Abdullah Urges Apec Members To Seriously Tackle Climate Change

SYDNEY, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has urged Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) members to show a serious commitment in dealing with climate change, not only in Apec but also in other forums on climatic change.

He said countries must not take the matter lightly because climatic change was an issue affecting all.

"If Apec has taken a serious attitude in the matter -- especially when Apec is an economic cooperation body involving many big and industrialised countries -- it is my hope these countries also show similar attitude when they attend conferences in other places like the one held in Bali, Indonesia (in December)," he said.

Speaking to Malaysian journalists after attending the first day of Apec summit, he said countries should also comply with the United Nations (UN) protocol on climatic change.

Asked on the target to reduce greenhouse gas emission as contained in the Sydney Declaration, Abdullah said, such a target was difficult to meet.

"It is difficult to set a target that needs to be reached in a particular timeframe, but it is okay if it only serves as a reminder so that all of us must try to achieve the goal by the set date. But, do not take the matter lightly," he said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier announced that the leaders had adopted the Sydney Declaration, which will be released in full detail tomorrow.

According to the draft of the declaration, Apec member economies have agreed to work toward achieving an Apec-wide "regional aspirational" goal of a reduction in energy intensity of at least 25 per cent by 2030.

It also encourages all Apec economies to set individual goals and action plans for improving energy efficiency, "taking into account this aspirational goal, and reflecting the individual circumstances of different economies".

Apec leaders, according to draft, have also decided to work on to achieve an Apec-wide aspirational goal of increasing forest cover in the region by at least 20 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020.

The phrase "all types of forests" was a later addition to the draft, according to officials, as countries like Malaysia felt it was necessary to make it clear that the word "forest" would not mean only tropical forest.

The draft also contains a paragraph about Apec leaders reaffirming their commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Abdullah also said all countries should take a stand to deal with climate change.

"There is something wrong if all people want action to be taken to overcome the problem while some do not want to follow suit," he said.

Countries, he said, were responsible to strive in their own way in dealing with the problem of climate change and need not wait for a convention covering all.

Meanwhile, Abdullah said, today's meeting also discussed issues on global free trade talks or what has been known as the Doha Round.

Abdullah said Malaysia felt it was important for the Doha Round to be resolved successfully.

"The talks have been long deferred and this can be regarded as detrimental to the developing countries.

"Therefore, it is also important for developed and industrialised countries in Apec to play their roles so that the Doha Round can be reactivated," he said.

The Doha Round of trade liberalisation talks, so-named as it was launched in Doha in 2001, came to a deadlock after the World Trade Organisation members failed to agree on the extent of cuts in barriers to trade in agriculture, industrial goods and services.

Apec groups Australia, Canada, China, Chile, Hong Kong, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States.

-- BERNAMA