AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Australia signs Kyoto Protocol

Thursday, 6 December 2007

New Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has taken a step towards joining the global community in helping to reduce climate change.

Mr Rudd has signed the papers which will ratify the protocol, and has advanced Australia a step further in tackling the issue of global warming.

Although Australia has small overall contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, the signing of the policy shows the new Labour Government’s direction. The ratification will come into effect 90 days after the signed document is received by the United Nations. Mr Rudd says that Australia will be a full member of the protocol by March 2008.

The previous conservative government refused to sign and ratify Kyoto due to Australia’s heavy reliance on coal for energy and export income.

The Kyoto Protocol is a set of guidelines made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which has the objective of reducing Greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

The move comes amidst the increasing diversity and growth of the Australian economy, which should be able to absorb the changes necessitated by the treaty.