Prime Minister John Howard and US President George Bush are the only leaders of major industrialised countries who have rejected the Kyoto Protocol, an international and legally binding agreement to cut carbon dioxide emissions believed to contribute to global warming. The Kyoto agreement commenced on Wednesday 16 February. It was negotiated in 1997 and signed by 136 countries.

One the one hand, Anthony Albanese, Labor’s environment spokesperson introduced a pro-Kyoto private member’s bill on 14 February, called Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change. He said it was a “Valentine’s Day gift to the Australian people because as important as human relationships are, so too is our collective relationship with our natural environment.” He argued that the Howard Government’s current position was not a viable decision both for the economy and the planet. Also the Australian Democrats leader Lyn Allison yesterday urged Australia to sign the greenhouse limitation agreement.

On the other hand, the Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell opposed Labor’s bill and backs up the Government’s position mainly due to the claim that it will hike up electricity prices around the country. This was not always the government’s stance, in 1997 Treasurer Peter Costello and the previous Environment Minister David Kemp tabled a national carbon trading scheme, but according to Mr Albanese the coal industry lobbied the prime minister to drop the plans.

Cause and Effect

Japan Today reported that Mr Albanese said the evidence on climate change is well founded with the 10 hottest years on record occurring in the past 14 years. Labor and environmentalists are aware that the proposed Labor bill will make little difference due to Howard’s conservative coalition holding a historical majority in parliament since winning a fourth term in the latest election.

With scientific arguments aside, The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) believe that Australia may even face trade sanctions from those nations that have signed the global green house treaty. Over three quarters of Australian exports go to countries that have ratified the treaty, this may lead to the country missing out on economic opportunities that the Protocol offers.

Growth and Conservation

The ACF’s Vice-President, Dr Peter Christoff, said to The Epoch Times “we’ve seen a very substantial growth in alternative energy industries, like wind power and solar power, in countries like Japan and Denmark, with tens of thousands of jobs created and a very substantial export market as well. Australia hasn’t moved in those areas which would be a logical place to invest. And I think that being a ratifying member of the protocol would probably increase pressure and incentives to do that sort of work.”

The Australian Wind Energy Association (AusWEA) said ratification of the protocol by Australia could result in $10 billion of investment in wind energy projects.

It is becoming clear that with challenges associated with climate change, debate will become more prominent and hopefully more positive action will follow. Also with big nations like the United States and the world's most populous country China, already the world's second biggest carbon dioxide polluter without their co-operation the current global effort may not be enough.

Additional reporting by Ben Hurley, Epoch Times Australia.