| 30/11/2005
- The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell, will lead an Australian delegation to the
eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11)
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change to be held in Montreal, Canada, in December.
Representatives from 189 countries will meet from 28 November
to 9 December to assess international progress on climate
change measures and discuss future international climate
change action.
Senator Campbell will participate in a number of high-level
discussions and bilateral meetings to discuss future joint
climate change measures.
He will deliver a National Statement during the high level
segment from 7 to 9 December during which he will call
for a fresh approach to the global climate change effort,
and emphasise the importance of countries collaborating
on practical actions in response to climate change.
He will also chair meetings of the Umbrella Group – a
coalition involving Australia, the United States, Japan,
Russia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Iceland and the Ukraine
– with shared interests across many aspects of the international
climate change agenda.
“Australia remains a strong and active member of the United
Nations Framwork Convention on Climate Change and the
Montreal meeting will provide an important forum through
which we can work with other parties towards an effective
global response to climate change,” Senator Campbell said.
“While we are all working towards where we go next on
a global basis, realistically it will take some years
to achieve agreement on the nature of a future response.
“In the interim, Australia is also taking strong action
to reduce emissions.
“The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and
Climate will help drive the development of essential technologies,
our bilateral partnerships are already delivering real
and practical benefits, and our technological-focused
partnerships, such as the Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency Partnership, are ensuring international cooperation
on new technologies.
“The Australian Government holds a key place at the international
table, and we will continue to tackle climate change both
at the international and domestic levels.”
Domestically, Australia has committed $1.8 billion in
measures to reduce our national greenhouse gas emissions
– an investment which has the nation on track to meet
its Kyoto target of reducing national greenhouse gas emissions
to 108 per cent of their 11000 levels by 2010. |
