PACIFIC: Australia, NZ to work together on climate change
Updated
Australia and New Zealand have announced that they'll work in partnership in global negotiations on climate change policy. New Zealand says the partnership could extend to complementary carbon trading systems in the two countries.
Presenter: Graeme Dobell
Speakers: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark
RUDD: We resolved today to work in a new partnership for the future on climate change and you will see that reflected in the combined positions we take across the many meetings which will occur across international community in the two difficult years which lie ahead.
DOBELL: Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, after talks with New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark. Mr Rudd says the partnership is possible because one of the first acts of his government after it was elected in November was to ratify the United Nation's Kyoto protocol. This gives Canberra a seat at the table in the negotiations on the global system to cut greenhouse emissions to be put in place when the first phase of Kyoto expires in 2012.
RUDD: The fact that both Australia and New Zealand now are full ratification states in relation to the Kyoto protocol means that we have an unprecedented opportunity to work closely and seamlessly globally in the international negotiations which will now take place between now and the end of the Bali road map, which concludes at the Copenhagen conference at the end of 2009. These are going to be difficult and complex negotiations for the world, difficult and complex negotiations for developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand. But I think there is enormous strength to be had by our two countries working seamlessly together in these important negotiations for the future of the planet.
DOBELL: By ratifying, Australia cut lose from its partnership with the United States, the other developed economy that had said no to the Kyoto system. Helen Clark says this means that New Zealand and Australia can now combine in the negotiations on future greenhouse levels for developed economies - and the effort to get developing states to accept emission targets.
CLARK: We are absolutely delighted that Australia has ratified Kyoto. It puts us on the same page in the work we must now do; in the intense international diplomacy around reaching the post 2012 agreement. It makes a huge difference to New Zealand to have Australia in and for us to be able to combine diplomatic effort and muscle in the international negotiations.
DOBELL: The previous Australian government under John Howard announced that it would set up a domestic emissions trading scheme by 2012 - the so called cap and trade approach which gives economic incentives to get cuts in emissions. The new Rudd Government says it wants an emissions trading system in place by 2010. Across the Tasman, New Zealand is further advanced, and Helen Clark sees an opportunity for a common system to be developed by the two countries.
CLARK: We have before our Parliament at the present time, legislation for an emissions trading scheme. It is a world first in that it covers all economic sectors and all gasses. That's in contrast with the European Union one which at this time only covers around 30 per cent of greenhouse gases, so it's a very advanced scheme. We are part of the international carbon action partnership, which Australia is now also coming into, which will help design the carbon trading markets of the future. And it is important that both of our countries are in there as we can have an influence in how these markets develop. And at an official level, we are liaising very closely around ideas on emissions trading, because if we could achieve a level of compatibility between the schemes that are playing both sides of the Tasman, that would be a positive thing for the Trans-Tasman relationship.
