I released several proposals for a design of the Kyoto Protocol itself as well as its rulebook design for 1996–2001.
Once the rules were completed as the Marrakech Accords, I left IGES and undertook consultancy activities to operate the rules in the field of CDM, etc., based on my experience to design them. The strategic research at IGES bore fruit to receive approval of the first CDM methodology.
Now we are at the stage of designing the rules of the Paris Agreement as an international framework. There are limited instruments to make the Agreement effective by ensuring the function of the NDC process properly under several constraints. I judged that the most significant one is the national reporting and its reviewing arrangements.
Fortunately, since I have been involved in the In-depth Review process of the first National Communications for more than 20 years before the launch of IGES, I accumulated knowledge and experiences of the process.
I emphasized that the GHG MRV—for CDM, NAMA, etc.— should be designed to be a part of PDCA-cycle for improvement of the performance. This Report also emphasizes this point. The underlying thought is that it is meaningless if it does not contribute to promoting actions, but only for transparency and accountability. It seems strange that there is almost no evidence of such a statement.
Taking this opportunity, I summarised my various thoughts into a milestone report with concrete proposals in order to contribute to the international framework, having returned to IGES. This comprehensive report is based on my 27 years of experience in climate change and energy. Therefore, I believe that the Report is also useful for people who are willing to study the international dimension of the climate change issue again.
From now on, I am expecting to contribute to climate change issues by materializing my thoughts shown in the Flagship Report, through inputs to the actors of international negotiations, preparation of more detailed guidance and templates, design, and implementation of capacity building programs, etc.
Outside of IGES, I am undertaking a BOP business (http://egao.lighting) using investment-type crowdfunding (https://www.securite.jp/fund/detail/4137) based on PEAR Carbon Offset Initiative, Ltd.
In addition, I am running a consultancy company Climate Experts, Ltd. on climate issues as well as being a visiting professor of the post-graduate school of Keio University (Shonan-Fujisawa campus). I also work for Cool Innovation, Inc. to build a new type of cold chain using container-refrigerator with an innovative high humid cooling technology in developing countries where the post-harvest loss is around 1/2.