Kobe University hosted Outreach Events for ETEE

Kobe University is a member of the Jean Monnet Network Program ‘European Transoceanic Encounters and Exchanges (ETEE)’, which aims to enhance education and understanding about Europe’s place and role in today’s world by exploring its present and past transoceanic relations and connections.As part of this program, Kobe University organized outreach events on April 24 and 28, 2023.

At the outreach event on April 24, Dr. Pierre André (Post Doctoral Fellow, FNRS, Hoover Chair for Economic and Social Ethics), a researcher from KU Leuven (in Belgium) gave a public lecture entitled "Climate Justice Issues in the EU: an Introduction" followed by a Q&A session.

The lecture introduced the discussions in the fields of international politics and economics towards reaching a global agreement to curb carbon dioxide emissions in relation to global warming, and the role and influence of the EU in this process.22 students of Kobe University, including international students, participated in the lecture, which was also delivered online.

On April 28, Dr. Pierre André gave a public lecture for researchers titled "Climate Change, Cultural Devastation, and Compensation" in person and online.The participants at the lecture discussed the issues of compensation for post- and preliminary damages to countries and regions directly affected by global warming due to carbon dioxide emissions and those facing the threat of submersion, and the aspects of such compensation that should be discussed, with reference to damage cases recognized by the UN Human Rights Commission in 2022.

During the Q&A session, there was a lively exchange of opinions among participants.Six researchers from the Kobe University Graduate School of Law participated in person and six researchers participated online. The public lecture was co-sponsored by JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 22H00042, "International Comparative Study on Multiculturalization, Smartness, and Nudging of Social Welfare Systems for Aging Society with Low Fertility.”Through this ETEE program, we will continue to promote a deeper understanding of Europe from diverse perspectives.

(Interdisciplinary Education Division)