FED: Aust urged not to hide behind US withdrawal from Kyoto

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2001
FED: Aust urged not to hide behind US withdrawal from Kyoto

By Graeme Webber

SYDNEY, Dec 4 AAP - Australia was today warned not to use the US position on greenhouse
gases as an excuse to do nothing to combat global warming.

British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said Australia had bargained itself a generous
deal under the Kyoto pact on global warming and it was time to sign up.

Mr Prescott, addressing the Sydney Institute, said: "I know that here in Australia
you are very worried about the competitive disadvantage that you may suffer if you take
action on climate change.

"We must act together to bring the United States back on board and not use the US position
as an excuse to do nothing.

Earlier this year US President George W Bush said the United States would not support
the Kyoto proposal to reduce greenhouse gases until developing countries were legally
bound by it. He said the US economy could not afford it.

The Australian federal government does not want to commit to Kyoto until the United States does.

Mr Prescott today said Washington made a political decision but Australia should remember
it had just experienced its warmest decade and hottest year on record and that coral reefs
were being bleached as a result of global warming.

While Britain had agreed to cut greenhouse emissions by 12.5 per cent on 1990 levels,
Australia managed to win approval to increase its pollution output by eight per cent on
1990 levels, he said.

Mr Prescott said it was a "pretty good deal for Australia, particularly since in per
capita terms you are the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter".

Australia had also been successful in negotiating special allowances for land clearing
and carbon sinks, such as forests which absorb greenhouse gases.

Instead of a blanket reduction target, Mr Prescott said Australia pioneered the drive
for different targets for each continent and individual countries.

Mr Prescott also told those attending the institute forum that the whole world needed
to commit to strengthening security by sharing prosperity fairly in the world.

"The world has successfully responded in a coalition against terrorism - and I know
that Australia has acted quickly to support the coalition," he said.

"It is the poor places, the places without food, fresh water and electricity that are
the breeding ground for terrorism.

"Surely, if we can organise a global alliance to deal with terrorism, it's not beyond
the wit and imagination of us to organise a similar global alliance to deal with poverty
and prosperity on a global scale," Mr Prescott said.

AAP gmw/arb/pw/br .

KEYWORD: PRESCOTT

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.