Waiting for a mandate… Send the Australian delegation your climate fortune.
Posted on 04. Oct, 2010 by Philip Ireland in Australia
It’s the opening day of the climate negotiations in Tianjin, China. As I am writing this, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Christiana Figueres is giving her opening address to all the nations of the world. She just said “Now is the time to advance the search for common ground…It is in no one’s interest to delay action”.
Christina Figueres (left) at the tcktcktck opening event in Tianjin | Phil Ireland
No one, includes Australia.
In the realm of international climate talks Australia is certainly not a leader. We don’t have a price on carbon pollution, we are the world’s largest exported of coal and we do not have strong greenhouse gas reduction targets just to name a few.
But are we a laggard? Are we holding up the talks? Are we falling behind?
I believe that these negotiations in Tianjin, and Cancun in December, provide an opportunity for Australia to show leadership. To demonstrate that we are not a laggard. Australia needs to be bold. To step out and show they world that we are committed to real action that matches what the science requires.
In conversations the morning with the Australian delegation I got the impression that they are still waiting for a mandate from our newly elected government. They’re waiting to know how much they can give in the talks, and how much they can push.
The negotiators need to know that their government is behind strong action. And they also need to know that the Australia community supports them. That we want them to negotiate generously for a safe climate.
That’s why we’re asking for your help.
We want to send the Australian government negotiating team a clear message that the people of Australia continue to support international action on climate change. Tell us your climate fortune for 2010 by commenting on the bottom of this blog and I will deliver them to the Australian government negotiating team in Tianjin later this week.
The Australian Government must step up and show leadership in Tianjin and beyond. They must show that they are working hard to find common ground and will not delay action.
Stay tuned for more updates from the inside… I’m meeting with the Australian Ambassador on climate change, Louise Hand, this afternoon.
Tracking for you,
Phil
Here are some more pics from the event today:
The Great Climate Wall of China
My climate fortune is that Australia will announce a price on carbon (via a tax, ETS or hybrid scheme) before Cancun to give real substance to its 2020 emissions reduction commitment, which currently rings quite hollow.
My climate fortune for 2010:
This year you (the Australian government) will commit to reduce our polluting emissions by putting a price on carbon. You’ll also support a simple, but very useful, idea called the Robin Hood Tax (www.robinhoodtax.org.au) to help raise money desperatly needed to support poor communities adapt to climate impacts.
All I want for christmas is peak CO2 output for australia. We should at least be starting to reduce, not continue increasing!
That Australia will commit to emmission reductions of at least 40% of 1990 levels and that they will keep this commitment through introduction of both carrot and the stick incentives including; strict new environmentally friendly building regulation, investment in renewable technologies as well as through the issuing of either a carbon tax or carbon trading scheme. If we both encourage and disuade all at the same time it is likely to be much more effective.
This year the ALP (minority) Government will realise that it almost lost the election through its vacillation over, and playing politics with, climate change. Not only do Australians (and neighbouring communities) need action, we WANT action. Strong action including deep cuts to our greenhouse emissions, and assistance for those struggling to deal with the impacts of climate change.
I’ll keep it short, simple and sweet, 25 words or less to be precise. This is what I hope to get out of 2010 (anything less, especially with the emissions target, will be seen as a failure):
Committing to 350, climate finance of $150 billion, protecting forests overseas, lowering landuse and forestry emissions and negotiate an equitable post-2012 international climate change agreement.
I can’t help adding that we need to get an agreement on sustainable ocean management.
That Australia will commit to putting a price on carbon, without compensation to heavily polluting industries. That the world will commit to a binding pathway to global emissions reductions which take us to a 450ppm future.
Thanks for all your comments! i will take them to the delegation tomorrow. Keep them coming!