You can negotiate about the climate, but you can’t negotiate with it

Send Senator Penny Wong this letter asking her to be a climate champion.

UN climate talks in Bonn, while no one would deny that it’s been a busy time, it feels like we are moving forward at a snail pace. In the words of a great Australian: it’s like being flogged to death with a wet lettuce leaf, or as some may prefer to say, we have reached a political gridlock.

I’m all for politeness, but climate change negotiations are no place for: “no really, you first.” We need to see developed countries, who have largely contributed to the problem, and who have the resources to respond to climate change take strong action, and fast. Instead, what we are seeing at the talks is a gridlock over who will do what and who will pay.

Rich countries won’t commit to the emissions reductions science demands to avoid dangerous climate change, nor put an adequate figure on the table to support developing countries. Rich countries want poor nations to make firm commitments to reduce their emissions, but poor countries won’t make such commitments until they know the level of support they can expect from rich countries. Think this sounds a bit crazy? Me too. The time has come for this gridlock to be broken.

A report released by Oxfam International offers a solution to this gridlock, Hang Together or Separately? – How Global Cooperation is Key to a Fair and Adequate Climate Deal at Copenhagen, outlines a fair way to deliver the emissions cuts which the science says are needed to avoid catastrophic climate change. The report’s proposals include a new Global Mitigation Finance Mechanism which would use money from the sale of carbon permits to enable developing countries to reduce poverty and progress development whilst contributing to global emissions reductions. Sounds pretty good to me. You can check it out for yourself Oxfam Australia's website.

We need to see Australia become a champion of global climate change solutions, rather than continuing to feed into the gridlock.

Climate change is already having devastating affects on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world. There is simply no time for delay. We must get a safe and just climate treaty in Bonn – our lives depend on it.

Send this letter to Senator Wong

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- Cara

Wet lettuce flogger aficionado