Australia shirks its responsibilities on climate change targets

Media alert published: 27 JAN 2010

Oxfam Australia response to the Australian Government lodging a 5 – 25 per cent target to the Copenhagen Accord:

Oxfam Australia climate change spokeswoman Kelly Dent said: “This deadline for lodging targets under the Accord was an opportunity for Australia to show it was serious about climate change and willing to play a constructive role in forging a global consensus to a global problem.

“Instead, these weak targets do nothing to build confidence or rebuild trust after the disappointment of Copenhagen.

“Now is not the time for business as usual. The failure of Copenhagen demands that those who profess to be serious about tackling the dangers of climate change put their words into action.

“The upper target of 25 per cent is a stepping stone but we know it falls short of the 40 per cent below 1990 levels target that scientific research says needs to be adopted to avoid dangerous climate change.

“Waiting to see what other countries will do before adopting the target we know is needed to avoid dangerous climate change is a failure of leadership.”

Write to Climate Change Minister Wong today and ask her to commit Australia to 40% emission reduction targets by 2020.