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3.2.3 Communication Practice Trough Debates
3.2.3.1 Global Communication
Most APIEL students agree with the idea that communication, listening, and
interpersonal skills are the most important leadership characteristics. Global communication for climate change made a breakthrough following the Kyoto Protocol
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: countries were
urged to take a proactive stance and mitigate their CO 2 production according to
their economic growth. The fi rst Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 focused on biodiversity, global warming, and forest initiatives. In 2002, the second Global Summit
on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20) set out to resolve the confl ict created by
the needs of rich and poor countries and their impacts on the global economy [ 3 ].
The environment is no longer an isolated issue; it is at the heart of our global
future. By 1995, countries realized that emission reduction provisions from the
Rio convention were inadequate. Two years later, the Kyoto Protocol legally
bound developed countries to emission reduction targets. The Kyoto Protocol’s
fi rst commitment period started in 2008 and ends in 2012. One of the greatest
global concerns is China’s growing contribution to climate change. (China is the
second largest contributor to climate change.) China has signed the Kyoto Protocol
and has initiated some projects—with EU members—under the protocol. After
4 years of negotiations, the question of what happens beyond 2020 was also
answered at Durban. The decision on the green climate fund extension of the
Kyoto Protocol comes into effect by 2020. These include reduction pledges for
2020 and the goal of keeping global warming below 2 °C. There will be a joint
implementation by China, India, and the US.
Learning from this global communication, the diffi culty becomes apparent when
countries, who would all benefi t from addressing climate change, accept a global
legal framework. However, China’s goal to generate 10% of their power from
renewable sources by 2010 was unlikely to have a signifi cant impact on its contribution to climate change.
3.2.3.2 Communication Practice in Class
ECLA students—from UE and GPSS—communicated using debates on whether
China has to play a leadership role on climate change. There are some special
terms used in the debates. The opinion in a debate is called a resolution. The
debate team that agrees with the resolution is called the affi rmative team. The team
that disagrees with the resolution is the negative team. The people in charge of
evaluating the debate are called judges. The author has been a moderator at these
debates. Interestingly, after discussion among the students, the ECLA class was
divided into negative (UE) and affi rmative (GPSS) teams. In the debates, the goal
has been to persuade the judge and the audience that their opinion is the most
3 APIEL Compulsory Course: Environmental Challenges and Leadership in Asia
3.2.3 Communication Practice Trough Debates
3.2.3.1 Global Communication
Most APIEL students agree with the idea that communication, listening, and
interpersonal skills are the most important leadership characteristics. Global communication for climate change made a breakthrough following the Kyoto Protocol
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: countries were
urged to take a proactive stance and mitigate their CO 2 production according to
their economic growth. The fi rst Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 focused on biodiversity, global warming, and forest initiatives. In 2002, the second Global Summit
on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20) set out to resolve the confl ict created by
the needs of rich and poor countries and their impacts on the global economy [ 3 ].
The environment is no longer an isolated issue; it is at the heart of our global
future. By 1995, countries realized that emission reduction provisions from the
Rio convention were inadequate. Two years later, the Kyoto Protocol legally
bound developed countries to emission reduction targets. The Kyoto Protocol’s
fi rst commitment period started in 2008 and ends in 2012. One of the greatest
global concerns is China’s growing contribution to climate change. (China is the
second largest contributor to climate change.) China has signed the Kyoto Protocol
and has initiated some projects—with EU members—under the protocol. After
4 years of negotiations, the question of what happens beyond 2020 was also
answered at Durban. The decision on the green climate fund extension of the
Kyoto Protocol comes into effect by 2020. These include reduction pledges for
2020 and the goal of keeping global warming below 2 °C. There will be a joint
implementation by China, India, and the US.
Learning from this global communication, the diffi culty becomes apparent when
countries, who would all benefi t from addressing climate change, accept a global
legal framework. However, China’s goal to generate 10% of their power from
renewable sources by 2010 was unlikely to have a signifi cant impact on its contribution to climate change.
3.2.3.2 Communication Practice in Class
ECLA students—from UE and GPSS—communicated using debates on whether
China has to play a leadership role on climate change. There are some special
terms used in the debates. The opinion in a debate is called a resolution. The
debate team that agrees with the resolution is called the affi rmative team. The team
that disagrees with the resolution is the negative team. The people in charge of
evaluating the debate are called judges. The author has been a moderator at these
debates. Interestingly, after discussion among the students, the ECLA class was
divided into negative (UE) and affi rmative (GPSS) teams. In the debates, the goal
has been to persuade the judge and the audience that their opinion is the most
3 APIEL Compulsory Course: Environmental Challenges and Leadership in Asia