Song Yu Student ID：s06018
 Philosophy Department 
Research Paper Superviosr: Dr. Sekou Conde

Abstract: The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an amendment to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations. Australia is the highest per capital greenhouse polluter in the developed world, but it hasn't signed onto the Kyoto Protocol. Although Australia doesn’t sign the Kyoto Protocol, Australia is particularly exposed to climate change. Australian industries are world leaders in greenhouse action and have much to contribute to the international effort on climate change response. Australia will continue to work in international forums and cooperate with major strategic and trade partners to address climate change. It remains in Australia's interest to have an effective international response to climate change.Key Words : treaty,greenhouse gas,climate change
 

 
 
The United Nations Climate Change Conference - Nairobi 2006 got underway on 6 November with calls for action and a stark warning that climate change is fast proving to be one of the greatest challenges in the history of humankind.
     The two-week conference, the twelfth Conference of the 189 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the second meeting of the 166 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, is the first UN climate summit in sub-Saharan Africa and draw around five thousand participants. The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an amendment to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations. The objective is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system." [1] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted an average global rise in temperature of 1.4°C (2.5°F) to 5.8 °C (10.4°F) between 1990 and 2100. ).[2] The opposing groups doubt the value of The Kyoto Protocol. Proponents note that Kyoto is a first step [3] as requirements to meet the UNFCCC will be modified until the objective is met, as required by UNFCCC Article 4.2(d). [4]
     As of December 2006, a total of 169 countries and other governmental entities have ratified the agreement (representing over 61.6% of emissions from Annex I countries). ."[5] "It is not in Australia's interests to ratify the Kyoto protocol," Howard (Australia President) told parliament. "For us to ratify the protocol would cost us jobs and damage our industry. That is why the Australian government will continue to oppose ratification," Howard said. But as a non-Party to the Kyoto Protocol, although the Australian Government can’t participate directly in the Kyoto mechanisms, the rules agreed at Marrakesh in November 2001 do not discriminate between firms from countries that have and have not ratified the Protocol. Australian businesses may wish to participate in international greenhouse projects under the Kyoto market - based mechanisms. The Kyoto Protocol will make only a modest contribution - around 1% - to reducing the growth of global greenhouse emissions. It remains in Australia's interest to have an effective international response to climate change.
 
The Problems
 Australia is the world's largest exporter of coal. Burning coal produces more carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas restricted under the protocol, than any other major fuel. Howard claimed signing the protocol would cause "a flight of jobs from this country" as coal - based industries left for developing countries, which face no restrictions on emissions of greenhouse gases.
 If we don't act now, the CSIRO says, we can expect temperatures to increase by between 0.2 and 2.1 degrees over the next three decades, with the greatest rise occurring in spring and summer. While focusing on the consequences of global warming for Australia, the truth is a global problem. And that means it can only be fixed by a global solution, in other words, the Kyoto Protocol or a variation on it.
The big question for Australia is whether they want to pass on a hotter, drier continent with more extreme weather to their children and the children after them.
 
 
Try to establish technical guidelines for some activities and institutions. The Government will facilitate Australia’s energy-intensive and trade-exposed sectors to respond to the challenges posed by greenhouse. For example, they will continue to encourage the development of promising low emissions technologies such as coal gasification, geological sequestration, coal gas to liquids and the hydrogen economy.
Domestic policy settings will balance flexibility with sufficient certainty to allow key decisions on investment and technology development, and also emphasize cost effectiveness; Government policies will continue to ensure that clear signals are provided of the need for the economy to move to a lower greenhouse signature while businesses retain flexibility to plan efficient pathways to achieve that.
The Government will work closely with key business leaders, States and Territories, and with groups such as the National Environment Consultative Forum, to ensure the best way forward for Australia, at the lowest cost and delivering maximum benefits.
Australia will implement policies and programs that assist adaptation to the consequences of the climate change that is already unavoidable. The Government is working with States and Territories on studies into key sectors such as agriculture and tourism, and natural systems such as water resources in the Murray Darling Basin.  
 
 
With greenhouse emissions projections now showing that Australia is within striking distance of the target agreed to at Kyoto, the Government today is announcing a climate change action agenda to ensure Australia continues to cut greenhouse emissions even further while building a strong, competitive economy. [6]
The Government will continue to develop and invest in domestic programs to meet the target agreed to at Kyoto of limiting greenhouse emissions to 108% of 1990 levels over the period 2008 - 2012.
It was recognized that Australia’s 108% target was challenging but fair, reflecting the world’s recognition of Australia’s particular national circumstances such as high rates of population and economic growth that are among the fastest in the developed world. Important regions and economic activities in Australia are vulnerable to the impacts of global warming.
The Government is today announcing a climate change agenda that will also focus upon the longer term, covering not just the next few years but a twenty to thirty year time horizon.
Australia will strive for a more comprehensive global response to climate change; they will work towards one, which involves all major emitters, while contributing responsibly to the global effort; in international negotiations they will continue to work towards a pathway for the involvement of developing countries. For an effective global response the United States will be a key player; Australia will position itself to maintain a strong and internationally competitive economy with a lower greenhouse signature. [7]
It is clear that the Kyoto Protocol does not at this time provide an effective framework. It will make only a modest contribution – around 1% – to reducing the growth of global emissions. Even as a first step, it does not provide a clear path towards developing countries’ commitments and the US has indicated that it will not ratify. Together, these countries already produce most of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the Government has taken the decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because under present arrangements, excluding both developing countries and the United States, it is not in the national interest to do so.
If Australia were to abandon this long expressed and clearly articulated requirement for a more comprehensive global response it would send a signal to investors that Australia was prepared to expose itself to binding legal commitments that could in the future impose costs not faced by neighboring regional economies. For Australia this is not a trivial matter. Investment in greenhouse intensive industries such as natural gas, alumina and aluminium production, coal, paper and metals processing is of great significance to their economy. Furthermore, their processing industries are relatively energy efficient. Any greenhouse penalty not shared by their competitors could see Australia lose plants offshore, with no benefit to the global greenhouse effort. For example, the new steel making technologies being adopted in Western Australia are among the most greenhouse-friendly in the world. Any shift of this production offshore would cause significant harm to the Australian economy but undoubtedly would also increase global greenhouse emissions. [8]
At the same time, many of the greenhouse emissions arising in Australia help others to lower their emissions. For example, Australia's recent success in concluding an LNG deal with China will mean that although Australia will emit around 1.5 million extra tonnes of carbon dioxide annually to produce the LNG, China will emit 7 million tonnes less than if it had used coal. The global atmosphere benefits, even though Australia's emissions increase.
Australian industries are world leaders in greenhouse responses. They should not be penalized when there will not necessarily be a benefit in global emission reductions. Indeed, many of the countries that would benefit from investment leaving Australia have lower emission standards than Australia’s.
It remains in Australia’s interest to have an effective international response [...]

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