Day 4: Highlights from Poznan - Germany, Norway lift the bar - Australia, Japan stumble

News that Australia has delayed announcing a 2020 emissions target and that it may be as low as a 5 – 15% reduction on 1990 levels, is drawing criticism at Poznan. South Africa led the chorus, calling on Australia to announce a much higher target ASAP.

Meanwhile Japan earned the ‘Fossil Award’ as the worst behaved delegation of the day, suggesting that future emissions reduction targets be set against 2008 levels rather than 1990.

In Poznan, The Wilderness Society delegation will be urging world leaders to take strong action to reduce logging and land clearing - as part of the global plan to tackle climate change.

All developed countries need to commit to 2020 greenhouse emissions targets of at least 25% - 40%.

Upon his election, PM Kevin Rudd vowed to play a leadership role climate change. An announcement of a low 2020 target would draw serious criticism both domestically and overseas, and seriously erode any credibility Australia gained less than a year after receiving world-wide applause for announcing it will sign the Kyoto Protocol.

The rumours have come as Germany and Norway indicate that they may aim for a 40% emissions reduction by 2020 based on 1990 levels, and Brazil proposes to reduce deforestation by 70% over the next 10 years, equal to 5 billion tonnes of avoided CO2 emissions.

Early signals about what emissions targets countries may be prepared to accept came as the Poznan talks heard more about the consequences should the talks not set a serious trajectory to reduce emissions in the lead up to signing the final agreement at Copenhagen in December ’09.

For example the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that half the world’s population in 2050 could face water shortages – that’s around 4.3 billion people.

Does a 40% emissions reduction for Australia sound impossibly high?

- Energy efficiency measures alone in Australia could reduce electricity demand by 40% by 2020. One study shows and economic benefit of around $710 million over the period 2010 – 2020.

In addition Australia has huge potential to fully utilize renewable technologies and, as The Wilderness Society is pushing here in Poznan protect native forests as carbon banks and reduce emissions by moving significant amounts of native forest logging into plantations.

 
Check out our regular 'Postcards from Poznan' for updates and progress on the climate change negotiations.

• More regular updates from Poznan >>
• The latest events in real-time - Twitter feed >>