Page 209 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2008
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decision immediately after assuming government to immediately begin the process of ratifying Kyoto. This follows years, indeed 11 years, of climate change denial by the Howard government, despite all the evidence.
We must remember that this important step is but the first step in the greater challenges which will face our communities. We must work with all levels of government, across political divides, with our neighbours, and with our developed-nation allies. We must also move quickly to develop partnerships with developing nations to avoid inequitable consequences of actions taken by the developed world to address climate change.
This issue featured in the 2007-08 UN development program’s human development report “Fighting climate change: human solidarity in a divided world”. While the report stresses the central medium-term role of mitigation, it warns against neglecting the adaptation challenge. It points out that, even with stringent mitigation, the world is now committed to continued warming for the first half of the 21st century. The report warns that adaptation is needed to prevent climate change leading to major setbacks in human development and to guard against the very real danger of insufficient mitigation.
The report draws attention to extreme inequalities in adaptation capacity. Desmond Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, notes in the report that rich countries are investing heavily in climate-change defence systems, with governments playing a leading role. By contrast, in developing countries people are being left to sink or swim with their own resources, creating a world of adaptation apartheid.
The ACT government is committed to assisting Canberrans respond to the challenge of climate change, both through setting an example itself, and by delivering innovative educational infrastructure and ensuring that we do so through socially equitable programs. The response to climate change must be and is a shared responsibility. While there is a high level of awareness in the community that the climate is changing, there is also frustration and confusion about what individuals as part of the local, national and global community can do.
In July last year I launched “Weathering the change”, the ACT climate change strategy 2007-25. The strategy sets an emission reduction target of reducing emissions by 60 per cent from 2000 levels. by 2050. This target is consistent with that adopted by most international and Australian jurisdictions. We will also aim for a milestone of reducing emissions back to 2000 levels by 2025. Both of these targets will be reviewed and amended as necessary in light of future scientific advice and any new policy position to be adopted by the Australian government arising from their recent decision to ratify the Kyoto protocol.
The ACT strategy focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to inevitable climate change, raising awareness in the community and facilitating joint action within the community and within the region. The strategy has four objectives: to be smarter in how we use resources; to design and plan our city to be more sustainable; to build our capacity to adapt to and manage the changes to climate that we are now beginning to face and possible future changes; to improve our understanding of climate change, its causes and effects; and how we need to respond.
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