Beyond Kyoto: Climate change including a discussion of the AP6 initiative from the Australian perspective

This paper presents an overview of the Australia Commonwealth government’s response to the challenges of climate change, that has been very much tempered by concerns over the adverse impact that any such response may have on the Australian economy. It focuses in particular on the establishment of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (commonly referred to as the AP6 initiative) and discusses Australia’s options within a regional framework. Included are appendices containing the “Communiqué” from the AP6 Inaugural Ministerial Meeting held in Sydney in January 2006; the AP6 Charter; the AP6 Action Plan Guidelines and the AP6 Taskforce Guidelines.