MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 24/07/01 Thinking Ahead: Moving To Equal Per Capita Emission Rights While welcoming the breakthrough in the international climate negotiations yesterday, Friends of the Earth (Australia) expressed disappointment that the progress of some Annex B countries was being impeded by Australia. 'International negotiators should be thinking beyond the Kyoto commitment period about moving to equal per capita emission rights,' said Friends of the Earth Climate Justice spokesperson Allan Nam. 'Instead they are wasting years establishing rules that ensure the short-term economic interests of a few industries in Australia are placed before the interests of the rest of humanity. Simultaneously they have resisted giving generous financial contributions to help poorer countries adapt to climate change, while some industrialised nations have made significant commitments in this regard.' Australia has one of the highest levels of per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the world, with each Australian emitting ten times the greenhouse gas pollution of Chinese or Indian citizens. Despite this, the Australian government continues to cite 'developing country participation' as an issue impeding its acceptance of the Kyoto Protocol. Theories such as 'Contraction and Convergence' propose methods of reducing per capita emissions in developed countries (Annex B) while those in developing countries (non-Annex B) are able to increase their per capita emissions in order to develop economically and achieve a fair standard of living. Eventually per capita emissions will 'converge' at a per capita level. 'Issues of equity and fairness have been considered secondary throughout this whole process, yet climate change is going to be the biggest social justice issue ever, as well as the most critical environmental issue', Nam continued. 'It is time to think ahead to a world where everyone has equal rights to the earth's atmosphere. More information/ comment: Allan Nam, Friends of the Earth Climate Justice spokesperson 0407 324 743 ------- Further details on the Bonn negotiations can be found at: http://www.foei.org http://www.foe.org.au ------- ----- help keep FoE active - give a tax-free donation ----- Friends of the Earth Melbourne (Australia) PO Box 222 Fitzroy 3065 312 Smith St Collingwood Phone: (03) 9419 8700 Fax: (03) 9416 2081 (International: tel. +61 (3) 9419 8700; fax +61 (3) 9416 2081) www.melbourne.foe.org.au -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
LL:PR: climate negotiations: no justice
Friends of the Earth Melbourne Tue, 24 Jul 2001 02:43:20 -0700
