Government Sign On of  Kyoto-2 Welcome

Climate Action Monaro has welcomed the announcement by the Federal Government today that it will sign on to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

Australia joins the European Union and a handful of other major emitters in doing so. The Kyoto Protocol was the first international treaty to set binding obligations on countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It expires at the end of the year and Kyoto-2 will start at the beginning of 2013.

President of Climate Action Monaro, Jenny Goldie, says Australia dragged its feet in ratifying Kyoto-1 so it is encouraging that it is one of the first countries to promise to sign on to the next phase.

"There are advantages for Australia in doing so, not least being that our businesses will have access to international credits under the Clean Development Mechanism from 1 January 2013."

Ms Goldie says the sign on gives the Government credibility and thus puts it in a better position to help the international community develop a new global agreement. This will be finalised by 2015 and start in 2020. Negotiations will resume at Doha in three weeks when the Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meet.

"We also welcome the fact that the Government has kept its commitment of lowering emissions by 5-25 per cent on 2000 levels by 2020 with the possibility of lowering them further. The independent Climate Change Authority will advise the Government on a national target by early 2014."

Ms Goldie says, however, that even the higher end of the current promise (25 per cent) may not be enough to keep temperatures from rising beyond so-called safe levels of 2oC.

"The science says not only should the target be 40 per cent reduction by 2020 but that reference period should be 1990, not 2000."

Further information:

Jenny Goldie 
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