“Australia is a lucky country, blessed by many resources”, says Schellnhuber. “But it is also a country of droughts and floods.” Extreme events tend to increase as climate change progresses. There are limits to what can be coped with.
In the past, Australia has often been deplored by observers as being a laggard in climate protection. Now the country could change that. “A meaningful carbon price would be an acclaimed step, also helping to create the structures of what could eventually become a global carbon market”, Schellnhuber says. “At the same time, there need to be parallel developments promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. Australia is bathing in free sunshine.”
The Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, will speak at the conference. Media such as Australia’s leading TV talkshow “Lateline” and the newspaper “The Age” take great interest in the issue.
