Press release - 15 December, 2007
After holding out for two weeks, both Canada and Australia finally caved in and agreed at the climate talks in Bali to support a 25-40% emissions reduction target by 2020.
"It's good to see Australia starting to take a more progressive
role on climate change. We had concerns that Australia would play a
wrecker role in Bali, but at the very end they did the right
thing," said Stephen Campbell, Greenpeace Australia Pacific
Campaigns Director.
He said the Federal Government will now have to take its
emission reduction commitments seriously. It should follow New
Zealand's example and call a moratorium on any new coal-fired power
stations.
"We have the right words - now it's time to see the right
actions", said Stephen Campbell, Campaigns Director of Greenpeace
Australia/Pacific.
Unlike Australia, Canada only accepted this range and did not
actively support it.
"Canada played a destructive role for the whole two weeks in
Bali. But in the end they had to cave to domestic and international
pressure and accept the emission reduction targets that science
requires" said Claire Stockwell, political advisor to Greenpeace
Canada.
"If Canada were serious about fighting climate change, they
would scrap their abysmal national 'climate plan' and forbid the
development of the tar sands oil fields."
VVPR info: Claire Stockwell, + 62 813 3794 9709 Stephen Campbell, + 62 813 3794 9725