Unit 1
Unit 4
Policy Impact
Environment – International Policy Approach
The third stream to the government’s approach in regards to the environment is to work with foreign governments to ensure that a global approach is maintained. After being elected to government in November 2007, one of the very first actions of the new Prime Minister was to travel to Bali to sign the Kyoto Protocol. In taking this action Mr Rudd was able to gain a significant voice in the global debate. While this allowed him to speak with authority to other world leaders, it may also have ultimately contributed to his downfall as Prime Minister.
In December 2009 the Prime Minister and several senior ministers travelled to Copenhagen in Denmark to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference. This conference was widely assumed to be the best possible opportunity to negotiate an agreement that would replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012. Mr Rudd played a key role in many of the negotiations that took place; he worked tirelessly with the leaders of many countries to try and reach an agreement.
In the end, the “Copenhagen Accord” was drafted by the leaders of some of the world’s largest nations. This agreement recognised that climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and that it is vital that all countries work together to ensure that the increase in temperature is kept to less than two degrees (Celsius). It contained no binding targets, and ultimately it was not even passed unanimously by the countries that were represented. The meeting in Copenhagen was widely regarded as a failure. Developing countries argued that they should not be responsible for cutting emissions while living standards remained low, and developed countries believed that they would not be able to compete in the global economy if they were forced to make changes that were not universal. In the end it was clear that the government would find it difficult to press ahead with reforms given the lack of action in other countries. As Mr Rudd had been elected on a platform that included tackling climate change, it was also apparent that he would suffer some personal political damage. When the ETS was dropped Mr Rudd’s approval rating plummeted, and soon after he was replaced as leader of the Labor Party (and therefore as Prime Minister).
Despite these problems, this does not discount the work that has been done by the government in this regard. In particular, the Australian government has been a strong advocate of climate change technology among the Pacific Islands. The program – dubbed “Engaging Our Pacific Neighbours” – has helped some smaller countries to gain a voice in the climate change debate, while still ensuring that they work towards reducing their carbon emissions. Through the International Forest Carbon Initiative, the Australian government is working with the governments of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to try and prevent unnecessary deforestation. Forests act to absorb some of the carbon that is released into the atmosphere. As we progressive cut down more and more forests this capacity is lost. The government is spending $273 million to make this possible.
You can read even more about the government’s international approach to this problem by clicking here.
 | Current Page: Environment - International Policy Approach
|  |