12.08.2005
Australia Leaves U.S. in the Cold at Climate Talks (ABC.net.au)
Last Update: Thursday, December 8, 2005. 2:24pm (AEDT)
Australia has broken ranks with the US at a key global climate change conference in Montreal, backing early negotiations for deeper cuts in greenhouse gases.
Ministers and representatives from 189 countries and entities are in Canada this week debating the shape of the Kyoto Protocol after the UN climate pact expires in 2012.
The US and Australia are not signatories to the agreement, which has set targets for industrialised countries to reduce carbon-based gases.
Australia and other countries have left the US isolated, endorsing a Canadian proposal for countries to hold talks over the next two years to find ways of curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
"The reality is that we can only make meaningful global greenhouse gas reductions if effective action is taken by all the major emitting countries," Environment Minister Ian Campbell said.
The conference is taking place under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the fruit of the 1992 Rio Summit.
(More ... Aust leaves US in the cold at climate talks. 08/12/2005. ABC News Online) ¶ 18:04
Australia has broken ranks with the US at a key global climate change conference in Montreal, backing early negotiations for deeper cuts in greenhouse gases.
Ministers and representatives from 189 countries and entities are in Canada this week debating the shape of the Kyoto Protocol after the UN climate pact expires in 2012.
The US and Australia are not signatories to the agreement, which has set targets for industrialised countries to reduce carbon-based gases.
Australia and other countries have left the US isolated, endorsing a Canadian proposal for countries to hold talks over the next two years to find ways of curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
"The reality is that we can only make meaningful global greenhouse gas reductions if effective action is taken by all the major emitting countries," Environment Minister Ian Campbell said.
The conference is taking place under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the fruit of the 1992 Rio Summit.
(More ... Aust leaves US in the cold at climate talks. 08/12/2005. ABC News Online) ¶ 18:04
