MEDIA ADVISORY
Friends of the Earth International
AUSTRALIA ISOLATES ITSELF AT CLIMATE
CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS
NAIROBI, KENYA, November 14, 2006 -- By
insisting that the 'Convention Dialogue' it
chairs should replace the climate change
agreement know as the Kyoto Protocol, the
Australian government is offending the 165
nations that ratified the United Nations
agreement and have gathered here to start
negotiations for the Protocol's continuation
after 2012. [1]
"Promoting the 'Dialogue' over all other
forums at the Nairobi climate talks is a
clear attempt to detract attention from the
real negotiations on the post 2012 period.
Australia's proposal to restart climate
negotiations would set the fight against
climate change back 15 years," said Friends
of the Earth Australia Climate campaigner
Stephanie Long.
"Australia is also spoiling the United
Nations Nairobi talks through misleading
claims that the Protocol is a failure and not
going to deliver results for the environment
or the economy. But contrary to the
Australian government's claims, the
international community sees the Kyoto
Protocol as the main instrument to fight
climate change and is working to building the
agreement for emissions reductions after
2012, its second commitment period," she
added.
"Australia's proposal simply means
restarting climate negotiations from scratch.
This is an untenable position, economically
and environmentally, and would gravely affect
those who suffer the brunt of climate change
in Africa and throughout the rest of the
planet," said Erasmus Aborley from Friends of
the Earth Ghana.
"Australia and other countries would like
poor developing countries to show a
committment to reductions of climate
change-causing greenhouse gas emissions, but
the industrialised countries that created the
problem must show the way and commit
themselves rapidly to binding targets first,"
he added.
Statements this week from Australian
Environment Minister Ian Campbell imply that
Australia will use its position as chair of
the “Convention Dialogue” sessions of the
Nairobi meeting to further obstruct
negotiations for the Protocol's continuation
after 2012.
Australia also continues to espouse the
virtues of the 'Asia Pacific Partnership', an
initiative based only on voluntary emission
targets which is friendly to polluters but
plainly insufficient to save the planet from
dangerous climate change.
These policies mark a stark contrast with
recent warnings about climate change, such as
those in the recent 'Stern report'[2] that
identify Australia as the most vulnerable
developed nation to climate change.
“The Stern report clearly assessed that
reducing greenhouse gas emissions is cheaper
than absorbing the costs of the impacts of
climate change.” Said Stephanie Long.
“Considering that the government has already
spent over $1 billion in drought relief for
farmers this year, these costs should be
front and centre of the Australian
governments motivation to ratify Kyoto and
çontribute instead of harming negotiations
for the Protocol's continuation.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT IN NAIROBI,
KENYA:
Stephanie Long, Friends of the Earth
Australia, +254 (0)720827577 (Kenya mobile
until Nov.17 only)
Erasmus Aborley from Friends of the Earth
Ghana, +254 (0)720827588 (Kenya mobile until
Nov.17 only)
NOTES TO EDITORS
[1] Australia is co-chairing the “Dialogue
on long-term cooperative action to address
climate change by enhancing implementation of
the Convention” (the 'Dialogue') which is a
two year process that began in 2005 at UN
Climate talks in Montreal, Canada. The
Dialogue is simply a forum to raise issues
and discuss ideas that explicitly will not
result in any binding agreements on climate
change actions.
[2] The recent and ground-breaking UK
Stern report is available at
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
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