Wishlist for a safe global climate

The next climate deal due to be signed in Mexico in December must include commitments to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas concentrations to a safe level. This includes the adoption of 40% reductions in Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) by all developed countries, including Australia.
  
• Assist poorer countries develop low carbon economies.
  
• Protect the rights and interests of indigenous peoples.
  
• Include rules that make it mandatory for developed countries like Australia to reduce emissions at home and limit the ability to trade pollution in developed countries with pollution reduction in developing countries.
  
• Make it mandatory for developed countries (like Australia) to account for all sources of  GHG emissions, including from clearing and logging our forests and woodlands.
  
• Build linkages between the UN Convention on Biodiversity and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to maximise the benefits for the climate and biodiversity.
  
• Encourage protection and restoration of the carbon storage potential of all natural ecosystems and discourage conversion of forests and woodlands to biofuel or wood plantations.
  
• Reduce emissions arising from deforestation and forest degradation by encouraging:
  

	(i) The protection of carbon stocks in primary forest and other primary ecosystems (including peat lands) from logging, conversion to plantation or agriculture and other forms of degradation including deforestation.
	(ii) The recovery or restoration of natural forest and other natural ecosystems (including peat lands).
	(iii) Substantial improvements to forest management systems in areas currently subject to industrial logging practices.
	(iv) Afforestation and reforestation in areas of degraded land incapable of natural recovery.

This hierarchy goes from the highest priority to the lowest and represents an approach that will also maximize biodiversity conservation.