This Wednesday, 16 February, the Kyoto protocol will come into effect. Across the globe we will see a series of official events that will be held to celebrate this unique exercise in international cooperation.
However, because of the government's stubborn refusal to ratify the Kyoto protocol, Australia will not be part of this historic event. Unfortunately, we will not be joining with the overwhelming majority of countries around the world in this symbolic and very important first step towards addressing the ever-increasing concern of climate change. On this occasion, Australia is not fulfilling its obligations as a good global citizen. That will make 16 February a monumental day for the world community but a sad day for Australia. This is my grievance today, just as it is, I am certain, the grievance of a majority of Australians, including business and environmental groups who would like to have seen the Howard government ratify the Kyoto protocol.
The environmental implications of climate change are not fanciful possibilities. They are occurring now and they are very real. There is an abundance of evidence supporting this worrying occurrence. There have been copious articles, analysis, expert opinions from the scientific world, international conferences and, more importantly, international studies warning about the potentially catastrophic consequences of global warming. There is now an indisputable international consensus of scientific opinion that the currently increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, if continued, would lead to a significant rise in global temperatures over the next century. Global warming is now considered one of the greatest threats to the future of life on planet earth. Global temperatures have already risen by 0.6 degrees over the past century, with predictions that this will continue to rise to about five degrees over the next century if levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are not addressed.
A World Health Organisation report, co-authored by Australian National University scientist Tony McMichael, found that more than 160,000 people died in 2004 as a result of climate change that has occurred since the mid-1970s. Our seasons, albeit subtly, are changing. Last year, an Arctic climate impact assessment study found that the North Pole was warming at twice the rate of the rest of the earth. Not only are the implications of climate change being seen and felt now, but they will continue to escalate so long as we continue to ignore the factors which have stimulated them. The International Climate Change Task Force concluded in a report released only last month that the world has less than a decade to avert catastrophic climate change, with the likely result, if we fail to do so, being widespread droughts, crop failures, floods, rising sea levels, water shortages, storms and irreversible damage to some of the great wonders of the world. Included in this is Australia's very own Great Barrier Reef. [start page 47]
The Great Barrier Reef is an Australian icon; it is recognised around the world as a natural wonder. It is at risk of destruction within a few decades as sea temperatures rise and seas become more acidic and soak up more and more carbon dioxide resulting in devastating coral bleaching. This has already occurred in the South Pacific in 2002 and in the Indian Ocean in 1998, where mass bleaching destroyed 16 per cent of the world's coral. We certainly do not want to lose the Great Barrier Reef to the same fate. The Kyoto protocol provides an international response to the issues of climate change and has been ratified already by 141 countries, including, most recently, Russia. These countries are willing to seriously address climate change. Today, I would like to commend them all for their leadership and commitment to protecting our planet.
We would have been in good company standing with both the developed and developing countries as they prepare their economies for a future less dependent on carbon based energy production in an attempt to avert environmental disasters. Of the developed nations, it is common knowledge now that only Australia and the United States will not be a part of this unprecedented global effort. This is a terrible shame, and you have to ask why it is that the government is leaving Australia on the sidelines in this unique global effort. It appears the government either does not have the same sense of urgency or compulsion to act as the rest of the international community, or that it does not fully appreciate the many positive implications that ratifying the protocol could bring to our economy and environment. Perhaps—and worst of all—it could be that the government simply does not care to be part of this international treaty effort and is quite happy to go its own way on a matter that begs unified global action.
We know that without addressing climate change we cannot tackle the environmental threats that I have mentioned, and that the environment and economy will suffer from these devastating outcomes. We know that Australia is likely to meet the five per cent emission reduction targets for the period 2008-12 that ratification would have required, so no added burden would be imposed on private industry. We also know that ratification would have no direct financial impacts on the Commonwealth budget. Above all, we know that ratification would, in fact, bring benefits to Australian businesses by enabling our participation in emission trading and renewable energy technology markets.
Despite these benefits, the Howard government has steadfastly refused to ratify the Kyoto protocol, because, in its somewhat arrogant, simple and short-sighted view, this government considers the Kyoto protocol as a less than perfect treaty. As such, it considers it okay to place Australian companies, our economy and our environment in a disadvantageous position. On this side of the House, together with most other Australians, we do not believe that it is okay. On the contrary, we believe it is preferable to work with the rest of the world within this global framework, the effectiveness of which can be improved over time. This is the commonsense thing to do and it certainly is the right to do.
The Boxing Day tsunami should remind us all just how fragile our planet and our environment are. It also showed us just what can be achieved when we come together as a world community. The Howard government's stubborn refusal to ratify the Kyoto protocol, in light of all the available information, is both irresponsible and illogical. Unlike the Howard government, Labor have consistently supported ratification of the Kyoto protocol. The many calls I receive to my electorate office, on a daily basis, support our position on Kyoto above that of the government. Again today we have demonstrated our commitment to Kyoto with the introduction of a private member's bill by the member for Grayndler calling on the government to ratify the Kyoto protocol. It is not too late. I want to take this opportunity to call on all members opposite to do the right thing, because I am absolutely certain that there would be many members on the other side of the chamber who would want the government to ratify the Kyoto protocol.
We on this side of the chamber commend those countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol; we congratulate them on their courage and commitment. We say `shame' to the government for stubbornly and irresponsibly refusing to ratify this very important international treaty. Shame on the government for refusing to acknowledge the importance of collectively addressing the potentially disastrous issue of climate change. Shame on the government for refusing to move forward with the international community to an era of global cooperation in averting this crisis. We can be successful in undoing the damage already done, and the damage that could be done in the future, only if we agree to work together. The Kyoto protocol is an important symbolic agreement, and Australia should and must be part of this global commitment. It is absolutely important to restore our position as a good global citizen. I therefore take this opportunity today to call on the government to ratify Kyoto now. Ratify Kyoto in the interests of Australia and ratify Kyoto in the interests of the international community and future generations.
