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Copy No. __ _
C A B I N E T
43
M I N U T E
No. 12773
Submission 6548
(ii)
(b)
. /2
This document is the property of the Australian Government and is not to be copied or reproduced
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2.
No. 12773 (Contd)
(c)
(d)
2.
ii).
(b)
3.
Secretary to Cabinet
This document is the property of the Australian Government and is not to be copied or reproduced
[3]
Submission No
FOR CABINET
Copy No.
6 54 8
43
Title
INTERNATIONAL
M inister
Purpose/Issues
E~VIRO~~NTAL
Legislation
involved
ency:
1... !tical/significant
dates
)'lsultation:
Ministers/Depts
consulted
Is there
agreement?
Timing/handling of
announcement
(See comments at
C)
Cost
Attacr~ent
Fin Yr (
90
90
Fin Yr (
91
91
)
92
Fin Yr (
This document is the property of the Australian Government and is not to be copied or reproduced
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4.
Australia has already supported UN General Assembly
resolution 43/53, the Hague Declaration on Protection of
the Atmopshere of 11 March 1989 and a United Nations
Environment Program (UNEP) Governing Council Decision
adopted on 24 May 1989, all of which support the
development of a new international convention on climate
change. Australia's self interest coulc be comprowisec by
an uncontrolled random process of legal and other responses
to climate change. Australia should play an active role in
global efforts to elaborate a comprehensive convention on
climate change to ensure that it is based on sound
environmental and economic principles and meets Australia's
interests.
5.
~e are a large exporter of energy (energy exports
represented 17 percent of exports in 1987-88); fossil fuel
based energy is a major source of global greenhouse
emissions (around 50 percent) and energy-based activities
will be a major area of adaptation to global warming.
Australia is a large exporter of agricultural commodities.
Agricultural production is not only an important source of
greenhouse emissions, but will be itself significantly
affected by greenhouse impacts (methane in particular) .
Agriculture represented 38 percent of exports in 1987-88.
Australia's fragile agricultural environment is
particularly vulnerable to soil degradation, rainfall
variability and other climate-relatec factors. The urban
settlement pattern (over 80 percent of the population is
concentrated in the south east corner of the country) is
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Australia's
long coastline and its disproportionately great share of
the world's biological diversity make it uniquely sensitive
to the impacts of climate change. Unless these issues are
addressed urgently and effectively, any compensating gains
for Australia from climate changes will not be realised.
There are also likely to be impacts for Australia from
problems arising from climate change in the region,
particularly in relation to the small island countries.
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4.
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6.
A framework convention is essential in order to enable
an integrated approach to these issues and those set out
below. But it should be developed and implemented in
conjunction with other appropriate responses to climate
change. These include purely domestic action for which
appropriate principles (eg to deal with pollution from
diverse sources) should be developed, the vesting in
existing international organisations of new
responsibilities and powers and other international action
with particular emphasis on Australia's regional interests.
As implementation of a framework convention will touch upon
the States' and Territories' responsibilities, there is a
need for close and ongoing consultation with their
Governments.
7.
Elements for inclusion in a framework convention will
most likely include general obligations and principles,
cooperation, response mechanisms, monitoring, liability and
compensation, and institutional arrangements. These
elements are further elaborated in Attachment A. Ministers
will need to be approached again for endorsement of
specific proposals once the negotiating process has
commenced.
8.
There is general agreement that any convention will
have to addr~ss all aspects of the climate change issue,
namely, limits on emissions, improving the effectiveness of
"sinks" (ie. natural methods of absorbing or destroying
greenhouse emissions) and the necessity of adapting to the
impacts of climate change. Specifically, governments will
need to consider limits on all greenhouse gas emissions,
the impact of deforestation, reafforestation and other
human activities on "sinks", and the scope for developing
adaptation policies in regard to matters such as coastal
zone management, agriculture, urban settlement, public
health and protection of unmanaged resources. In ceveloping
creative approaches to these matters a full range of
implementation mechanisms will need to be considered,
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6.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
11.
We recommend that
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
GARETH EVANS
3 July 1989
Ca~inet:
JOHN KERIN
3 July 1989
GRAHAM RICf~RDSON
3 July 1989
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1.
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ATTACHMENT A
CO~~ENTION
ON
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9.
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ATTACHMENT B
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ATTACHMEr-71' B
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
5.
It is not clear to what extent the IUCN proposals will
set the agenda for the proposed convention which UNEP has
agreed should be developed.
6.
The UNEP Governing Council in May 1989 agreed that the
convention should be progressed urgently.
7.
Australian conservation groups (inclucing the
Australian Conservation Foundation) have shown a strong
interest in the development of the convention. They have
argued that Australia play an active part, including
Australia perhaps hosting a negotiating session.
8.
Involvement of Australia in negotiation of the
proposec convention would complement various actions by the
Government to conserve our national heritage of plants and
animals. In light of the unique and diverse biological
heritage of Australia, and our own problems to this point
with extinction of species and conservation of rare and
endangered species, it is fully appropriate that Australia
should take an active part in these treaty negotiations. It
will also be necessary that Australia is in a position to
influence the course of the negotiations to see that its
shape and content are consistent with our objectives and
needs.
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11.
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ATTACHMENT C
CONSGLTATION
The following are the full comments from the Departments
consulted:
De partment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
2.
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet supports
the recommendations. It notes, however, that as Australia's
approach to negotiations on a climate change convention is
developed, it will be important to ensure that the
convention encourages effective and cost efficient policy
responses. It is vital that the many sources of greenhouse
gases and the range of available policy responses be kept
in mind. It also notes that as a major world exporter of
coal and agricultural products, the Australian economy
could be particularly vulnerable to precipitate act~on
taken to limit emissions. But as a country w~ich is
classified as developed, we would undoubtedly face very
great difficulty in persuading other countries to accept a
case for Australia receiving special financial or other
assistance.
De partment of Community Services and Realth
3.
While supporting the Submission, the Department of
Community Services and Health believes that paragraph 8
should be amended to also include reference to the impact
on health of climatic change as well as the other issues
specified in that paragraph. [Paragraph 8 of the Submission
has been amended, accordingly].
The Treasury
4.
Treasury agrees to the approach recommended in the
Submission. Australian participation in development of a
framework convention can contribute to ensuring that' a
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12.CABINET-IN-CONFIDENCE
ATTACHMENT C
convention will be effective, will adequately address the
causes of the environmental problem in line with the goal
of sustainable development and will take account of
Australian interests. Treasury notes that the approach does
not involve a commitment to specific measures at this stage.
Attorney-General's Department
5.
Attorney-General's Department agrees that Australia
should take an active role in development of a new
Framework Convention on Climate Change. This will require
adoption of new legal principles and approaches. If
Australia is to take an active part om the development of
principles at an early stage (for example in legal work,
for which Australia has pressed, in the IPCC Working Group
on response strategy) it should be in a position to make
substantive proposals. It should not wait.for negotiations
on a new Convention to actually begin as the process of
international discussions leading to such negotiations may
by that time have had a significant impact on their
ultimate direction.
6.
Attorney-General's considers that Cabinet should
endorse the need for development of new legal principles,
in the same way as it is asked to endorse a comprehensive
approach to climate change measures (recommendation (b)).
The proposed legal principles should reflect and recognize
the need to focus not on sovereignty over resources but on
the well being of human beings throughout the world. If
development of such principles requires Cabinet approval
(see recommendation (d)), officers should be tasked now to
produce a Submission seeking Cabinet approval of the
relevant principles.
7.
The Attorney-General's Department does not support the
suggestion in recommendation (a)(ii) that consideration of
a new Framework Convention should necessarily occur at the
1992 conference. It would be preferable for negotiations on
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ATTACHMENT C
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