Speaking at the UN General Assembly Meeting in New York, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced that Australia will sign the High Seas Treaty alongside dozens of other nations. The legally-binding pact, agreed in March, must still be ratified by individual countries before it comes into effect.

“We welcome the tremendous news from New York that the Australian Government will sign the High Seas Treaty — a critical step forward in the fight to protect our global oceans from the myriad threats they face”, Ritter said.

“The Treaty is a powerful tool to protect our oceans. Now the Australian government must act just as swiftly to deliver protected ocean sanctuaries where marine life can recover and thrive, including the South Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand which has been identified as an area of ecological significance. 

“While the Australian Government must be applauded for this historic decision, it must also act in line with the irrefutable science that fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis, which is having severe consequences on marine environments in Australia and the Pacific. If left unchecked, climate impacts will devastate fisheries, ecosystems and economies.

“This week, the Bureau of Meteorology officially declared an El Niño weather event for Australia, meaning a summer of brutal heatwaves and extreme weather looms. Just weeks into Spring, we’ve already seen ‘off-the-scale’ ocean temperatures recorded in the Tasman Sea, and the threat of another mass coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef looks increasingly likely. 

“The expansion of the fossil fuel industry is incompatible with a healthy marine environment. We urge Minister Plibersek to recognise the enormous threat that projects like Woodside’s Burrup Hub pose to our oceans and to knock back this disastrous proposal.”

—ENDS—

Images for media use can be found here

From August 7-9, more than sixty civil society representatives from across the Pacific came together on the remote island of Kioa for a ‘talanoa’ or discussion as part of the next stage of the Kioa Climate Emergency Declaration.

Over two days, delegates discussed pressing climate issues facing Pacific communities, and progressing the design of a regional finance mechanism, the Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund.

Sepesa Rasili, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the dialogue highlighted the urgent need for global and regional solutions to the climate crisis.

“Pacific Island nations have been leading the way on a range of climate issues, from the establishment of a Loss and Damage fund at COP27, to calls for a moratorium on Deep Sea Mining, and the historic Pacific-led campaign for an advisory opinion on the human rights impacts of climate change from the International Court of Justice,” he said.

“The Kato Pacific Community Climate Fund is yet another example of Pacific Island leadership and an illustration to the rest of the world of what’s possible when civil society organisations and governments work together with the collective goal of climate justice.

“We are humbled to have been included in this process and remain committed to working alongside our allies in the Pacific and amplifying the demands they have developed in recognition of the unique challenges that the region is facing.

“Greenpeace Australia Pacific will continue to escalate key demands within the Kioa Declaration in recognition of Australia’s position as a global laggard on climate and a major contributor to the climate crisis — that means no new coal, oil and gas approvals and no more fossil fuel subsidies.

“We also call on Minister Penny Wong to make the strongest possible submission to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.”

The residents of Kioa island are descendents of Vaitupu in Tuvalu who began migrating to the Fijian island in the 1940’s. They identify as Tuvaluan, and speak and practise the unique language and culture of Tuvalu. Kioa is considered an example of a successful model for future climate migration, one which preserves culture and human dignity.

In his opening address to the conference, Guest of Honour the Hon. Seve Paeniu, the Tuvalu Minister for Finance and Climate Change, said high emitting countries must act to protect Pacific nations from rising seas as a matter of moral principle.

“The Pacific island countries contribute the least to the cause of climate change, and yet we do not only suffer the most damage in terms of the impacts of climate change, but we have to consequently bear the heaviest price in terms of cost of adaptation and mitigation,” he said.

“It is within this context that this Kato conference held in Kioa is very timely and visionary.”

The Kato Fund is seen as a powerful vehicle to amplify the unique challenges and solutions small Pacific communities face, and an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the region.

The Rainbow Warrior leaves Kioa today for Rabi Island to celebrate International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, before returning to Suva. The ship has been travelling across the Pacific since June, sailing around Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji in solidarity with climate impacted communities and gathering testimonies of climate harm to present to the International Court of Justice.

For more information and a map of Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Ship Tour: greenpeace.org.au/act/pacific-campaign

—ENDS—

The Rainbow Warrior III is now in Vanuatu – one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. We are providing a platform for communities, activists and politicians to show how they are leading the world in their fight for climate justice.

Vanuatu is also the birthplace of a groundbreaking legal campaign taking climate change to the world’s highest court. For us Pasifika peoples, this opportunity has the potential to shape our existence, our right to survival, equality, water, food, culture, language, education and health.

A successful legal opinion could protect the human rights of current and future generations and finally hold polluters accountable for their actions. But this depends on big polluting countries like Australia making a strong submission to the International Court, and this is where you come in!

Will you stand with us and urge Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong to make a strong case for climate action at the world’s highest court?

I’LL SIGN MY NAME

Warriors at the Rainbow Warrior arrival Ceremony in Port, Vila Vanuatu.  © Greenpeace / Island Roots

Our journey in Vanuatu has been filled with many colourful and empowering events that have showcased the resilience and strength of Pasifika communities.

From art exhibitions to fashion shows, community gatherings to singing, dancing, and sharing meals, the energy and love have left an indelible mark on our hearts.

Local fashion designers in Port Vila put on a vibrant fashion show onboard the helideck of the Rainbow Warrior. © Greenpeace / Island Roots

A significant highlight was our visit to the village of Eton, where we immersed ourselves and deeply felt the cultural pulse of the community. Community members shared their stories and their fight for climate justice and gifted us beautiful handmade items, symbolising their love and connection to the land. The Eton community live on the West coast of Vanuatu, exposed to rough seas and rising tides on low-lying ground. The community hall, a place the community seek refuge during cyclones, was flooded during back-to-back cyclones earlier this year. Droughts are also anticipated for the dry season.

Despite these hardships, the community opened their hearts and homes to us. They fed us. Our children played together and by the end of our visit, we were family.

Weaving workshop in Eton. Staff and crew had the opportunity to weave and understand the importance of coconut and pandanus (vulnerable to climate impacts) in all aspects of Pacific life. These are usually referred to as the “tree of life” in the Pacific. © Greenpeace / Island Roots

We carry these stories with us, weaving together the vibrant tapestry of Pacific Island communities, and sharing their struggles, strength, and determination with the world. Vanuatu’s tireless efforts to combat climate issues inspire us to continue the fight for a better future.

Together, we stand in solidarity, fighting for what is right and embracing the voices of those most impacted by the climate crisis.

Tankyu Tumas

Shiva

Our people have lived in the Torres Strait for thousands of years. Our land is central to our culture and the knowledge of how to live in harmony with it has been handed down from generation to generation. But if the government doesn’t change course, this place we call home is going to be underwater. We will lose everything: our language, our culture, our identity, everything – making us Australia’s first climate change refugees. 

Like us, communities around the world are standing up and seeking climate justice through the courts. Our battle is not just about the Torres Strait Islands; it resonates with communities around the world. 

Right now, we are on the Rainbow Warrior, making our way from Cairns to Vanuatu in solidarity with the Pasifika community who are leading a global legal campaign bringing climate change to the world’s highest court – the International Court of Justice.

If their legal case is successful, it could help to protect the human rights of people across the world who are most affected by climate change, and strengthen the consequences for big polluters who are recklessly harming our planet.

Will you stand with us in solidarity with our Pasifika neighbours and urge Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong make a strong case for climate action at the world’s highest court?

SIGN THE PETITION

We believe that unity is our greatest strength. By joining forces with our brothers and sisters from Vanuatu and others on the frontlines of the climate crisis, we can amplify our voices and increase the pressure on the Australian Government. Together, we are an unbreakable force, demanding action and accountability. 

In Kalaw Kawaw Ya, the language spoken on our islands of Boigu and Saibai, mura kalmel sipa means ‘together we stand’. For us, that is the message of this voyage. Together our communities will speak truth to power in the face of climate devastation. Together we will fight for communities and our futures in Australian and International courts.

A victory in our case in the Australian Federal Court could trigger transformative climate action across Australia, benefiting all Australians and setting an example for the entire world.

Our fight for climate justice stems from our deep connection to our culture, land, and people. In the spirit of Eddie Mabo’s land rights struggle, we carry on the legacy of our ancestors. We are cultural people – our islands were our mother’s and  father’s lands. We will never be removed from them. We were born there and we will die there. 

We are proud to lead the charge for climate justice, not only for ourselves but for all First Nations Peoples and communities worldwide. 

We urge you to join us. Together, we can protect our homes, cultures, and future generations. Let’s ensure that climate action becomes a matter of law, not just politics.

Mura Kalmel Sipa, Together we stand – Torres Strait and Pacific Islands

Wadhuam (Maternal Uncle) Pabai Pabai and Wadhuam (Maternal Uncle) Paul Kabai 

To get involved the Australian Climate Case or share how you’re being affected by climate change, go to our website takeaction.australianclimatecase.org.au

Question: why is Penny Wong so grumpy? This morning she was quoted in the media as saying that she thought the negotiations “difficult” (well, of course) and the language around them “unhelpful”.

Perhaps the Minister is referring to some of the more over-the-top rhetoric, but actually there are some great things happening here. And I think that it’s possible she is actually uncomfortable with these positive developments.

For instance, the “branding” of 350ppm has been firmly established here, not only in images and language, but in the treaty text itself. A version of the treaty compiled by the conference chair includes the now famous 350 target and the call to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. This has come through the hard work of the Alliance of Small Island States and many NGOs.

In addition, the documents include emission reduction targets that are actually in the ballpark of what the science requires. Who would have thought that this might happen? For instance, one set of proposed words calls for emission reduction targets of 30-45% for developed countries.

Perhaps Penny Wong is bummed because, in order to get what Australia wants (a weaker target), they are going to have to argue against the numbers that the Small Island states say they need to survive.

It looks like the negotiations are alive, and we have lots to play for.

If you picked up the Sydney Morning Herald or the Melbourne Age this morning, you would’ve seen the front page story about Australia trying to cook the books at Copenhagen. Kevin Rudd was just grilled about it on ABC Radio – and it’s about time.

The big lie of the climate summit is finally being revealed. We wrote about it months ago in the Cheat’s Guide to Copenhagen. And now, Australia’s negotiators have finally been caught out.

Heard of LULUCF? Most people haven’t. But it’s a HUGE deal at Copenhagen, and is part of the fine print that could mean Australia’s final agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.

You can read some background below or just skip through to your instructions at the end.

Here’s what they’re trying to do

The Australian negotiators are trying to change the rules relating to how emissions from land use are counted.

What they want is for Australia to be allowed to count the carbon that gets sucked up by the soil and vegetation, while not including the emissions produced from this sector. And they produce alot. In 2002-03, bushfires resulted in around 190MT of emissions – equivalent to 27 average-sized coal-fired power stations for a year. But this wouldn’t count.

It’s basically a scam that would make it much easier for Australia to meet a higher emissions reduction target without actually having to do anything.

Here’s why it’s a problem

Australia pulled off a similar scam in the Kyoto Protocol back in 1997 – infamously known as “The Australia clause”. It meant that Australia’s actual greenhouse pollution (from burning coal, oil and so on) could continue unchecked while we could still look much better than we actually were.

The big risk is this: with this kind of accounting fraud, Australia can look like it’s taking climate change seriously, while we go on pumping greenhouse pollution into the atmosphere.

The only way we are going to solve the climate crisis is if we start to transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean, renewable energy, stop deforestation and take other measures to cut actual emissions.

Accounting tricks won’t fix the problem.

YOUR INSTRUCTIONS

Our team on the ground in Copenhagen is working hard to build consensus around a real solution for land use that will actually reduce our overall carbon emissions. We need your help to keep the issue in the public spotlight so our team can pressure the negotiators for the right outcome.

Please make a quick call to Penny Wong’s office on 02 6277 7920 or send her an email to senator.wong@aph.gov.au.

What to say. Tell Senator Wong that you are concerned about what you are hearing in the media about Australia cooking the books. Here are some quick talking/writing points to help.

1. I am concerned that LULUCF is being used as a way for Australia to cook the books at Copenhagen.

2. Australia managed to cheat its way through Kyoto. I don’t want us to do it again at Copenhagen.

3. I want Australia to adopt a strong target of at least 40% cuts by 2020 and I want this to come from real emissions reductions, not some accounting fraud.

4. I agree that land use is important, but not if it’s just used as an accounting trick to let the coal industry off the hook.

5. It is fraudulent to only count the positive side of land use and not the negative side. It is like only counting deposits in your bank and ignoring all of the withdrawals. It is cheating.

Got it?

We’ll hopefully have some more info tomorrow morning and will update you as soon as we get anything in.

We’re still waiting to hear back on the CCS in the CDM issue – but will keep you posted.

Thanks for taking action and stay tuned.

PS: Keep up-to-date with what’s happening in Copenhagen on our Climate Emergency website.

Deep inside the Copenhagen conference centre, there’s a closed room of huddled negotiators from a handful of countries, one of which is Australia. They’re cooking up a plan under the direction of the oil barons and the global coal industry.

Does “CCS in the CDM” mean anything to you?

In short, it’s about Australia and some other countries like the Saudis trying to protect the coal industry at the expense of a cleaner future.

Here’s a bit of background or skip through to your instructions at the end.

Here’s what they’re trying to do

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was set up as a way for rich countries to promote sustainable development in poorer, developing countries. It allows big polluters in developed countries to “offset” their emissions by paying for projects that reduce emissions in developing countries.

In theory, the scheme is designed to encourage investment in clean technologies and sustainable development in countries that can’t really afford to do it themselves, with the aim of helping them leapfrong to a clean energy future.

As if the CDM didn’t already have a bunch of problems, Australian and a small bunch of other countries are making it worse.

They’re pushing for “carbon capture and storage” (CCS) from coal plants to be included under the system. So, rather than having to support renewable energy projects in developing countries, big polluters could support the building of new coal power stations that capture some of the emissions.

Australia is in on the whole deal because we want to export more coal. Saudi Arabia is in on it because they want to turn their empty oil and gas wells into a massive storage sink for carbon dioxide.

Here’s why it’s a problem

1. CCS technology is unproven and potentially unsafe, making it a high-risk strategy for reducing emissions.

2. Large amounts of money flowing into CCS pilot projects may mean less funds are available for clean solutions like renewable energy projects.

3. It risks locking in carbon-intensive technologies in developing countries when non-carbon energy sources are needed.

4. If rich countries offset their own emissions by purchasing large amounts of carbon credits from CCS projects, it would lower the amount of action those countries take to cut emissions from home.

YOUR INSTRUCTIONS

Our team on the ground are trying to make as much noise about this as they can and they need some help from people like you back home.

Please make a quick call to Penny Wong’s office on 02 6277 7920 and ask that:

Australia stop pushing to include Carbon Capture and Storage in the Clean Development Mechanism because:

1. It’s just another way to lock the world into a dependence on coal when we need to be focusing on renewable energy.
2. CCS is a high-risk and unproven strategy for solving climate change. Including it in the CDM will delay the transition to renewable energy.

Got it?

I hope so. Sorry it’s so complex, but that’s how it is – the devil is always in the details with these kind of negotiations.

Let us know how you go and if you have ideas for the next ones.

There is another big issue brewing, but we’re still doing the numbers on it and it’ll take another 24 hours or more to figure out what is actually going on. Understanding the negotiations is a bit like trying to crack the Da Vinci Code at times!!

Thanks for taking action and stay tuned.

One of the great tragedies of emissions trading is that it takes an issue of incredible importance to people’s lives and makes it so utterly impenetrable that most people cease to engage with it.

CPRS hits the Senate

This week, the Australian Senate will be debating Rudd’s CPRS – Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. It will almost certainly be defeated and will need to go back to the Senate in November for a second vote. The Coalition will vote against it because they are a party divided by climate sceptics. The Greens will vote against it because it is a monumental fraud being perpetrated on the Australian people and will result in very little, if any, environmental benefit.

Greenpeace’s view of the CPRS is that it is so fundamentally flawed that it should go back to the drawing board. We should replace it with Plan B – a suite of policies we could implement today that would get us on the path to a low emissions future. While we think a price on carbon can be a very useful thing, it is only one of a wide range of policies needed to actually cut emissions and drive the necessary transformation to a low carbon economy. In any case, the CPRS won’t put an effective price on carbon because it will exempt most of the big polluters from having to pay the price, thereby undoing its very purpose for existance.

The gaping holes in the CPRS

But the massive exemptions and billions of dollars in free permits to the big polluters are not the only problems with the CPRS. There has been a lot of discussion about the emissions reduction target  of only 5%. Rudd has said that this could increase to 25% under certain circumstances depending on the international climate treaty that will be adoped at Copenhagen in December. But as Bernard Keene from Crikey pointed out, the conditions forAustralia cutting emissions by 25% are so onerous that it is a bit like saying “free for pensioners when accompanied by both grandparents”.

So then, if we put aside the exemptions, free permits and the low target, how is the scheme looking? Well, if you’re interested in actually cutting greenhouse pollution here in Australia then it still isn’t looking too good. Some of you might remember the famous ‘Australia clause’ that Robert Hill managed to negotiate through development of the Kyoto Protocol. It allowed Australia to continue polluting as much as ever, but our overall emissions would decrease because of an accounting slight-of-hand to do with measuring emissions from landclearing. Rest assured that Rudd and Penny Wong are trying to do this again through the REDD mechansims (Reducing emissions from Degradation and Deforestation) of the global treaty process.

I can tell you’re starting to fall asleep already, but it is important!

Australia is setting itself up to be able to offset most (or possibly all) of the emissions reductions required under the CPRS or the global climate treaty. The best description of the scam of offsets I’ve seen is available in this short funny video:

So in a nutshell, the CPRS sets a very unambitious target for emissions reductions, it then exempts most industries from having to pay to pollute (which of course was the whole purpose of the scheme), and then any emissions reductions that we do still need to make can be made by buying cheap offset credits.

If the CPRS gets approved in the Senate, Kevin Rudd will get his kudos for taking action on climate change without actually having to do anything of substance. I don’t know about you but I reckon it’s a fraud.

Penny Wong once said that the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, as a vehicle for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was “no Ferrari”. It would appear not, but whatever kind of vehicle does suit the CPRS analogy (my old scrap-heaped EA Falcon springs to mind), it has clearly stalled.

With the opposition refusing to allow the legislation to pass until next year and the Greens holding out for unconditional targets that at least show some respect for the science, the CPRS is looking dead-on-arrival into the Senate.

We’re facing the likelihood of being two years on from the last election and still without a policy instrument that forces Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions to fall. That’s an awfully long time to wait. Especially when climate scientists are warning that we only have a few years in which to make major cuts in emissions.

Of course, the CPRS in its current form was never going to be that policy instrument. A pathetically low target; the ability for polluters to offset all of their emissions through the international market; granting of property rights to polluters; obscene levels of compensation; and too many other flaws to list here, have turned the CPRS into dangerous legislation for the climate, locking Australia into high emissions. The treasury modelling also indicated that despite the government having an aspirational target of 60 per cent by 2050, actual emissions by that time would be the same as in 1990.

This being the case, we should watch with relief as the CPRS flounders in the Senate: not to say we abandon the idea of a policy that puts a price on carbon – a well-designed policy of that ilk would play an important role in the transformation to a low-carbon society. However, as far as the CPRS is concerned, it’s back to the drawing board.

So what to do in the meantime? The science tells us that climate change is still just as urgent and each day we delay takes us ever closer to triggering runaway climate change. It’s time to implement Plan B. If we are going to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in a way that reflects the urgency of climate change, it will mean a massive shift from coal-fired electricity to renewable energy over the next decade. We can act now to prepare Australia for this energy revolution.

We need to set our sights high, and with our unparalleled renewable energy resources and the technical reality of large-scale baseload renewable energy, Australia should be aiming for all of our electricity to be coming from renewable sources by 2020: 100 per cent.

That’s a challenging proposition – 100 per cent renewable energy by 2020 – but preferable to the frightening prospect of catastrophic climate change. But here is the point. Any major transformation in how we produce and use energy will depend on early action to give us the capacity to deliver this rapid change. This is why we need to lay down our ambition now: it will force us to contemplate what action we must take now to achieve this transformation.

And having thought about it, there is plenty Australia can do right now to make deep cuts in our energy emissions. Here are just a few examples:

• double the size of the renewable energy target, using it to support wind, biomass and hydro power, which are the technologies best suited to take advantage of this policy;
• use feed-in tariffs, where renewable energy producers are paid a premium rate for their energy, to drive the uptake of solar thermal, solar PV, geothermal and wave power. These technologies can then be developed independently of the renewable energy target, allowing an even greater share of renewable energy into the mix;
• redirect subsidies that encourage fossil fuel use towards restructuring the electricity network to support large-scale renewable energy;
• introduce a program that gives every building in Australia an energy and water efficiency overhaul in the next decade, including mandatory solar hot water;
• plan with education sector to introduce courses, apprenticeships and on the job training that will create the green collar workforce required to deliver the energy revolution; and
• develop a plan to provide new opportunities, compensation, re-training, priority access to services and other support measures to communities adversely affected by the transition from coal to renewable energy.

All of this could be done in the next 12 months and we certainly don’t need to wait for an effective emissions trading scheme to make them happen. Of course, much more than this list alone will be required, but the point is that with immediate action, Australia can make deep and rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

We were always going to need a plan B to deliver the necessary cuts, with or without the CPRS. Fortunately the solutions can still be implemented, making a genuinely low-carbon future achievable.

Originally posted in Online Opinion

You have to wonder why the Australian Government paid for 30 people to go on this Christmas junket – flying business class, being put up in the Sheraton – if they weren’t going to discuss the issues that were on the agenda?

In earlier times, we might have hoped that our delegates would keep their mouths shut so they wouldn’t play such an obstructive role – but at this time, their silence is probably their most powerful weapon.

The key issue for the Poznan meeting is the development of a “shared vision” for the global community to take action on climate change. It’s important. This vision will define the goals for the levels of warming that the official global leaders of the world are prepared to accept.

What seems to be happening at the meeting is that the countries that want to delay action on climate change are talking down the possibility of success. If they can stall the process at Poznan, it will make it all the more difficult to reach an agreement at Copenhagen at the end of 2009, and then they can get away with delaying action on climate change for another few years.

Australians have every right to ask – what’s going on? They voted for Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong to act on climate change. We didn’t vote for another term of Howard era obstructionism.

Governments of the world agreed to a two-year timeline for negotiations for a new deal on climate action at Bali, 2007. Poznan is a very important step in these negotiations. The meeting needs to produce a clear plan for the lead up to the Copenhagen meeting in December next year.

When climate change minister Penny Wong and her counterparts arrive in Poznan next week, they need to step up to the plate and help the “shared vision” for climate action become a reality. There is no reason that the governments of the world cannot agree to an international climate action plan by December next year.

They simply have to.

This post was originally blogged at Crikey’s Rooted blog.