Fed: Australia should lead at UN climate talks: Flannery

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2008
Fed: Australia should lead at UN climate talks: Flannery

CANBERRA, Dec 9 AAP - Australia should take a leadership role at UN climate talks in
Poland, environmentalist and former Australian of the year Tim Flannery says.

Professor Flannery, who is in Poland for the talks, called on the Australian government
to take the initiative on a global pact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He said the UN negotiations were not going smoothly and not much progress was being
made, partly because no developed country would take a leadership role.

"I think that I'd like to see Australia be a bit more ambitious, quite frankly," Prof
Flannery told reporters.

"There is very little gain with going with the herd if that results in a treaty that
costs us the Great Barrier Reef and costs us most of our biodiversity.

"I'd be arguing for steep emissions reductions, a leadership position in these negotiations,
and a strategy that would bring the rest of the world along with us."

AAP ca/kms/tnf

KEYWORD: CLIMATE UN FLANNERY

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