Social Action Office - Climate Change Campaign Seminar

Climate Change Campaign Seminar

The Politics of Climate Change - Nationally and Internationally

Presenter: Noel Ryan
Wednesday 2 May 2001

Summary of Seminar

Political Divides over Climate Change

The seminar highlighted the fact that the politics of climate change are multi-dimensional. The following summary seeks to identify the main areas where a political divide exists. This demonstrates the complexity of reaching a strong and credible global agreement on how to tackle predicted global warming and the impact of consequent climate change - it is no easy task!

The EU and the JUSCANZ Camps

In effect, there are two main camps in the climate change negotiations. The European Union and the group sometimes referred to as the US-led Umbrella Group or JUSCANZ (Japan, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand).

The differences between these camps are explored in the SAO's Briefing Note. However, the main points of contention are around:

strong binding targets which the EU camp wants and the other camp is equivocal about;
the inclusion of 'sinks' in calculating targets which the EU wants to limit and which the JUSCANZ camp want to exploit;
emissions trading which the EU will allow but which must be supplementary to real reductions of greenhouse gas emissions on home turf.

Basically, the JUSCANZ camp is seen as wanting to exploit every chance to avoid hard decisions within their national borders and to prefer taking advantage of 'sinks' and emissions trading as a way of reaching their targets.

The politics of the 'developed' and 'developing' countries

To date, most of the greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to accelerated climate change are coming from the rich, industrialised nations such as the US, the EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, Russia and eastern Europe. However, within a few years, over half of the greenhouse gas emissions will come from the developing world, including such countries as China and India.

The Kyoto Protocol did not commit developing nations to reduced emission targets - there seemed little point when the problem is not of their making, at least now. For example, on a per capita basis, one person in India contributes 1 tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere compared with 26 tonnes of CO2 by each Australian.

The developing nations were to participate in the Kyoto agreement via what is termed the Clean Development Mechanism. This means that developing nations would, with the assistance of the developed world, convert old technologies and develop new technologies that would take them down a low greenhouse pollution development path. Developed nations would receive credit for this.

President George W Bush has misrepresented the situation of developing nations and used their exemption from specific target reductions to justify the withdrawal of the US from global climate change negotiations.

A further and vital point to make here is that it will be developing nations that will fare worse as predicted climate change takes hold. The poor nations in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific will feel the worst effects of climate change but these nations and peoples will be least able to adapt. Ecological refugees will join the ranks of other refugees. This raises the issue of CLIMATE JUSTICE and SOLIDARITY.

The political divide over climate change in Australia

In Australia, the politics of climate change is acted out between the 'carbon club' and the supporters of the environmentally concerned:

The Carbon Club consists of:

Some unions who have members working in fossil fuel industries
Oil companies
Mining industry
Some farmers
Laviosier Group - a think tank.

The Environmentally Concerned consist of:

Some farmers
Renewable energy industry
Some parts of the insurance industry
Tourism
Health professionals who see health risks.

There does not seem to be much difference between the Coalition and ALP on climate change issues. Pressure needs to be applied to the ALP to declare where it actually stands in relation to the Kyoto Protocol.

(This summary has been developed from seminar notes taken by Coralie Kingston, SAO Coordinator. In no way is Noel Ryan responsible for any error that may appear here inadvertently.)



		Climate Change Campaign Seminar The Politics of Climate Change - Nationally and Internationally Presenter: Noel Ryan Wednesday 2 May 2001 Summary of Seminar Political Divides over Climate Change The seminar highlighted the fact that the politics of climate change are multi-dimensional. The following summary seeks to identify the main areas where a political divide exists. This demonstrates the complexity of reaching a strong and credible global agreement on how to tackle predicted global warming and the impact of consequent climate change - it is no easy task! The EU and the JUSCANZ Camps In effect, there are two main camps in the climate change negotiations. The European Union and the group sometimes referred to as the US-led Umbrella Group or JUSCANZ (Japan, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand). The differences between these camps are explored in the SAO's Briefing Note. However, the main points of contention are around: strong binding targets which the EU camp wants and the other camp is equivocal about; the inclusion of 'sinks' in calculating targets which the EU wants to limit and which the JUSCANZ camp want to exploit; emissions trading which the EU will allow but which must be supplementary to real reductions of greenhouse gas emissions on home turf. Basically, the JUSCANZ camp is seen as wanting to exploit every chance to avoid hard decisions within their national borders and to prefer taking advantage of 'sinks' and emissions trading as a way of reaching their targets. The politics of the 'developed' and 'developing' countries To date, most of the greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to accelerated climate change are coming from the rich, industrialised nations such as the US, the EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, Russia and eastern Europe. However, within a few years, over half of the greenhouse gas emissions will come from the developing world, including such countries as China and India. The Kyoto Protocol did not commit developing nations to reduced emission targets - there seemed little point when the problem is not of their making, at least now. For example, on a per capita basis, one person in India contributes 1 tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere compared with 26 tonnes of CO2 by each Australian. The developing nations were to participate in the Kyoto agreement via what is termed the Clean Development Mechanism. This means that developing nations would, with the assistance of the developed world, convert old technologies and develop new technologies that would take them down a low greenhouse pollution development path. Developed nations would receive credit for this. President George W Bush has misrepresented the situation of developing nations and used their exemption from specific target reductions to justify the withdrawal of the US from global climate change negotiations. A further and vital point to make here is that it will be developing nations that will fare worse as predicted climate change takes hold. The poor nations in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific will feel the worst effects of climate change but these nations and peoples will be least able to adapt. Ecological refugees will join the ranks of other refugees. This raises the issue of CLIMATE JUSTICE and SOLIDARITY. The political divide over climate change in Australia In Australia, the politics of climate change is acted out between the 'carbon club' and the supporters of the environmentally concerned: The Carbon Club consists of: Some unions who have members working in fossil fuel industries Oil companies Mining industry Some farmers Laviosier Group - a think tank. The Environmentally Concerned consist of: Some farmers Renewable energy industry Some parts of the insurance industry Tourism Health professionals who see health risks. There does not seem to be much difference between the Coalition and ALP on climate change issues. Pressure needs to be applied to the ALP to declare where it actually stands in relation to the Kyoto Protocol. (This summary has been developed from seminar notes taken by Coralie Kingston, SAO Coordinator. In no way is Noel Ryan responsible for any error that may appear here inadvertently.)