The
goal of the writing assignments is to help you:
1) rationalize your participation in the protocol and,
2) organize and articulate your arguments for the negotiations.
Writing assignments are done in teams. The first team is your country
or group (NGO, media). The second team is your topic. Indicated in parenthesis
is which team is to write the paper and the aproximate length of the
paper. Each country or group paper should contain supporting information
and references, if appropriate. Write you paper from the point of view
of your role in this class (e.g., a policy maker if you are a minister,
an NGO representation or a journalist)
Due dates are indicated on the daily program.
WRITING
1:
• Analysis of a Scientific Paper from the Point of View of a Policy
Maker (countries - 2 pages)
Describe
the key points relevant to a policy maker and explain why these are
relevant.
Analyze page 1 to 5 (left column only) of the IPCC Summary for Policy
Makers summary.policy.science.pdf. While you read the statements regarding temperature increase,
put yourselves in the shoes of a policy maker. Analyze
each of the key points of this document and describe in your policy
maker words those points that are relevant to your country. List the
scientific questions that you would need to have answered by your country's
scientists in order to proceed with an emission limit policy for your
country in order to contribute to addressing the observed changes.
•Analysis
of a Scientific Paper from a Policy Point of View (NGO)
Describe
the key points relevant to an NGO and explain why these are relevant.
Analyze page 1 to 5 (left column only) of the IPCC Summary for Policy
Makers summary.policy.science.pdf. While you read the statements regarding temperature increase,
put yourselves in the shoes of an NGO representative. Analyze
each of the key points of this document and describe in your own words
those points that are relevant to your organization. List the scientific
questions that you would need to have answered by the international
scientific community in order to (better) support an international emission
limit policy that would contribute to addressing the observed changes.
•Analysis of a Scientific Paper from the Point of View
of a Policy Maker (media)
Describe
the key points relevant to a media representative and explain why these
are relevant.
Analyze
page 1 to 5 (left column only) of the IPCC Summary for Policy Makers
summary.policy.science.pdf. While you read the statements regarding temperature increase,
put yourselves in the shoes of a media representative. Analyze
each of the key points of this document and describe how
you present the information to the public.
List the scientific questions that you would need to have answered by
the international
scientific community in order to support an international emission limit
policy that would contribute to addressing the observed changes.
WRITING 2:
• Analysis of scientific and economic basis for GHG emissions limitations (countries - 2 pages)
Describe the scientific evidence of impacts of global warming on your country. What is the confidence level for that evidence ? Do you believe that the scientific evidence is strong enough to take some actions that may have economic consequences? Provide solid examples of why action should or should not be taken at this time. Outline the positive and negative economic benefits of global warming for your country. Try to weigh each of them with regards to the cost of remedial actions.
•Analysis of scientific and economic basis for GHG emissions limitations (NGO - 2 pages)
Describe how you would present the scientific evidence of impacts of global warming on specific areas you have selected as your focus of your NGO. What is the confidence level for that evidence? Do you believe that the scientific evidence is strong enough for the world to take some actions that may have economic consequences? Provide solid examples of why action should or should not be taken at this time. Outline the positive and negative economic benefits of global warming on a global basis. Try to weigh each of them with regards to the cost of remedial actions.
• Analysis of scientific and economic basis for GHG emissions limitations (media - 2 pages)
Describe how you would present the scientific and economic evidence of impacts of global warming on countries representing both the developed and the developing world in your media. What is the confidence level for that evidence? Are you prepared to argue in your media that the scientific evidence is strong enough for the world to take some actions that may have economic consequences? Provide solid examples of why action should or should not be taken at this time. Outline the positive and negative economic benefits of global warming on your selected countries. Try to weigh each of them with regards to the cost of remedial actions.
WRITING 3:
• Analysis of scientific and economic basis for pollution emission limitations (countries - 2 pages)
Describe the major sources and location of pollution in your country and the scientific evidence of its impacts on your country. What is the confidence level for that evidence ? If, in your view as a policy maker, there is enough evidence to justify action, what kind of actions might your country take and with what time table?
• Analysis of scientific and economic basis for pollution emission limitations (NGO - 2 pages)
Describe how you would present the major sources and global regions of pollution over the world and the scientific evidence of its impacts on a global scale as an NGO representative. What is the confidence level for that evidence ? If, in your view as an NGO representative, there is enough evidence to justify action, what kind of actions should be taken and with what time table?
• Analysis of scientific and economic basis for pollution emission limitations (media - 2 pages)
Describe how you would present the major sources and regions of pollution over selected countries and the scientific and economic evidence of its impacts on these countries. What is the confidence level for that evidence ? If, in your view as a media representative, there is enough evidence to justify action, what kind of actions should these countries take and with what time table?
WRITING 4:
• Analysis of Alternative Energy (countries - 2 pages)
Describe the mix of alternative energies towards which your country could turn to limit its greenhouse gases emission and discuss a realistic implementation strategy (with emphasis on phase-in rate) that your country could adopt. For this exercise you may include all the possible sources possible (e.g., solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, biomass) that are non-fossil fuel-based energies or select a sub-set. Make sure you include the trade-offs as well as real and hidden costs of your imlementation plan.
• Analysis of Alternative Energy (NGO - 2 pages)
Describe the mix of alternative energies towards which the world could turn to limit its greenhouse gases emission and discuss a realistic implementation strategy (with emphasis on phase-in rate) that could be adopted. For this exercise include all the possible sources possible (e.g., solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, biomass) that are non-fossil fuel-based energies or select a sub-set. Make sure you include the trade-offs as well as real and hidden costs of your imlementation plan.
• Analysis of Alternative Energy (media - 2 pages)
Describe what mix of alternative energies for which you would argue in a media article to limit greenhouse gases emission by main emitting countries and discuss a realistic implementation strategy (with emphasis on phase-in rate) that could be adopted. For this exercise include all possible sources possible (e.g., solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal, biomass) that are non-fossil fuel-based energies or select a sub-set. Make sure you include the trade-offs as well as real and hidden costs of your imlementation plan.al, biomass) that are non-fossil fuel-based energies or select a sub-set.
WRITING 5:
• Analysis of Scenarios (countries, NGO, media - 2 pages)
Describe the future scenario you are assigned to review and present (http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc/emission/) and explain why it may have some value in predicting future emissions. How could this scenario be modified to be better adapted to the way the world is evolving or likely to evolve? Describe the scientific, technological and political underpinnings of your scenario choice.
WRITING 6:
• Draft Topics (Topic - 1 page)
Describe the topic you have selected and provide a rationale for its selection. Why might the countries participating in the summit be willing to come to an agreement on this topic? What countries do you anticipate might might have some issues with your topic and why? How can you address these issues while keeping the topic in the protocol?
WRITING 7:
• Draft Actions (Topic - 1 page)
Describe the actions you propose and how they could be implemented. What would be needed from different countries and/or organizations for your actions to succeed?
WRITING 8:
• Draft Protocol Articles
(Topic - 1 page)
Provide your proposed
revisions to the draft protocol
that are relevant to their topic (including: the preamble, the definitions,
the principles, the amendment and the articles).
WRITING 9:
• Draft Protocol Articles (Topic - 1 page)
How did the class-room negotiations influence the way you shaped your article? What change or concession did you have to make in order to satisfy the needs of other countries? How did this compromise your article?