Studentersamfundet i Trondhjem

What was the deal with Kyoto? Why wasn't the USA a part of it? Will Copenhagen change the political climate, so that the environmental climate can be changed? Get the answers!

The 1997 Kyoto agreement set a few goals in order for the global community to achieve "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system." As of October 2009, 184 states have signed and ratified the protocol. The most notable non-member of the Protocol is the United States.

Kyoto also introduced some so-called economical-political mechanisms, such as emissions trading and the clean development mechanism. Did they work? Are we reaching our goal of stabilazation?

Online video chat by Ustream In December the meeting parties to Kyoto are meeting again in Copenhagen to try to agree on a framework for climate change mitigation beyond 2012. Will they succeed? What will be China's interests–as an emerging economical superpower–in the negotiations? Will USA finally join the rest of the world? What are EU and Germany's position? Can Norway possibly play a key role?

Will Copenhagen change the climate?

The meeting will start with a crash course in climate politics and political economy with energy advisor Bjørn Utgård, Bellona. With this newly acquired knowledge at the top of our heads, we invite you to join the panel in today's debate!

Panel

• Aldo Sirotic, Deputy Counselor, The US Embassy
• Alfred Grannas, Councellor, The German Embassy
• Mr. Gao Zifa, Counsellor, The Chinese Embassy
• Harald Francke Lund, Deputy Chief Climate Negotiater, Norwegian Ministry of the Environment

The debate will be managed by Gunnar Okstad who is a commentator in the newspaper Adresseavisen. His background is within jurisprudence and economics journalism.

Agenda

1. Call to order
2. From the Board’s Journal
3. Thematic introduction by Bjørn Utgård and Gunnar Okstad
4. -Short Break-
5. Panel debate
6. Election of members to Rådet
7. Speaker’s corner
8. Any other business
9. Criticism
10. Meeting adjourned

Note: The meeting will be in English. The meeting starts at 18:00.