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AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
OTTAWA
MEDIA RELEASE
AUSTRALIAN PROPOSAL FOR POST-KYOTO FRAMEWORK
24 September 2009
The Australian Government has proposed a framework for the post 2012 global climate change agreement, in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December.
In a recent speech to the New York University School of Law Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, outlined Australia’s proposed legal structure for an agreement to come into force when the Kyoto Protocol expires.
Senator Wong said the legal framework must have the following five characteristics. It must:
• enable a strong environmental outcome
• respect the different circumstance and capacities of each country
• reflect a spectrum of effort and help give effect to common but differentiated responsibilities
• enable transparent comparison of national efforts; and it must enable efforts to be amplified over time, as capacity grows.
Senator Wong also outlined Australia’s proposal for “National Schedules”, schedules annexed to the overall agreement that specify the mitigation undertakings for each Party to the agreement. These undertakings could include economy-wide emissions targets, renewable energy targets, technology standards, deforestation reduction targets or other measures.
These national schedules would be reached through negotiation and would form a legally binding part of the agreement. Such schedules would deliver environmental, political and market certainty; provide a durable vehicle which can be adapted and amended as country circumstances change; and deliver a flexible approach to support developing country participation.
The full text of Senator Wong’s speech can be accessed at http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/sp20090921.html