Saturday, January 25, 2020

Impacts of Green Energy Production on Ireland

Impacts of Green Energy Production on Ireland An Evaluation of the Impacts of Green Energy Production on the Flora and Fauna of Ireland Introduction Green energy production has significantly increased in recent years. Its rise is primarily due to environmental concerns and the vital need to find alternative energy sources as fossil fuels supplies decline. In terms of the environment, the use of renewable energy in order to alleviate the effects of global warming is supported internationally. (Warren, et al., 2005) There are several sources of renewable energy used in Ireland today, these include; wind power, solar, hydroelectric energy and biomass etc. Global Policy and legislation: In 1992, at the Earth summit in Rio, many nations joined an international treaty, which was known as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)ÂÂ   (United Nations, 2017). This treaty was put into effect in 1994 and its main aim was to fight the challenges of climate change. In order to achieve this, they encouraged member states to keep their greenhouse gas emissions at a steady state. (United Nations, 2017). This treaty was accompanied by the Kyoto Protocol which was more successful as it committed developing countries to reduce their emissions by introducing legally binding reduction targets. (United Nations, 2017) EU policy and legislation: In 1997, the EUs renewable energy policy came about with the implementation of the White Paper which was called Energy for the future: renewable sources of energy (European Commission , 2011). This paper gave details of how gross energy consumption in terms of renewable energy needs to increase from 6% to 12% by 2010 (European Commission , 2011). Then in 2008 the Commission proposed an ambitious Climate Change and Energy Package. The European Union accepted this package in December of 2008. This energy package stated that European Union Member States must achieve the following targets: 20% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 in comparison to the 1990 levels. 20% increase in the use of renewables. 20% increase in energy efficiency. (European Commission , 2011) All EU Member States were required to draw up National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) as part of the Renewable Energy Directive (European Commission , 2011). These NREAPs outlined the way in which each Member State aimed to meet their approved share of the overall target of a 20% increase of renewables in energy consumption by 2020. Additionally, the NREAP must also describe the steps that will be taken to improve and grow the use of renewable energy. Examples of this include improving conditions to allow more access to electricity gird lines as well as having less administrative barriers. (European Commission , 2011). Irelands Policy and Legislation: Irelands renewable energy policy and legislation is entirely based on the context of European legal responsibilities. Our policies and legislations are specified in numerous Directives and Regulations, as well as in many international and national targets (Dineen, et al., 2015). In terms of the NREAP, Ireland submitted its final plan to the European Commission at the end June in 2010. We submitted our initial progress report in the January of 2012 followed by the second report two years later in February 2014 (Dineen, et al., 2015). There are many schemes that are carried out nationally to meet the EUs 2020 targets. Irelands Strategy for Renewable Energy: 2012 2020, proposed an ambitious statement which stated that Ireland could become a world-wide leader in the research and progress of renewable energy and other associated technologies (Dineen, et al., 2015). Irelands strategy for renewable energy recognises five goals, some of which include; an increase in both onshore and offshore wind; the construction of a sustainable bioenergy sector and building robust and efficient electricity networks etc. (Dineen, et al., 2015). Under the European Union Directive 2012 on energy efficiency all member states, including Ireland must have a NREAP. The European Energy Directive placed energy efficiency at the forefront of the EU Energy 2020 strategy. It became a part of the law in Ireland through the SI 426 of 2014 and SI 131 of 2014 (Dineen, et al., 2015). The directive is aimed at keeping energy use from economic growth separate as well as setting out a mutual framework of measures to meet the European Unions 20% target in energy efficiency by 2020 (Dineen, et al., 2015). It is obligatory that all member states submit three National Energy Efficiency Action Plans to the European Commission over a seven-year period. The action plans should detail the measures planned to meet the 20-20 targets (Dineen, et al., 2015). Irelands initial National Energy Efficiency Action Plan was available in May 2009. It reiterated the target which was originally included in 2007 in the White Paper on energy efficiency. This target aimed to save approximately 20% of the average primary energy used from a period of 2001 2005, with this target being reached by 2020 (Dineen, et al., 2015). In terms of Irelands legislation on the protection of flora and fauna, the protection of biodiversity on an international front comes from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in the form of an extensive strategy towards sustainable development. The CBD has three main aims which include; To conserve biodiversity. To sustainably use the components of biodiversity. To share the benefits that come from the use of genetic resources in a just and impartial way. (A, et al., 2005) Irelands main policy to protect the flora and fauna is included in the National biodiversity plan Actions for Biodiversity. This action plan outlines how Ireland plans to conserve and protect its biodiversity. This policy is supported by the following legislation; Birds Directive 1979 Habitats Directive 1992 (Natura 2000 sites) Wildlife Act 1976, plus amendment Act 2000 Irish Flora Protection Order 2015 (Scheer, et al., 2016) Discussion Currently there are numerous different types of renewable energy available in Ireland, which include; wind power, solar, hydroelectric energy and biomass etc. This section is going to focus on just wind and hydroelectric energy. Wind Power background: Wind power began to draw interest just after the oil shocks in the 1970s and it only started to grow during the 1990s (Warren, et al., 2005). Today, wind energy is at the forefront in terms of renewable energy as it has emerged as one of the cleanest, safest and cheapest sources of energy. Since the 90s the capacity of wind generating energy has been doubling approximately every three years and the production costs have been decreasing thus making it a favourable source of energy. In Ireland, the first operational windfarm came about in 1992 and as of 2015 there were 228 operational windfarms present across 27 counties (Irish Wind Energy Association, 2017). These windfarms are producing a wind capacity of 3025 megawatts. It is estimated that the value of 1MW can provide energy for approximately 650 homes, therefore the capacity of 3025MW is providing enough energy for 1.97 million homes in Ireland (Irish Wind Energy Association, 2017). However, for these windfarms to be effective it is vital that they are located in open, exposed areas where wind speed is high. Thus, the uplands, coastal and offshore areas are generally proposed (Drewitt Langsto, 2006). Impacts: From a report carried out by BirdLife (BirdLife Europe , 2011), wind power energy was classified as a medium risk technology, therefore meaning that it can have negative impacts i.e. habitat disturbance especially in terms of sensitive species. However, if the correct framework policies are in place and if they are strategically organised then they can be developed without any negative impacts (BirdLife Europe , 2011). Areas such as the uplands, coastal and offshore are important habitats for migratory, breeding and wintering birds and therefore their habitats may be affected by the development of windfarms. However, the impact of wind farms on bird populations can vary and depend on different aspects including; the habitats that are affected, the species that are present, the topography of the adjacent land and finally the biogeographic range of a species (Drewitt Langsto, 2006). At numerous poorly sited wind farms (specifically at offshore sites) collision mortality has had a significant effect on population level (BirdLife Europe , 2011). In addition, more indirect effects such as access to remote areas i.e. tracks may lead to an increased level of disturbance or an increased risk of predation. Cumulative mortality may contribute to the decline in more susceptible species due to other environmental or anthropogenic pressures (BirdLife Europe , 2011). Thus, impacts that are site specific in addition to effects on the local wildlife populations are in fact relevant apprehensions if windfarms are not developed properly. To mitigate the effects of developing windfarms there are two directives under EU environmental legislation that are directly applicable to the development of wind farms. These directives include; SEA Directive (Strategic Environmental Assessments) EIA Directive (Environmental Impact Assessments) (European Commission , 2011) Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) are assessments that authorities use to improve spatial plans for various infrastructure needs such as; energy installations (BirdLife Europe , 2011). These assessments include the process of analysing as well as allowing the publics input to combine the analysis of environmental protection into plans and to encourage sustainability through investment programmes (BirdLife Europe , 2011). Furthermore, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are carried out by developers with the aim of avoiding, reducing and mitigating the impacts of projects. They then consider their findings in the planning decisions (BirdLife Europe , 2011) Hydroelectricity background: Hydroelectricity is another major source of renewable energy and it is made from the movement of water. It is currently the worlds most extensively used source of renewable energy (O Rourke, et al., 2009). Three different categories of hydroelectric plants occur which include; Impoundment -ÂÂ   most prevalent and known kind of hydroelectric plant. It uses a dam to keep the water in a reservoir and a turbine releases the water, therefore generating electricity. Diversion the water is diverted/transferred from the river over a canal which turns the turbine. Pumped storage water is pumped from a low reservoir into a higher reservoir when the electricity demand is low. Thus, electricity is generated when the electricity demand is high and the water is released. (O Rourke, et al., 2009) In terms of Ireland, hydroelectric energy is our second greatest source of renewable energy, just behind wind. The development of this energy will increase with more focus on the smaller scale hydroelectricity plants. Currently the ESB oversee the larger-scale plants and they have stated that these plants supply approximately 6% of our electricity (O Rourke, et al., 2009). Impacts: Hydroelectric plants can have numerous negative impacts on both the land and in terms of wildlife. Firstly, hydroelectricity plants can have a significant effect on aquatic ecosystems. For example, fish and several other species can be wounded or killed by the turbine blades, however there has been numerous mitigation methods to minimize these impacts e.g. fish ladders and in-take screens (UCS, 2017). As mentioned above the most common types of hydroelectric power plants use a dam and a reservoir and they generally can hinder the migration patterns of fish, thus affecting their population. These plants can also have an impact on the flow of the river and on the water temperature i.e. the temperature not being consistent. These changes can have a significant effect on the native flora and fauna in the river and on the land (Environment and Ecology , 2017). Wildlife impacts can also occur within the dammed reservoir in addition to downstream from the plant. Water from a reservoir is ge nerally more stationary compared to normal river water (UCS, 2017). As a result, it would be expected for the reservoir to have a higher amount of sediment and nutrients, which in turn would promote a surplus amount of algae and other aquatic weeds (UCS, 2017). This then allows the weeds to crowd out additional flora and fauna that exist in the river. (UCS, 2017). Conclusion Irelands Current State: Ireland has made significant progress towards achieving the energy efficiency and renewable energy targets. From a report carried out by SEAI (Scheer, et al., 2016) in 2016 they stated that to date Ireland has done the following; In terms of our energy efficiency target, Ireland has energy efficiency savings relating to about half of the countrys 2020 energy efficiency target (Scheer, et al., 2016). In terms of meeting our 2020 renewable energy target, we are also just over half way with 8.6% of our gross final consumption coming from renewables in 2014 (Scheer, et al., 2016). This has been achieved due to more than 40,000 homes and more than 550 businesses using some form of renewable energy. In terms of heat, 6.6% of the national 12% heat target has been achieved by end 2014 (Scheer, et al., 2016). Additionally, since 2003 around 190 wind farms, linked across 24 counties, have been developed. This compares to 2,375 MW of renewable electricity capacity. In total, over 6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions have been avoided each year through using energy efficient and renewable energy technologies (Scheer, et al., 2016). In terms of wind power energy, with careful development they can prove to be successful as they dont produce greenhouse gas emissions, pollutants, effluent or waste. In addition, its a natural source of energy. Hydroelectricity also has potential as a source of energy, as stated above it currentlyprovides approximately 6% of our electricity. However, Ireland is limited to a small number of large-scale of hydro sites for the generation of power. (O Rourke, et al., 2009). References A, Z., C, M. D, B., 2005. The Convention on Biodiversity and Its Potential Implications for the Agricultural Sector in Europe, s.l.: Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) . BirdLife Europe , 2011. Meeting europes renewable energy targets in harmony with nature , Sandy, U.K: The RSPB. Dineen, D. D., Howley, M. Holland, M., 2015. Renewable Energy in Ireland 2013, s.l.: SEAI. Drewitt, A. L. Langsto, R. H., 2006. Assessing the impacts of wind farms on birds. International journal of Avian science , 148(S1), pp. 29-42. Environment and Ecology , 2017. Hydropower and the Environment. [Online] Available at: http://environment-ecology.com/energy-and-environment/100-hydropower-and-the-environment.html[Accessed 30 January 2017]. European Commission , 2011. Wind Energy developments and natura 2000, Luxembourg: European Union. Irish Wind Energy Association , 2017. Irish Wind Energy Association Environmental Impacts. [Online] Available at: http://www.iwea.com/environmentalimpacts[Accessed 30 January 2017]. Irish Wind Energy Association, 2017. Irish Wind Energy Association. [Online] Available at: http://www.iwea.com/index.cfm/page/windenergyfaqs?#q19[Accessed 28 January 2017]. O Rourke, F., Boyle, F. Reynolds, A., 2009. Renewable energy sources and technologies applicable to Ireland. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews , Volume 13, pp. 1975-1984. Scheer, J., Clancy, M. Gaffney, F., 2016. Irelands Energy Targets, Progress, Ambition Impacts, s.l.: SEAI Energy. UCS, 2017. Environmental Impacts of Hydroelectric Power. [Online] Available at: http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-hydroelectric-power.html#.WI-UvfmLTIU[Accessed 30 January 2017]. United Nations, 2017. The UN and climate change. [Online] Available at: http://www.un.org/climatechange/towards-a-climate-agreement/[Accessed 10 February 2017]. Warren, C. R., Lumsden, C., ODowd, S. Birnie, R. V., 2005. Green On Green: Public Perceptions of. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Volume 48, pp. 853-875.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Need for Survival Essay

The first topic I will be talking about is your need for physical survival. There is the need for food and water you will need shelter and some other odds and ends. You will need food first of all you will need to find a place that produces a sufficient amount of food such as a vegetable patch or a shop or a farm. In the book tomorrow when the war began they went to one of the houses that had a good well running vegetable patch and they choose good fruit and vegetables that would last for a good and long period of time. Also during the story they ended up using the shearers quarters to hide from the army people this was also done to get out of the weather. They had many water supplies they had the water in hell the opened out dam the water in the bottles. In the episode of man vs wild he found a snake in by the creek and he caught it and he bit just behind the jaw line and it killed the snake instantly he saved the snake until later when he had set up his shelter and fire he found a shelter in an old cave he set up his fire and he then sat the snake on it until it cooked properly while the snake was cooking he went of and found a hole in which had dirty water in the bottom he used his shirt some charcoal and some rocks and dirt to act as a strainer and clean the water he had to repeat this a couple of times until the water was drinkable and that is how. I am going to summarise the basic survival skills that were used in man versed wild an there is more to survival than the physical survival skills there are mental and tactical survival skills which I will be talking about next. There is more to survival than physical survival there is mental survival which is what I will be talking about now.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Central Product Classification - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2283 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Internet Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Central Product Classification (CPC) The Central Product Classification (CPC) comprises a comprehensive product classification covering goods and services. Therefore, one of the main characteristics of CPC as a general-purpose classification is that it provides less detail than the other specific categorization systems in areas or for applications for which such systems are obtainable. CPC is a classification that is proposed to play a fundamental role in relating different types of international economic classifications and to serve a variety of purposes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Central Product Classification" essay for you Create order The name Central Product Classification is intended to indicate that the purpose of CPC is to provide a framework for international comparison of various kinds of statistics dealing with goods, services and assets. Principally, CPC is intended to be used for different types of statistics, for instance, industrial statistics and national accounts, price statistics, foreign trade statistics (including trade in services) and balance-of-payments statistics. Another key characteristic of CPC is that it contains a description of services. No international classification of services covering the whole spectrum of outputs of heterogeneous service industries and serving the different analytical needs of the various types of statistics has been presented until now. Online Services Although many entrepreneurs would dispute that online services are of a new sui generis category, the least far-fetched assessment of many services should be that they are simply online processing services. Semantically, definition entails an online service which processes data or information with no output, type of content prejudged. WTO members themselves would barely reach a consensus over the question of where within the CPC system these new online services belong, although fourteen member states of WTO (including Hong Kong China (but not China itself), the EU, Japan, Korea and the US) have approved that all computer-related services ought to be defined somewhere within the chapter for telecom services. This proclamation is far from being universally acknowledged and the chapter still contains several of the above-mentioned categories under which many countries like China remain unbound.[1] However, other circumstances points most online services, and in particular search engines, to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“online processing servicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (CPC843) under which China et al, would be bound. The CPC classification system existed only in a draft, provisional version at the time of drafting of GATS or of the first accessions to the WTO, and members are only encouraged to align their national classifications with the international reference ones à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" there are no obligations or legal agreements forcing members of the UN or even the WTO as an organisation to do so, in the way it is mandatory to define commitments in trade in goods under the Harmonized System (HS). The speedy growth of the Internet and information technology (IT) has led to the growing electronic cross-border delivery of services.[2] Today, merchants of market research, advertising intermediaries, creative and advisory services toil with the Internet as with any other media. Advertising is vital for these companies to make earnings. Most countries, however, remain unbound with respect to advertising; and hence would not breach their WTO commitments if they implemented restrictions on advertising that discriminated against foreign suppliers. As per this, countries would not limit market access for websites, but would effectively strangle their revenue stream. They would therefore significantly reduce their countryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s attractiveness as a target market for online media, leaving their national online market entirely to domestic actors or others who comply fully with the censorship. Internet Censorship By requiring foreign Internet service providers and search engines to censor and filter political contents, governments simultaneously prevent users from participating in the international trading system as consumer-participants and inhibit users from exercising their freedom of expression.[3] The double-edge nature of censorship pressed Google and other commentators to argue that Internet censorship by governmentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ in both political and cultural formsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ constitutes an à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“unfair trade barrier,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  leading them to appeal for actions through the international trading system.[4] Int ernet censoring or related requirements constitute trade barriers in breach of the most favored nation and national treatment obligations of the WTO General Agreement on Trade-in Services (GATS). The main concern posed by this proposition is that authoritarian governments can validate internet censorship measures under the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“public moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  exception of GATS Article XIV to protect legitimate domestic values.[5] Past Power Abuse User-generated activities include discussing and disseminating information, forming alliances and networks, waging protests and mobilizing for change, thus transforming political activism into economic activities. Any intervention in these political activities would not only disrupt and prevent social relationships and human interactions, but it would also interfere with international trade.[6] Such censorship of the Internet heavily influences the international trade system, because internet essentially functions as a trade p latform.[7] Traditionally, developed countries often use human rights arguments as an excuse for protectionism[8] or for asserting political powers to escape obligations under the WTO.[9] Under the garb of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“stability maintenance,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  China created the Golden Shield, also called the Great Firewall, a large multi-agency Internet censorship regime.[10] The Golden Shield filtered and censored à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“sensitiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  keywords including à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Tiananmen Square,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Dalai Lama,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“democracy,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“human rights,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jasmine,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and the likes. In April 2010, China adopted an amendment to the State Secrets Law requiring Internet and telecom companies to cooperate with the government on matters relating to national security by blocking transmission of defined state secrets, by alerting the government of possible breache s, and by suppressing content.[11] The Chinese government continued to hold a firm position in response to international pressure against such degree of censorship.[12] The Chinese Council of Stateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Information Bureau released the official White Paper on the Internet, justifying its repressive measures as essential to ensuring respect for local laws and maintaining stability. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Public Moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  in Trade and Human Rights: Moral Here but Not There? The augment of Internet censorship, against the merging of political activism and consumer-participant trade activities, must at least imply re-examining the linkage of trade and human rights values. Formulation of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Public Moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  The WTOà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“public moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  exception is embodied in several key regulations,[13] while the concept is interpreted and given meaning by the WTOà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (Dispute Settlement Understanding or DSU).[14] In order to determine the possibility of linkage, it is necessary to examine the authority and equivalent capacity of the DSU adjudicating bodies to interpret the GATS Article XIV(a). This method allows the WTO to address an elementary flaw in the public international law system and particularly in human rights lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ the lack of an effective enforcement mechanism. However, in doing so, the adjudicating bodies must assure that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“recommendations and rulings of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) cannot add to or diminish the rights and obligations provided in the covered agreements.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  There is no mechanism for integrating diverse legal rules, e.g., in situations of conflicting interpretations or conflict of law.[15] The limited body of law applicable to the WTO dispute resolution[16] and the lack of linkage mechanisms led to substantive probl ems. For example, questions often arose when particular conduct was restricted by WTO regulations but, at the same time, required under non-WTO law; or alternatively, WTO law permitted conduct that would otherwise be forbidden under domestic or other international law. The question that has emerged from Internet censorship belongs to the latter: Does the WTO permit conduct that seeks to violate international human rights law as justified by the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“public moralà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  exception? To answer such a question, the values that constitute à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“public moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  must first be determined, as set forth in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Article XX and GATS Article XIV.[17] The WTO regulations prohibit members from raising trade barriers as protectionist measures.[18] However, China and other regimes that engage in Internet censorship, restrictions, and private information demands could justify their measures under the general exce ption clause for social concerns recognized by GATS.[19] GATS Art. XIV(a) permits otherwise illegal measures when they are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“necessary to protect public morals or to maintain public order.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ [20] Conclusion The Internet creates an open forum that assists human interaction in a pragmatic and comprehensive manner, economically, politically, and socially. As of 2011, the number of people who use the internet are approximately 2,267,233,742 out of approximately seven billion people worldwide.[21] Any meddling affecting such magnitude requires a serious reconsideration of all available international legal institutions and instruments to determine ways in which these already existing institutions might build capacity. Although censorship is a trade barrier and a contravention of human rights, it can be warranted under both the WTO general exceptions clause.[22] Due to the similarity between and relatedness of these à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“public moralsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  exceptions, a narrow and mutually beneficial linkage can be formed. [1] World Trade Organization, TN/S/W/38 [2] Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). [3] See International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights arts. 18, 22, Dec. 16, 1966, 999 U.N.T.S. 171 [hereinafter ICCPR]. The violation of the freedom of expression on the Internet also violates other rights protected by the ICCPR, including those addressed in Article 18, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and Article 22, freedom of association with others. . arts. 18, 22. [4] See Bob Boorstin, Promoting Free Trade for the Internet Economy, GOOGLE PUBLIC POLICY BLOG (Nov. 15, 2010, 10:07 A.M.), https://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/11/promoting-free-trade-for-internet.html; see also Google, the Internet and China: A Nexus Between Human Rights and Trade: Hearing Before the Congressional Executive Comm. on China, 111th Cong. 6-8 (2010) (testimony of Ed Black); Tim Wu, The World Trade Law of Internet Filtering, 7 CHI. J. INTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢L L. 263, 270-87 (2006) [hereinafter Wu, Internet Filtering] (discussing censorship as a trade barrier); Brian Hindley Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, Protectionism Online: Internet Censorship and International Trade Law 2, 19 (ECIPE, Working Paper No. 12/2009, 2009); EUR. PARL. DOC. (INI 2185) (2007) (taking a similar stance, the European Parliament passed a resolution treating Internet censorship as a trade barrier: European Parliament resolution of 19 February 2008 on the EUà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Strategy to deliver market access for European companies). [5] See Wu, Internet Filtering; see Hindley Lee-Makiyama, [6] See Khaled Y. Oweis, Syria Blocks Facebook in Internet Crackdown, THOMSON REUTERS (Nov. 23, 2007), https://www.reuters.com/article/2007/11/23/us-syria-facebook-idUSOWE37285020071123 (discussing the Syriansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ use of Facebook to communicate with relatives and friends abroad; Facebook also assisted civil society in Syria to form civic groups outside gover nments). [7] See Opening Welcome: The State of the Internet Industry, IT CONVERSATIONS (Oct. 5, 2004), https://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail270.html [hereinafter Opening Welcome]. [8] See ERNST-ULRICH PETERSMANN, CONSTITUTIONAL FUNCTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL PROBLEM OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC LAW: INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC FOREIGN TRADE LAW AND FOREIGN TRADE AND FOREIGN TRADE POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES, THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND SWITZERLAND 100-12 (1991) (offering characteristics of the new protectionism). [9] See Christine Breining-Kaufmann, The Legal Matrix of Human Rights and Trade Law: State Obligations Versus Private Rights and Obligations, in HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE, 234-35 (Cottier et. al. eds., 2005) (offering a brief introduction about proliferation and core issues of trade verses human rights debate and noting that WTO members are reluctant to approach trade while accounting for human rights). [10] See OPENNET INITIATIVE, INTERNET FILTE RING IN CHINA 10 (2009), avaliable at https://opennet.net/sites/opennet.net/files/ONI_China_2009.pdf; see also Internet Enemies, [11] See STRATFOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE, CHINA SECURITY MEMO (Apr. 29, 2010); Huazhong Wang Xing Wang, Police to Work with Phone, Internet Providers, CHINA DAILY, Apr. 27, 2010 [12] See INFO. OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL OF THE PEOPLEà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE INTERNET IN CHINA IV (Jun. 8, 2005), https://www.china.org.ch/government/whitepaper/node_7093508.htm [hereinafter WHITE PAPER]. [13] See General Agreement on Trade in Services art. XIV(a), Apr. 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Annex 1B, 1869 U.N.T.S. 183 [hereinafter GATS]; see also GATT, , art. XX(a); Agreement on Government Procurement art. XXIII(2), Apr. 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Annex 4B, 1915 U.N.T.S. 103; Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) art. 2 7(2), Apr. 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Annex 1C, 1869 U.N.T.S. 299. [14] See Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes, art. 3.2, Apr. 15, 1994, Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Annex 2, 33 I.L.M 1125 [hereinafter DSU]. [15] See Joel P. Trachtman, The Domain of WTO Dispute Resolution, 40 HARV. INTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢L L.J. 333, 338 (1999). [16] See David Palmeter Petros C. Mavroidis, The WTO Legal System: Sources of Law, 92 AM. J. INTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢L L. 398, 399 (1998) (arguing that the texts of the WTO agreements à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“do not exhaust the sources of potentially relevant lawà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ). Palmeter and Mavroidis refer to articles 3(2) and 7 of the DSU as the ostensible basis for incorporation of non-WTO international law. However, these provisions refer only to interpretation of relevant provisions of WTO agreements à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“in accordance with cust omary rules of interpretation of public international law.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  see also Thomas J. Schoenbaum, WTO Dispute Settlement: Praise and Suggestions for Reform, 47 INTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢L COMP. L.Q. 647, 653 (1998); Appellate Body Report and Panel Report, United Statesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"Standards for Reformulated and Conventional Gasoline, 17, WT/DS2/9 (May 20, 1996) [hereinafter U.S.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"Gasoline] (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“[T]he General Agreement is not to be read in clinical isolation from public international law.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ). [17] GATS Article XIV and GATT Article XX will be used interchangeably in this discussion for the simplification of case law analysis that derives from disputes under the GATT. [18] See Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, Apr. 15, 1994, 1867 U.N.T.S. 154 [hereinafter Marrakesh Agreement]. [19] For a discussion of whether GATS applies to online services, such as search engines like Google, and to other networking and news media sites, see Wu, Internet Filterin,; Hindley Lee-Makiyama, supra note 10, at 5-13. [20] GATS, Art. XVII [21] Usage and Population Statistics, INTERNET WORLD STATS (Dec. 31, 2011), https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm (last visited Oct. 15, 2012). [22] See generally Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Human Rights and World Trade Agreements: Using General Exception Clauses to Protect Human Rights, U.N. Doc. HR/PUB/05/5 (Nov. 2005), available at https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/WTOen.pdf (discussing the use of general exception clauses in WTO agreements).