Kilaparti Ramakrishna

Kilaparti Ramakrishna
Senior Associate
(on leave of absence, 2/2006 - 2007)
Woods Hole Research Center
149 Woods Hole Road
Falmouth, MA 02540-1644
Phone: 508-540-9900 x103
Fax: 508-540-9700

Education

Ph.D. - School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
1985, International Environmental Law

M.Phil. - School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
1978, International Law

B.L. - College of Law, Andhra University, Waltair
1976, General Laws

B.Sc. - College of Arts and Sciences, Andhra University, Rajahmundry
1973, Mathematics, Physics & Chemistry

Professional Experience

The Woods Hole Research Center

  • 2001 - 2006: Sara Shallenberger Brown Chair in Environmental Policy
  • 1995 - 2006: Deputy Director
  • 1987 - present: Senior Associate, International Environmental Law; Director of the Program on Science in Public Affairs

Other Positions

  • 2/2006 - 2007: Deputy Director, Division of Policy, Development and Law; Chief, Cross-sectoral Environmental Issues, UN Environment Programme.
  • 1993 - present: Visiting Professor of International Law, 1999-present; Adjunct Professor of International Law, 1993-1999, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, MA
  • 1992 - 2000: Senior Fellow, Institute for International Environmental Governance, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
  • 1991 - 1993: Special Advisor, United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, Geneva
  • 1987: Visiting Research Fellow, East-West Center, Environment and Policy Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii
  • 1986 - 1989: Marine Policy Fellow and Guest Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole, MA
  • 1985 - 1987: Fulbright Visiting Scholar, 1985-86; Visiting Scholar, 1986-87, Harvard Law School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
  • 1980 - 1985: Assistant Professor, Indian Academy of International Law and Diplomacy, New Delhi, India

Research Interests

International legal and policy issues associated with global climate change, conservation and utilization of world forests, biodiversity, environmental governance, and developing country perspectives.

Selected publications

Howarth, R. and K. Ramakrishna, contributing lead authors. 2005. “Nutrient Management” (Chapter 9), in Ecosystems And Human Well-Being: Policy Responses (Volume 3-Findings of the Responses Working Group), Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Island Press.

Ramakrishna, K. and L. Jacobsen, eds. 2003. Action Versus Words: Implementation of the UNFCCC by Select Developing Countries-Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Korea, Senegal, South Africa. Woods Hole, MA: Woods Hole Research Center.

Ramakrishna, K. 2003. “Citizen Participation and Developing Country Agendas,” in B. Kasemir, J. Jäger, C.C. Jaeger, and M. Gardner (eds.), Public Participation in Sustainability Science. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.

Ramakrishna, K. 2001. Who needs what to implement the Kyoto Protocol? An assessment of capacity building needs in 33 developing countries. Report by UNITAR with Consortium for North-South Dialogue on Climate Change, 2001.

Ramakrishna, K. 2001. “Needs and Constraints of the Policy Community,” remarks published in Report of the Initial Planning Meeting. Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change – Carbon Management Research Activity, May 29-30, 2000, Tokyo, Japan. Published by the Center for Global Environmental Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (CGER-D028-2001).

Ramakrishna, K., B. Bamberger, and L. Jacobsen, eds. 2000. Asia: Looking Ahead: Initial Stages of National Communications Reporting. Woods Hole, MA: Woods Hole Research Center. 164pp. ISBN: 0-9706340-0-5.

Houghton, R.A. and K. Ramakrishna. 1999. “A Review of National Emissions Inventories from Select Non-Annex I Countries.” Annual Review of Energy and Environment, vol. 24:571-605.

Ramakrishna, K. 1999. “Kyoto and the Third World: Some Popular (US) Misconceptions.” Foreign Service Jnl 76(3).

Moomaw, W., K. Ramakrishna, K. Gallagher, and T. Fried. 1999. “The Kyoto Protocol: A Blueprint for Sustainable Development.” Journal of Environment and Development, 8(1).

Ramakrishna, K. 1997. “The Great Debate on CO2 Emissions,” Nature, Vol. 390:227-228, November 20, 1997.

Young, O.R., G.J. Demko, K. Ramakrishna eds. 1996. Global Environmental Change and International Governance, University Press of New England.

Ramakrishna, K. and G.M. Woodwell, eds. 1993. World Forests for the Future: Their Use and Conservation, New Haven CT: Yale University Press.

Ramakrishna, K. 1992. “Interest Articulation and Law-Making in Climate Change Negotiations: Perspectives from Developing Countries”, Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems, Volume 2 (1992), pp: 153-172.

Current projects

Climate Change:

  • Outlining the next phase of negotiations for the Second and subsequent Commitment Periods as progress is assessed towards Kyoto Protocol targets and identifying ways of moving forward in meeting existing commitments.
  • Continuing work with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as well as the regime set in place through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
  • Exploring optional protocols (largely intergovernmental), voluntary agreements (largely private sector), and role of renewable energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol and/or outside of it, e.g. Asian), and
  • meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Forests:

  • Continuing to implement the work program outlined by the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development (WCFSD) and the United Nations Forum on Forests in promoting policies for management and sustainable use of world forests.
  • Exploring the role of legal frameworks for sustainable use of world forests.
  • Promoting synergistic links with other programs of the Center and with climate change.

Nitrogen and Soils:

  • Working on a global soils agenda, with IUCN’s Environmental Law Commission and with the International Union of Soil Sciences.
  • Continuing participation in International Nitrogen Initiative under sponsorship of
    SCOPE/IGBP.

Environmental Governance:

  • Continuing collaborations with Center for Russian Environmental Policy on two projects: "Russia's Environmental Health and Civil Society" and “Civil Society and Natural Resource Management in Russia."
  • Continuing to address issues and options for strengthening international efforts in the
    protection of the environment through UNEP Governing Council.

Activities

Teaching Activities

  • 1993-present: Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University; courses taught include International Legal Aspects of World Resources, Negotiating Environmental Agreements, Global Environmental Policy, Financing Sustainability, International Environmental Law
  • 2003-present: Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University; course: Environmental Treaties
  • 2001: Harvard Law School, Harvard University; course: International Environmental Law
  • 2000: Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; course: Negotiating Environmental Agreements
  • 1993 - 1994: Boston University, School of Law; course: International Environmental Law
  • 1991: Boston University, Department of International Relations; Visiting Professor
  • 1987 - 1988: Boston University, Department of Political Science; Lecturer in International Law and Organization
  • 1993 - 1994: Boston College School of Law; course: International Environmental Law

International Activities

  • WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Geneva, Switzerland
    Section Coordinator and Convening Lead Author, IPCC Special Report on the Methodological and Technological Issues in Technology Transfer, 1997-2000. Review Editor, IPCC Special Report on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry, 1998-2000.
  • Convention on Biological Diversity, Geneva, Switzerland and Montreal, Canada
    Special Advisor to the Head of the Interim Secretariat of the ICCBD, 1994
    Principal Officer, Implementation and Communication, CBD Secretariat, 1998.
  • United Nations Environment Programme
    Member/Lead Author, UNEP/NASA/World Bank Interlinkages Assessment Report, 1998.
  • Global Environment Facility, Washington, DC
    Member, Committee to draft Terms of Reference for the Independent Evaluation of GEF, 1997.
  • The World Bank, Washington, DC
    Member, Steering Committee, “The Effect of a Shadow Price on Carbon Emissions in the
    Energy Portfolio of the World Bank: A Backcasting Exercise ”, 1996-1997.
  • World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development, Geneva, Switzerland
    Coordinator of the organizing committee that established the independent World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development, 1992-1995.
  • United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    Special Guest of Mr. Maurice Strong, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June, 1992.
  • Hague Academy of International Law, International Court of Justice, The Hague,
    The Netherlands
    Resident Fellow, Center for Studies and Research, 1984 (Fall).
  • International Law Commission, United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
    Fellow, 1984.

Other Activities

  • Elected Member: Council on Foreign Relations, 2002 IUCN Commission on Environmental Law, 1985 Sigma Xi, 1991 The World Academy of Art and Science, 2001
  • Life Member: American Society of International Law
    Indian Society of International Law
    Indian Law Institute
  • Board of Directors: Consensus Building Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts;
    New England Forestry Foundation, Littleton, Massachusetts