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Helen Greig, Cook Islands News Senior Journalist in Cairns, Australia
Tue, 4 Aug 2009
Cairns, Australia -- Greenpeace says Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd can either do
the right thing for the climate, his country, the Pacific and beyond or do the dirty and
keep investing in coal production.
The environmental campaign organisation has just completed its month-long Pacific ship
tour in anticipation of the 40th Pacific Islands Leader's Forum being held in Cairns,
Australia this week. Greenpeace is calling on Australia and New Zealand to cut their
emissions by more than 40 percent by 2020. It is calling Rudd's current pledges to tackle
climate change - one of the largest threats to Pacific survival - an underhanded and
underground approach. Greenpeace said Mr Rudd has a real climate change agenda and is
keeping the public in the dark about what's really going on. Mr Rudd aspires to be the
broker of a climate change agreement on an international level - an audacious move from
the country that is the world's largest carbon dealer said Greenpeace. “Australia too is on
the frontline of climate change, but unlike the Pacific Island leaders, Kevin Rudd has a
choice. He can choose to stand up for Australia and our neighbours, or continue
expanding the coal industry,” said Greenpeace.
Pacific Islands leaders are expected to call for strong action on climate change this week,
urging Australia to be one of the developed countries to take action and reduce its carbon
emissions. But Greenpeace says so far Rudd's direction is clear. “In two years since
taking office, the Rudd Government has chosen to back the coal industry instead of
implementing policies and programmes that would benefit our neighbors, the
environment and the economy.
“Despite pledges to tackle climate change, Rudd has presided over a rapid expansion of
the export coal industry and the building of new coal-fired power stations across the
country.” Greenpeace says with just five months from the world leaders meet in
Copenhagen, Rudd needs to heed the call of the Pacific Island countries of the Forum
who are demanding change. Australia is the world's biggest coal exporter, responsible for
252 million tonnes or 30 percent of the global export trade. By 2020 its coal exports will
generate two billion tonnes of greenhouse pollution every year. ”At home Kevin Rudd is
posing as a climate hero. By flaunting a 5-25 percent emissions reduction target by 2020
as part of his 'carbon pollution reduction scheme', he is trying to pull the wool over our
eyes.” Greenpeace said any reduction pales in significance to the dramatic expansion of
Australia's coal export industry.
The Pacific countries, like the Cook Islands, where the Greenpeace ship tour began, are
all looking to Australia to make some real commitments this year. ”The survival of the
Pacific Islands and millions more of the world's most vulnerable people hinge on it,” said
Greenpeace. Greenpeace head of delegation in Cairns, Seini Nabou said Pacific leaders
