Demo at Australian High Commission1 February 2002
On Feb 26 demonstrators were at the Australian High Commission to highlight the fact that Australia is following the US in rejecting the Kyoto Protocol - the only international treaty to stop climate change.
Campaigners were asking the Australians, who were shown in bed with the Americans, to 'Wake up to Climate Change'.
The protests were timed to coincide with the beginning of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, which are held in Queensland, Australia.
The Commonwealth represents about a third of the world's population, and many of the Commonwealth nations will be the first and most severely affected by climate change. Despite this Australia is fighting to keep climate change off the agenda.
Did you know?
The Australian Prime Minister John Howard was the only world leader to welcome President Bush's recent climate plan.
John Howard has argued that the Kyoto Protocol will harm the Australian economy, despite the fact that under the Protocol, Australia is allowed to increase its carbon dioxide emissions by 8% compared to 1990 levels, not cut them.
At the UN climate negotiations Australia has continuously lobbied for a weakening in the Kyoto Protocol resulting in more concessions for Australia but less real action on tackling climate change.
© Jennifer Bates/Friends of the Earth
