Bali Climate Change Conference

Image: Associated Press

The United Nations Climate Change Conference 2007 will start in Bali today. I wonder how Indonesia, the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter (thanks to logging Borneo to make way for palm-oil plantations), gets to host this thing. Anyway, it’s on and it’s a crucial opportunity for Australia to finally join the global community in the leadership and action needed to avoid dangerous climate change.

Why’s climate change such an important issue again?

If global average temperatures go above two degrees here in Australia our agriculture and tourism sectors will be badly hit. We'll face more severe bushfires, droughts, and water shortages. There'll be more disease risk and heat stress, costly damage to infrastructure and low lying housing, and even put the Great Barrier Reef at high risk.

For more nightmares read the WWF’s Dangerous Aspirations: Beyond 3 Degrees Warming report.

What is this Bali Conference all about?

1. This year’s scientific report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made clear beyond doubt that climate change is a reality and can seriously harm the future development of our economies, societies and eco-systems worldwide.
   
   
2. Immediate action is needed to be able to prevent the most severe impacts.
   
   
3. Since climate change is a global issue, tackling climate change and its impacts can only be successfully coordinated at the international level. The UN Framework on Climate Change presents the appropriate forum to do this. It has been expanded by the Kyoto Protocol which includes emission reduction commitments for developed countries over the period 2008–2012.
   
   
4. A new international climate change deal must be put in place in time to ensure that necessary action is undertaken immediately after 2012 when the current phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends. Therefore, comprehensive negotiations on a new climate deal need to begin without further delay. At the Bali Conference, Parties are expected to agree to the launch of this process.
   

What can the Bali conference deliver? (and what not)

The main goal of the Bali Conference is to deliver this necessary breakthrough and get negotiations going on a new international climate change agreement. The Bali Conference will not deliver a fully negotiated and agreed climate deal but is aimed to set the necessary wheels in motion. If you’re into the machinations of international climate change bureaucracy you can watch the webcast of the plenary sessions and press conferences.

We voted in a new greener* Government what can we do now?

Stay together - stay focused! Coincidentally I had a great meeting with the ACF today and they had some ideas for The Body Shop staff, customers and you out there, whoever you are, reading this blog who want to get active with like-minded people passionate about climate change:

• Find a climate action group in your local community or start your own! This grass-roots Climate Movement is run by the Conservation Councils in each state and territory. (I’ve even stumbled upon a Your Water Your Say Action Group if your environmental passion is watery).
  
  
• There’s also the awesome Australian Youth Climate Coalition, which even has a delegation in Bali right now -read their blog.
  
  
• If you care about climate change don’t forget to take a few minutes to put yourself on the Who On Earth Cares map. Try zooming into your street to see if any of your neighbours care too.

Adam Valvasori - Values Manager


*we hope