Thursday 3rd October 2002

Australia and the Kyoto Protocol

In August this year, in the lead up to the Second Earth Summit in Johannesburg, the Howard government announced its refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Climate Change Convention.
Send a message of protest now. Refer to the information sheet below for more details.

Dear…………...,

I am outraged by the Howard government's position on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol.
The government's arguments for refusing to sign the treaty, concerning industry and jobs, are weak and flawed in the face of a looming environmental crisis.
The Howard government should not let this be another opportunity for Australia to be seen as a poor international citizen, as shown by the government's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers and by its willingness to go to war on Iraq.
Australia must honour its international obligations to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions and ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately.

Yours truly,

Send to:

David Kemp, Environment Minister
368 Centre Road, BENTLEIGH VIC 3204
D.Kemp.MP@aph.gov.au
Fax: 03 9557 2906

Bob Brown, The Greens
9th Floor Marine Board Building,
1 Franklin Wharf, HOBART TAS 7000
senator.brown@aph.gov.au
Fax: 03 6234 1577

Senator Brian Greig, Democrats
Fax: 08 9228 3033
Email: senator.greig@aph.gov.au
Address: 1/151 Brisbane Street, PERTH WA 6000

Kelvin Thomson, Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage
3 Munro Street,
Coburg VIC 3058
Tel: (03) 9350 5777
Fax: (03) 9350 6613
Kelvin.Thomson.MP@aph.gov.au

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement designed to address the global problem of climate change. It is a pact agreed on by governments at a United Nations conference in Kyoto, Japan 1997 to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by developed countries by 5.2% of 1990 levels during the five year period 2008-2012. It is based on the UN Climate Change Convention adopted at the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro 1992.
At Kyoto Australia negotiated a greenhouse pollution 'reduction target' of plus 8 percent. This means Australia can actually increase its levels of pollution to 8% from 1990 levels while other countries agreed to reduce theirs by the same amount.

How does it work?

The Kyoto Protocol is legally binding once it has been ratified by 55% of the signatories representing 55% of developed countries greenhouse gas emissions. Once it has been ratified the Protocol can come into force.
The Protocol can be enforced under an agreement made in Germany this year, which requires countries to increase their cuts by 30% if their emissions are under target at the end of 2012. Australia has opposed this compliance mechanism.

What happened at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg?

The World Summit on Sustainable Development held was held in Johannesburg this year. Japan, China and Russia announced that they would ratify the Kyoto Protocol, joining the UK, Germany, NZ and other countries. This assures that the Kyoto Climate Treaty will now come into effect.
However, the Treaty has been severely weakened by Australia and the US's refusal to ratify. The US is the producer of 25% of the world's greenhouse gases and Australia has the highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in the developed world.

The Howard government's arguments

John Howard told the Australian parliament that "it is not in Australia's interests to ratify the Kyoto Protocol."
"For us to ratify the protocol would cost us jobs and damage our industry…"
The Howard government believes that ratifying the agreement would drive Australian industry offshore as most of the countries regional neighbours are not bound by the agreement.
These claims are rejected, not only by environmentalists, but also by economists who claim that there are policy options available that would slow climate change without harming employment or living standards in Australia.
Environmentalists argue that the claim of driving industry offshore is overstated because decisions by industry about where to locate would never be made simply according to energy policies.
Also a study commissioned by the US Environmental Protection Authority found that many developing countries have energy efficient policies better than or equal to the US.

Why Australia should sign

Climate change is one of the most significant threats to the earth.
The developed world produces over 80% of the globe's greenhouse pollution, even though it makes up just 20% of the population. Australia's performance in relation to greenhouse gases is particularly poor, it is the highest per capita producer of emissions in the developed world, and this trend is increasing. In addition to this Australia is one of the largest exporters of coal, and its per capita energy consumption is one of the highest in the world.
Over the last ten years Australian governments have failed to included ecologically sustainable development into their policies, instead they have pursued more immediate economic and political advantages.
It is clear that Australia has a huge responsibility to the environment and to the international community to address the issue of climate change by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

A look at Australia internationally

Over time, there has been a retreat by Australian governments, especially the Howard government, from national and international responsibilities.
Australia has shifted from being a 'good global citizen' in terms of international environmental and humanitarian development, to one that has worked to weaken international frameworks.
At Rio in 1992 Australia was strongly supportive of a range on international environmental commitments, since that time it has become known for its more destructive role in these processes.
The Howard government's position on Kyoto is part of a broader trend, for example the Howard government has attempted to weaken the World Heritage Convention, and it has refused to endorse the Basel Convention (which would limit the trade in hazardous waste).
Unfortunately this behaviour is not confined to environmental matters. In the human rights field Australia has been heavily criticised by the UN and the international community for its treatment of refugees, over mandatory sentencing for Indigenous offenders in certain Australian states and Territories and breach of ILO standards for trade union rights.
Australia once played a prominent role in international affairs, it was considered a 'good global citizen' for its co-operative and respectful participation in international environmental and humanitarian development.
Australia must again play a role that strengthens, rather than undermines, our international community and the regulatory framework it puts in place.

Michele Freeman
Now We The People

References:
In Reverse, Report by Dr Peter Christoff, University of Melbourne, August 2002
Australia Conservation Foundation Online www.acfonline.org.au
Planet Ark www.planetark.org