3 November
2006 - Australia has successfully led an international
push to allow carbon to be stored deep beneath
the ocean floor as part of global efforts to address
climate change, the Minister for the Environment
and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell said today.
An international agreement,
known as the London Protocol, which governs the
responsible and environmentally sensible management
of wastes and other matters in the marine environment,
was amended overnight in London.
The Australian-led amendments,
championed by Senator Campbell, will allow member
countries to capture carbon-dioxide streams and
store them in geological formations deep under
the ocean floor, while protecting the marine environment.
"This is a win for Australia
but more importantly for the international fight
against climate change," said Senator Campbell.
"Carbon capture and storage
- or geosequestration - is one of the crucial
tools in our toolbox. These technologies are relatively
new but have enormous potential to help the world
reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
"This Australian-led push
will now enable carbon to be stored under the
ocean floor in a safe, responsible and environmentally
effective way, while potentially making a substantial
contribution to reducing global greenhouse gas
emissions.
"What this really means
is we can put the carbon that we extract from
under the ocean floor through gas and other mineral
exploration - carbon that has been sitting there
for millions of years - back where it belongs.
"Geosequestration uses
largely existing technology, but applies it in
a new way to permanently prevent the captured
carbon-dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
"Like onshore geosequestration,
storing carbon dioxide beneath the ocean floor
will be an important part of our 'multi-track'
response to climate change. It is an example of
the important role low emission technologies can
play. Australia has consistently argued that a
range of technologies will be needed to address
climate change.
Senator Campbell said that climate
change is now being recognised as a serious problem
by the international community, and that the Australian
Government has welcomed this opportunity to again
negotiate practical international solutions in
the fight against climate change.
"It is important that national and international
legal frameworks keep up with the rapid rate of
development of new technologies to lessen the
effects of climate change," Senator Campbell
said.
"The Australian Government
is driving the development of these low-emission
technologies at home through its $500 million
Low Emission Technology Demonstration Fund."
I particularly thank France,
Norway, Spain, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom
who cosponsored Australia's amendment.
The amendment was adopted
yesterday at a meeting in London of the Protocol
to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine
Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter.
The London Protocol has 29 members.
Rob Broadfield
