Australia leads world on climate change - Opinion - smh.com.au: "THE latest offering from the Climate Institute - The Top Ten Tipping Points on Climate Change - identifies what it considers to be the 10 key factors mobilising global climate change action.
I agree with many of the institute's points - the science of climate change is firming, there is significant movement in the international policy arena, new global energy security imperatives are emerging, and the community is more aware of the issue ('Rest of the world awake to climate change but we're in denial', July 5).
But on the critical question - will Australia be left behind? - the institute has ignored key facts and this has led it to wrong conclusions. So here are 10 key points to show how Australia is in the driving seat in dealing with the global issue of climate change.
THE SCIENCE
The Australian Government accepts the latest science on climate change and greenhouse and is pumping $32 million into further global climate change research efforts to inform good policy decisions. Our scientists are among the world's best, and are major contributors to this work.
INTERNATIONAL POLICY
Australia is punching way above its weight. We are co-chairing the new United Nations talks on future climate change action; we are a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Partnership (AP6); we are key players in the G8 discussions; and our bilateral climate change partnerships are delivering practical results. Among our international peers we are considered world leaders.
DELIVERING REAL RESULTS
Australia is one of only four industrialised countries on track to meet its Kyoto target. By 2010, we will stop 85 million tonnes of greenhouse gases going into the air. That is the equivalent of taking our 14 million cars, trucks and bu"