Australia: Playing our Part in Copenhagen

Playing our part in a new global agreement on climate change
Posted: Fri 04 Dec 2009 2:00PM

The very first act of the Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd, in December 2007 was to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. This ensured Australia would play its part in international efforts to respond to climate change by joining other developed countries in committing to binding greenhouse gas emissions targets for the period between 2008 and 2012.

When Australia ratified the Kyoto Protocol, we committed to restraining our greenhouse gas emissions to an average 108 per cent of 1990 levels across this period. Australia’s emissions are projected to be 107 per cent of 1990 levels over the period—better than our target.

While the Kyoto Protocol was an important first step, the international community recognised that a much more ambitious global response to climate change is needed for the post-2012 period.

Australia is a constructive participant in the UNFCCC negotiations, working to achieve a new global agreement on climate change that is:

* Effective: it needs to deliver real emissions reductions, through a long-term global approach, and, in doing so, set the world on a path to a low pollution future
* Fair: countries should all do their share, taking into account their level of development and national circumstances, with advanced economies taking the lead and providing appropriate financial support
* Efficient: it needs to cover all major sources of carbon pollution and include ways to help reduce emissions at least-cost.

For the international community to agree to an effective, fair and efficient outcome, all countries will require confidence that they can reduce their carbon pollution at the same time as they grow their economies and improve their living standards. Australia’s actions aim to demonstrate just that.

The Australian Government is implementing a comprehensive response to climate change:

* reducing Australia’s carbon pollution
* adapting to unavoidable climate change, and
* helping to shape a global solution.

Australia is also leading and actively engaged in a number of clean technology initiatives, complementary negotiations, and practical partnerships that help to build international confidence and goodwill, and provide impetus to the UNFCCC negotiations.

Australia is using every opportunity to build consensus towards a new global climate change agreement that is effective, fair and efficient, and includes three core components:

* a long-term global goal for reducing carbon pollution
* specific national commitments to reduce or restrain carbon pollution
* ways to help the most vulnerable adapt.



Precis:

The article „Playing our part in a new global agreement climate change“ by the Australian federal government speaks of Australia’s successes and goals to reduce carbon emission in the future. Their participation in the upcoming Copenhagen conference seems to be very important and helpful for the world. In comparison to other nations currently involved in these negotiations, Australia speaks about their successes with the Kyoto Protocol. Surprisingly, they were able to reduce their emissions by a greater amount than they had originally expected. The article repeatedly mentions Australia’s goals and successes such as efficient, fair, and effective plans for the future. Secondly the article speaks of the successes in new technology that Australia has developed known as “clean technology initiatives”. Australia has clear goals for its own future and for the future of our world, but makes it clear that it only expects developed nations to participate in their plans.