reefs' value for food production. Waste treatment is another significant, non-extractive ecosystem function that intact coral reef ecosystems provide. … of business as a result. 

Advantage 4: Water Scarcity 

A shift to organic ag solves water crisis and ecosystem disruption
Pretty 6—Professor of Environment and Society at University of Essex Jules Pretty, Agroecological Approaches to Agricultural Development, Background Paper for the World Development Report 2008, November 2006
Widespread appreciation of … levels of productivity. Pg. 19
Destruction of the water cycle causes extinction
GNG 12 (Global Nomad Group, an international NGO whose mission is to foster dialogue and understanding among the world’s youth, http://gng.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Module-2-Flows-and-Cycles1.pdf?f22064)JFS
The water cycle … resources that are  still available. 

Thus the plan – developing countries should implement programs to support organic agriculture. This involves a shift from industrial agriculture, which uses monocultural production by large corporations for exports, to sustainable agriculture, which uses organic farming techniques by small farmers for local consumption.
That’s key to effect a shift to small-scale, sustainable agriculture – 7 warrants
Hoffmann 11 (head of the Trade and Sustainable Development Section at the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, member of the International Task Force on Harmonization and Equivalence in Organic Agriculture, editor in chief of UNCTAD's annual Trade and Environment Review) “ASSURING FOOD SECURITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES UNDER THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE: KEY TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES OF A FUNDAMENTAL TRANSFORMATION OF AGRICULTURE” UN Conference on Trade and Development Discussion Paper No 201, Feb 2011 AT
First of all… adaptation and mitigation.

Framework
Utilitarianism is true. 

Part 1 is Pragmatism 

The essentialist view of truth cannot guide action. As soon as we try to speak normatively, our language returns to discussing the value of holding a belief, not if it correlates some essential nature of truth—only pragmatism escapes this. 

Rorty (Richard) “Pragmatism, Relativism, and Irrationalism” Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association, Vol. 53, No. 6. (Aug.,1980), pp. 717+719-738. DD

My first characterization … reflection, or from art.

Part 2 is Reductionism 

Personal identity is not relevant.
Shoemaker Summarizes Parfit David Shoemaker 2012. "Personal Identity and Ethics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2012 Edition).
By way of explanation… Call this the Identity Doesn't Matter (IDM) view.
Thus, states of affairs are morally significant independently of a specific subject of the experience.  This supports a utilitarian view. Parfit:
Derek Parfit 1984.  “Reasons and Persons.” Oxford. “This suggestion differs… …of that thing.”
This suggestion differs … nature of that thing'. 103

Part 3 is Policy Making 

Policy actions inevitably entail rights tradeoffs, Util. is the only philosophy appropriate for government use. 

Gary Woller, June 1997 (BYU Prof.), “An Overview by Gary Woller”, A Forum on the Role of Environmental Ethics, pg. 10/

Appeals to a … public policy in a democracy
On this topic specifically, role-playing to model policymaking is the best way to promote education. 

Babb (Stephen, debate coach) “Topic Analysis by Stephen Babb” Victory Topic Analysis: Jan-Feb 2014 AT

Despite the difficulties … else follows suit.

Part 4 is Existential Risk 

If there’s even a risk of ethical uncertainty, we should always prioritize the survival of the human race to ensure future value.
Nick Bostrom – 2012 Faculty of Philosophy and Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford., Existential Risk Prevention as Global Priority.  Forthcoming book (Global Policy). MP. http://www.existenti...org/concept.pdf
These reflections on … goal is the best one

Thus the standard is maximizing existential risk.