THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS IN CLIMATE CHANGE

Eligibility

Professionals from the Private Sector, Public Agencies, NGOs and Academia

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Languages Required

Turkish and English

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Duration

8 Hours: 4 Modules, 2 hours each Module

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Objective

The course will provide participants an opportunity to increase their familiarity with the fundamental principles of the climate agreements, global commitments made,  new elements that have been introduced into the international structure of the negotiations on climate change and how these impact the Turkey. Turkish stakeholders need to be well informed on how specifically the Paris Accord undertakes challenges such as mitigation financing, adaptation to climate change and technological transfer. Debates need to be made on the pros and cons of being actively involved in the Paris Accord on issues such as how commitments made affect competitiveness.

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The course will delve on the following questions:

• How can we anticipate the potential impacts of climate change in Turkey?

• What are the costs and benefits (the value of avoided impacts) of achieving warming targets?

• Which countries will be leaders and which ones will be laggards?

• How should companies prepare? What is needed to compete?

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Course Contents

Module –1: International Agreements

International agreements are drafted in international platforms whereby consensus is reached by the global community (eg. UN Member States). These agreements are then typically ratified by the countries and put into force at the national level. The governments are then responsible in ensuring their implementation. Effective implementation is in the hands of all stakeholders with differing degrees of responsibilities and capabilities. Civil society actors, local authorities, the media and  universities all have rather well defined roles to play.

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Module –2: Forms of Cooperation

How can a country benefit from international cooperation?

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Module –3: Carbon Markets within the Paris Agreement

In case of the climate agreements, the private sectors has a vital role to play in the transformation towards a low carbon economy as specified in the Accord. Cooperation is of utmost importance in the provision of public and private financing in the fight against climate change. In this respect we need to inquire whether Turkey has the capacity to generate the financing alone or through international cooperation.

 

The course will look into carbon markets as a critical form of cooperation as it rewards those countries who are ahead of the game and already reduced their emissions and facilitates financing to countries generating the emissions reductions. It is structured so as to be a beneficial exchange to all parties involved. Therefore countries who can be a part of this cooperation negotiate deals which increases their financial benefits and global targets of achieving 1.5-2 degrees becomes more possible.

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Article 6 needs to be given special attention because it is the backbone of Paris agreement in terms of achieving the goals through its incentive approach.     has the potential to contribute to the Paris Agreement’s goals at a lower cost. It can also provide great incentive for private sector investment in various countries and could help some countries leapfrog their technological development. But all of this can only occur if the market is credible, reliable and has integrity. Depending on how these issues are resolved in the negotiations, Article 6 could either deliver this ambition or fail dismally. If it fails, the intent and purpose of national commitments under the Paris Agreement will be seriously undermined.