Part 1:
Individual Assignment:
1. As an individual assignment, you will investigate local air quality and global warming policies, identifying regulations, policies, or initiatives related to global warming.
Team Assignment:
2. As a team, discussion on what you learned about local air quality policy. In particular:
Does the local government consider global warming and air quality to be the same issue or not?
Do government officials believe their community is doing enough with respect to air qualityand global warming?
3. Why different areas of the country have different air quality challenges, policies, and perspectives? (Sample answers: population, weather patterns, state regulations, proximity or density of industry, etc.)
4. Research and assemble articles, photos, charts, and data on the Kyoto Protocol; local and regional global warming initiatives; and local air quality and review them thoroughly to identify trends.
5. Distribute and read Reproducible # 1:
Six Countries and Their Positions on the Kyoto Treaty to the class.
Explain that this document will be the foundation for discussion, research, and resulting reports.
Classroom Activity:
I will assign the teams to represent one of the following countries*:
United States
European Union
Russia
China
Japan
India
Team Assignment:
6. Respond to the following thought-starter questions:
• Is the current global warming just part of a normal cycle? Why?
• Who can we turn to for the most reliable information?
• Can we trust new, sophisticated scientific technology, such as computer modeling, that says our environment is in trouble?
• What will happen if the technology is right?
• What will happen if the technology is wrong?
• What corrective actions (if any) make the most sense? Why?
• What are the differences between the terms CO2 emissions, GHGs, and ozone depletion?
7. Demonstrate what you know about the Kyoto Protocol.
• Where is Kyoto?
• What was the Kyoto meeting about?
• Why is that important?
• Who is participating? Why?
• Who is not participating? Why?
8. Define the environmental responsibilities and conflicting values of citizens who come from different countries and cultures. Here are some thought-starters for this discussion:
• In many countries people rely on wood for their cooking needs as well as for warmth.
This consumes valuable timber and produces harmful GHG emissions. This is bad, but
uncooked food can lead to disease, and people die when there’s not enough heat. Which is worse? What is the answer?
• Is there a difference between the environmental damages from GHG emissions in a
developed country versus the GHG damages in undeveloped countries? Explain
the difference.
• Which is more excusable: deforestation for agricultural/forestry production in a
developed country or deforestation for/by farmers in a developing country that uses the
land and trees for survival?
• Are businesses from less developed countries that cut down forests for export or
businesses from developed countries that demand the timber more environmentally
responsible? What about governments that engage in this sort of exchange?
• As developing countries continue to progress, vehicles, residences, and industries that
rely on fossil fuels for heat and power contribute more and more GHGs. Should they
slow down their rate of progress? Should they be asked to reduce emissions of GHGs?
• Several industrialized countries have instituted a carbon tax. Some people have suggested that these countries should institute carbon credits. What are carbon taxes and carbon credits? Do you think they should be employed by developed countries?
• There are healthcare, medical well-being, and social costs associated with burning fossil fuels. Some would argue that these are external costs and that the industrialized world, particularly the United States, does not pay for them. What are external costs and who pays for them?
• Several models of fuel-efficient automobiles are available to the average consumer in the developed world. Why are there so few on the road?
• What is permafrost? What effect can the melting of the permafrost have on your (role
play) country?
• What impact would rising sea levels have on your (role play) country? What about
shoreline housing?
• What are coral reefs? How and why are they changing? How will that affect your assigned country? What will it do to sea creatures?
• What is the Larsen-B ice shelf? Is this question relevant to your country?
• How do the rates of destruction of forests and the rates of drought compare with
previous history?
Classroom Activity:
Let's review and discuss the Reproducible #2: Signatories to the Kyoto Protocol: June 2005 and Reproducible #3: The Kyoto Protocol - Some FAQs and QSAs.
Team Activity:
9. Formulate a preliminary one-sentence statement about its initial position on the Kyoto Protocol/CO2 emissions issue.
10. I want you to consider carefully how your position may be influenced by your region or
country’s industry, commerce, and population growth rate, etc.
11. Find the following information about your assigned country or locality.
• type of government
• urban/rural demographics
• population and rate of growth
• economic resources and GDP
• reliance on import or export
• lifestyles of its citizens
• GHG emissions from transportation and industry
• growth or deterioration of forestlands and farmlands
• environmental protection strategies/policy
• names and titles of the policymakers who oversee the following in their assigned country or region:
government oversight
transportation
industry
economy
farms and forests
environment and land protection
urban development
12. After conducting the preliminary research, members of each nation, region, or locality should caucus, discuss, and organize you findings in order to present the real position of the country you represent.
Classroom Activity:
Preview of Part 2
a. Describe the role plays, research procedures, reports and presentations, and the debate preparation.
b. Explain that each student will assume a role and become a spokesperson or advocate for the assigned office and the country or region.