Australia have formally announced their support for the Copenhagen accord, the agreement that was brokered in the final hours of the Copenhagen climate talks in December.
The Copenhagen Accord was crafted after a major collapse in the negotiations that arose from an unwillingness of developed countries to commit to the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol until 2012 and a legally binding agreement with 40% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries after 2012.
Australia has submitted an unconditional target of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 5% by 2020 (equals 3.89% reductions on 1990 levels). Australia’s statement to the UN also states that the Government will consider committing to a reduction target between 15% to 25% if a number of conditions are met. Developing countries are calling for at least 40% reductions in annual greenhouse gas emissions from developed countries. So far, the Rudd Government’s commitments fall well short of what is required.
This is really disappointing but hopefully when parliament resumes in Canberra tomorrow PM Rudd will follow the lead of the Maldives and commit to higher targets and commit to a transition to a carbon-neutral economy.
The Maldives have just committed to becoming a carbon-neutral economy by 2020.
NOW THAT IS INSPIRATIONAL!
