World Vision believes the Government’s announcement today has reopened the window to achieve a global deal on climate change in Copenhagen, which would benefit Australians and the world’s poor.
CEO Tim Costello said it was vital that Australia headed into Copenhagen with a bargaining position that wasn’t insulting to developing nations.
“Developing countries need to see that Australia, which is predicted to be the most affected of developed nations, is actually serious about reducing its emissions,” Mr Costello said.
“Climate change threatens to undermine so much of our work that we believe it requires urgent attention. We need to treat this not like a GST or a tariff reform but more like a mobilization preparing for war. The globe reacted immediately to the threat of swine flu and that is the level of action we need on climate change.
“We agree with Prime Minister Rudd that this is ‘serious stuff for the nation’ and we’re now looking for bi-partisan leadership for Australian action on climate change.”
In 1950 there were 50 humanitarian disasters that World Vision responded to with emergency aid. In 2006 there were 250. The number of humanitarian disasters we’re seeing, of cyclones, droughts and storm surges, means that organisations like World Vision are having to respond far more frequently.
“While the increased emissions reduction target from 5 to 25 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020 is a positive step in the right direction, the 5 per cent unconditional target is still far too low. We should commit to reducing our emissions by as close as possible to 40 per cent below 1990 levels, by 2020.
“A strong global deal is essential to prevent a global humanitarian, economic and security catastrophe.
“According to a study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Southeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. Some 34 percent of Indonesia’s rice yields are going to fall and about 75 percent of the Philippines, unless climate change is brought under control.
“As a child-focused development agency, the failure of our generation to do all we can to avoid dangerous climate change would be one of the most egregious violations of child rights in human history,” Mr Costello said.
Media Contact: Bill Pheasant 03 9287 2282 / 0413 701 028