Reading the Kyoto Protocol

Instructors

TANI, Midori

Credits / Language / Semester

2Credits / English / Winter

Objectives/Overview

This course aims at stimulating and realizing the potentials of the students for future international communications, using the situation of a real negotiation which the lecturer participated. In order to acieve this goal, we will follow the negotiation process of the Framework Convention on Climate Change after COP3, when the Kyoto Protocol was agreed, till COP7, when the agreements about the details of the Kyoto Protocol were reached. The text of the Kyoto Protocol left a number of issues to be discussed later, and intensive negotiations were necessary during this period to have the Protocol ratified. After some introductory lectures on the global warming and the Framework Convention on Climate Change as a background, we will read and discuss the text of the Kyoto Protocol, Article by Article, with special emphasis on Joint Implementation, Clean Development Mechanism, Emissions Trading and Compliance. We will first look for issues which need clarification in the text of the Protocol, and then look into the Marrakesh Accords which were reached at COP7. After lectures on related issues in environmental policies and energy policies, each student will be asked to make a speech at an imaginary COP6.

Keywords

Negotiation,Environment,International,Climate,Energy, Communication

Schedule

1. Introduction. A brief history of international negotiations on climate change
2. Framework Convention on Climate Change
3. Reading the Kyoto Protocol from the Preamble to Article 6
Discussion on issues to be clarified about Joint Implementation (Article 6)
4. Reading the Kyoto Protocol from Article 7 to Article 12
Discussion on issues to be clarified about the CDM (Article 12)
5. Reading the Kyoto Protocol from Article 13 to Article 17
Discussion on issues to be clarified about Emissions Trading (Article 17)
6. Reading the Kyoto Protocol from Article 18 to Article 28
Discussion on issues to be clarified about Compliance (Article 18)
7. Reading and discussing the Marrakesh Accords about Compliance
8. Reading and discussing the Marrakesh Accords about Emissions Trading
9. Reading and discussing the Marrakesh Accords about the CDM
10. Reading and discussing the Marrakesh Accords about Joint Implementation
11. Japan’s Environmental Policies
12. Energy Policies to mitigate the Climate Change
13. Imaginary COP6
Discusion on the negotiation text of Article 6 (Joint implementation)
14. Review the previous discussion

Teaching Methods

In most of the classes, the students will be divided into several negotiion groups. Following a lecture, the groups are to discuss upon some items, and the chair of each group is to make a presentation on the results. Each student is asked to prepare for the discussion. Each student is often asked to read the text and write his/her brief talking points before the class. The class will be in English and active participation in the discussion will be encouragedExcept for the initial two classes, the students will be divided into several negotiion groups. Following a lecture, the groups are to discuss upon some items, and the chair of each group is to make a presentation on the results. Each student is asked to prepare for the discussion. Each student is often asked to read the text and write his/her brief talking points before the class.

Grading

Grading will be based on the following;
- class participation
- the papers mentioned above
Active class participation will be highly evaluated, but fluency in English will not be reflected in the grading.

Required Text

The Kyoto Protocol (http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf)
The Marrakesh Accords

Reference Books

Annual Report on the Environment
Annual Energy Report
Japan’s Environmental Policy
(http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/special/policy-update/039.html)
Energy Policies of the IEA Countries

Notes on Taking the Course

Active participation in the group discussion is required, but fluency in English is not required.

Related Resources

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