Australia was one of only a handful of countries to oppose the relatively weak ministerial declaration which concluded the two-week climate change conference in Geneva. Environment minister Senator Robert Hill lined up with his counterparts in New Zealand, 13 OPEC countries and Russia, to oppose part or all of the document.
In his speech to the conference, Hill in effect denied the scientific conclusion that climate change is already taking place: "It would be premature for this meeting to identify a particular point at which greenhouse gas concentrations might constitute a dangerous human interference".
One hundred and thirty-four countries were in favour of the declaration, which calls for legally binding targets for "significant overall" emission reductions to be negotiated by the end of 1997; recognises that allowing greenhouse gas concentrations to continue to increase will lead to "dangerous interference with the climate"; and recognises that the second assessment report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change should provide a scientific basis for urgently strengthening action, particularly by the industrialised countries.
The declaration noted, "Significant reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions are technically possible and economically feasible by utilising an array of technology policy measures that accelerate technology development". Recently big businesses in Australia have given implicit support to this argument by agreeing to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 20% over the next four years.
Yet, Hill and his negotiating team, which consisted of 14 manufacturing and farm groups including the Aluminium Council, the Coal Association, the Electricity Supply Association and the National Farmers' Federation, insisted that greenhouse targets would be "inefficient, ineffective and trade distorting".
The voluntary system of reducing greenhouse gas emissions proposed by the United Nations at the Rio conference in 1992 has not worked. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade estimates that by the year 2000, Australia's greenhouse output will be nearly 25% higher than it was in 1990; the USA's would be 10% higher and New Zealand's 15%.
The federal government's go-ahead for more coal-fired power stations, freeways, the privatisation of public transport and the greater clearing of natural vegetation and native forests make it abundantly clear that it has no intention of honouring either domestic or international commitments to reduce greenhouse gases.
-- Pip Hinman
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