All articles
-
The next victim of climate change?
By Charlotte Stemmer I feel pretty sorry for whales. They have just spent winter on holiday in warm tropical waters where they sing their magical songs, attract a mate and then give birth to their young. Now they are blissfully swimming down towards the Antarctic on their long journey home, excited about the prospect of…
-
Newsflash: Australians want more than Kyoto
The news is out and the message is clear…Australians want Rudd to do more on the biggest issue facing our planet, and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol is not going to appease them. Commissioned by Greenpeace a poll of 1202 adults showed that Australians want our new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to take the next steps…
-
Why choosing coal is like choosing betamax (what's betamax?)
I’m writing this blog on a wireless connection. The entire Bali Conference Centre is “unwired”, including meeting rooms and cafes, and it’s extremely handy. As I’m writing this, I’m remembering one of my first trips to Bali 10 years ago, and how far communications technology has come in that decade. And I’m reflecting on how…
-
Bali: Nusa Dua a go go
Some of the very surreal aspects of the Bali Climate Change conference are the setting, the cast of players and how this contrasts with the gravity of the issues that we are here to deal with. Bali is a beautiful place. And the conference is being held in one of the grandest hotels on the…
-
No guts, no glory. Australia gets Fossil Award
So what happened? For one minute it looked like Australia was taking a progressive leadership role in the international climate debate. Leadership that is sorely missing here in Bali. We ratified Kyoto, took the standing ovation, created an expectation with the world that we were ready to take the leap into a decarbonised future. And…
-
How many reports does the world need
So here they are, 192 Countries. Over 12,000 delegates have come to influence the negotiations one way or another. It is right here, right now the negotiations that will be crucial to determining our future are being made. One of the most contentious issues here, as it is at home, is a target for developed…
-
Bali issue of the day, tell Rudd to step up to the plate!
After promising news yesterday that the Australian delegation in Bali was willing to back a mandate for deep emissions cuts of 25-40% for developed countries by 2020, new PM Kevin Rudd has now retreated from this position. “[Nations] have … indicated that they do not necessarily accept those targets, nor do they accept those targets…
-
Come on Aussie. Let us know where you stand
To understand where we’re at here in Bali, and what role Australia is playing, we need to go back to last August, when countries met in Vienna to discuss climate change. They came up with a range for what greenhouse gas reduction targets industrialised countries like Australia should accept in Kyoto’s next commitment period that…
-
Is Australia home on The Range in Bali?
The Greenpeace delegation is in full flight in Bali, and it feels great to be part of such a hard working and organised team. This morning at our team meeting, there was lots of debate about the emerging issue of “the Range”, (which is not a reference to a folk song from the United States).…
-
Do Australians Know Their Taxes Are Being Used To Subsidise Companies That Cause Climate Change?
Do Australians know that their taxes are being used to subsidise companies that cause climate change? Ratifying Kyoto is the first step forward after 11 years of inaction on climate change under John Howard, but the real test for Rudd when he returns from Bali will be how to break Australia’s addiction to coal. Next…