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For release: November 24, 2007

Australian Election Leaves Canada Isolated on Climate Change:
Canada and the U.S. Stand Alone Among Industrialized Countries

(Ottawa) - With the defeat of Prime Minister John Howard in today’s Australian elections, Canada has lost an important ally on global climate change policy. Howard is a staunch critic of the Kyoto Protocol and Australia has refused to ratify and accept its Kyoto commitments. Howard will be replaced by Labour leader Kevin Rudd, who has stated that under his leadership Australia will ratify and respect the Kyoto Protocol.

“With Prime Minister Howard defeated, Canada and the United States will soon be the only industrialized countries that refuse to respect the Kyoto Protocol,” said Graham Saul, Executive Director of Climate Action Network Canada. “Unless Canada changes direction, we will be even further isolated when President Bush leaves office in the United States.”

Australia and the United States are the only industrialized countries that have refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Canada is the only country in the world that has ratified the Kyoto Protocol but refused to honour its commitments.

The Australian election comes at a critical time in the ongoing negotiations of a second phase of the Kyoto Protocol (post-2012). More than 10,000 people will attend next month’s United Nations climate change negotiations in Bali, Indonesia, to chart a clear course for a post-2012 climate change agreement. Prime Minister-elect Rudd has stated that he will attend the negotiations in Bali and will make it clear to the world that Australia intends to ratify and respect its Kyoto commitments.

“The people of Australia have spoken,” said Saul. “This is an important day in the fight against global warming. The world needs Australia to play a positive role on the global stage and push for an agreement that includes deep, binding greenhouse gas reduction targets for industrialized countries. Hopefully Australia will help inspire Canada to shift from its current direction and make a meaningful effort to honour its Kyoto commitments.”

For a briefing on the UN climate negotiations in Bali and a description of Canada’s climate change policies in comparison to other industrialize countries, see:
www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/cop-13/pembina-bali-backgrounder-2007.pdf

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