RECOMMENDATIONS RE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
zAustralia should ratify Kyoto Protocol without USA
z and implement the 10 recommended actions.
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zChina is now in strong position to take a higher international profile.
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zAustralia and China should strengthen their exchange and collaboration programs in order to help each other to reduce emissions.
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zPropose new international agreement to phase out energy subsidies to be signed by all countries at ‘Rio+10’.

• It is theoretically possible to gain the 55 countries/55% requirement without USA. Nothing to lose in trying. Essential to encourage China to continue to cut emissions and other UDCs such as India and Brazil to take KP seriously.
• China could take a much higher international profile as a major power that is successfully reducing emissions  while its economy is growing. It could be a leader of ‘LDCs’ and an example for all countries.
• Australian renewable energy systems, some energy efficiency technologies, and trains have a potentially huge market in China. Chinese businesses have the capacity to commercialise Australian R & D. Australia could learn from some Chinese GHG policies.
• Such an agreement should recognise market failure in the energy sector and the environmental benefits of most renewable energy sources compared with fossil fuels. In this way it could support transitional ‘subsidies’ to set up infrastructure for renewable energy, until fossil fuels attract international carbon taxes.