United States Climate Initiative

The Australian Government welcomes the United States' initiative announced overnight to build a broader coalition for practical international climate change action.

This is a genuine attempt to get past the political stand-offs of previous negotiations, to cut through the entrenched positions of the north-south divide enshrined in the Kyoto Protocol and instead to focus on real solutions.

My Government has consistently championed the need for practical action that makes a difference. In particular, we have advocated meaningful co-operation with developing countries and a new global framework in which all major economies feel able to participate.

The US initiative - and the recent statement by Japan calling for a new global response that goes beyond Kyoto and brings in all major emitters - is further evidence that a new international consensus on climate change is starting to emerge.

Australia has been very active in shaping this emerging consensus, which represents a significant move away from the empty symbolism of Kyoto towards the approach the Government has consistently advocated. The Government has been in frequent contact with the US Administration and our other key international partners.

We have been at the forefront of practical, regional initiatives such as the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6) and the Clean Coal Partnership with China. The Government has launched a $200 million Global Forests Initiative to tackle deforestation and has put climate change at the centre of the APEC leaders' agenda in September.

The US approach recognises that to deal with climate change a multi-pronged strategy is required, including areas such as energy efficiency, technology development and transfer - including nuclear power - and forestry, as well as ways to adapt to changes in the climate.

Like Australia's, the US approach better recognises the need to tailor responses to each country's national circumstances, taking into account its range of social, economic and development goals. Solving this problem needs buy-in from all emitters, including developing countries. The Government will continue to work closely with the US and our other regional partners to build momentum towards a genuine global solution.