November 14, 2006

AUSTRALIA ISOLATES ITSELF AT CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS

NAIROBI, KENYA, November 14, 2006 -- By insisting that the 'Convention
Dialogue' it chairs should replace the climate change agreement know as
the Kyoto Protocol, the Australian government is offending the 165 nations
that ratified the United Nations agreement and have gathered here to start
negotiations for the Protocol's continuation after 2012. [1]

"Promoting the 'Dialogue' over all other forums at the Nairobi climate
talks is a clear attempt to detract attention from the real negotiations
on the post 2012 period. Australia's proposal to restart climate
negotiations would set the fight against climate change back 15 years,"
said Friends of the Earth Australia Climate campaigner Stephanie Long.

"Australia is also spoiling the United Nations Nairobi talks through
misleading claims that the Protocol is a failure and not going to deliver
results for the environment or the economy. But contrary to the Australian
government's claims, the international community sees the Kyoto Protocol
as the main instrument to fight climate change and is working to building
the agreement for emissions reductions after 2012, its second commitment
period," she added.

"Australia's proposal simply means restarting climate negotiations from
scratch. This is an untenable position, economically and environmentally,
and would gravely affect those who suffer the brunt of climate change in
Africa and throughout the rest of the planet," said Erasmus Aborley from
Friends of the Earth Ghana.

"Australia and other countries would like poor developing countries to
show a committment to reductions of climate change-causing greenhouse gas
emissions, but the industrialised countries that created the problem must
show the way and commit themselves rapidly to binding targets first," he
added.

Statements this week from Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell
imply that Australia will use its position as chair of the “Convention
Dialogue” sessions of the Nairobi meeting to further obstruct negotiations
for the Protocol's continuation after 2012.

Australia also continues to espouse the virtues of the 'Asia Pacific
Partnership', an initiative based only on voluntary emission targets which
is friendly to polluters but plainly insufficient to save the planet from
dangerous climate change.

These policies mark a stark contrast with recent warnings about climate
change, such as those in the recent 'Stern report'[2] that identify
Australia as the most vulnerable developed nation to climate change.

“The Stern report clearly assessed that reducing greenhouse gas emissions
is cheaper than absorbing the costs of the impacts of climate change.”
Said Stephanie Long. “Considering that the government has already spent
over $1 billion in drought relief for farmers this year, these costs
should be front and centre of the Australian governments motivation to
ratify Kyoto and çontribute instead of harming negotiations for the
Protocol's continuation.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT IN NAIROBI, KENYA:

Stephanie Long, Friends of the Earth Australia, +254 (0)720827577 (Kenya
mobile until Nov.17 only)

Erasmus Aborley from Friends of the Earth Ghana, +254 (0)720827588 (Kenya
mobile until Nov.17 only)

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] Australia is co-chairing the “Dialogue on long-term cooperative action
to address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention”
(the 'Dialogue') which is a two year process that began in 2005 at UN
Climate talks in Montreal, Canada. The Dialogue is simply a forum to raise
issues and discuss ideas that explicitly will not result in any binding
agreements on climate change actions.

[2] The recent and ground-breaking UK Stern report is available at
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/sternreview_index.cfm

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