The Wire

As we speak, signatories to the Kyoto Protocol are gathering for a meeting in Montreal, Canada, with the aim of assessing how countries are going at reducing their greenhouse gases. While Australia, along with the US, has not ratified the Kyoto protocol, both countries this year launched their own initiative, which involves co-operation with developing countries to devise new technologies to reduce global warming. Its called the Asia Pacific Climate Partnership. Australia argues that the Kyoto protocol does not take into account greenhouse gases produced by the developing world. But according to one expert in the field, Australia had better come up with a real plan to do its bit fast, otherwise it risks being seen as irrelevant. Dr Clive Hamilton is the director of the newly-formed Climate Institute, a body which aims to educate Australian on the need to reduce green house gases, as well as lobby the government for change. He has labeled the Asia Pacific Climate Partnership as a stunt to undermine the credibility of the Kyoto protocol. Currently in Montreal, Dr Hamilton spoke earlier with Erica Vowles, about how Australia is going in the fight to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.