Press release - September 10, 2007
Only binding targets to reduce greenhouse emissions can save the world from the dangerous impacts of climate change but APEC leaders have instead chosen to support only vague and
voluntary goals, Greenpeace said today.
"The Sydney Declaration is really just a Sydney distraction from
real action on climate change," Greenpeace climate campaigner Cindy
Baxter said.
"The failure of this APEC to produce meaningful progress on
climate change confirms that the place to do this is at the Kyoto
negotiations in Bali in December."
Ms Baxter said the Sydney Declaration´s non-binding aspirational
goal of reducing energy intensity by at least 25% by 2030 would
mean business as usual. In most APEC countries energy intensity
would improve by this amount by 2030 anyway - but overall emissions
would continue to rise, she said.
"Bali is where the world will set the agenda for a strong
mandate on climate change, setting in place agreements on binding
targets and timetables to cut greenhouse gas emissions."
"Today APEC leaders supported the Australian Government in
little more than a political stunt. They have professed concern
about climate change while agreeing to no real action to move
forward."
"If this is the platform for future climate action then the
world is in trouble," Ms Baxter said. "In New Zealand climate
change will mean more extreme weather events such as severe
droughts."
"This week we have seen a new coal mine approved in NSW,
more
uranium being pushed out the door and George Bush confusing APEC
with OPEC. This demonstrates the real agenda behind what has
happened here in Sydney which is taking us in the wrong
direction."
"While John Howard billed APEC as "the most important gathering
of leaders to discuss climate change since the 1992 Rio
Conference," in reality it has failed to deliver on climate
change." concluded Ms Baxter.
Other contacts: Cindy Baxter, +61407 284 916
Michelle Thomas, +6421 577556
Exp. contact date: 2007-10-10 00:00:00