Another Coalition of the Willing

Australia, China, India, South Korea and the United States have formed the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate. Yesterday, the coalition announced a new “multilateral agreement” that would limit greenhouse gases. This alternative to the Kyoto Protocol would regulate the rapidly increasing pollution of developing countries such as China and India, something the Kyoto Protocol did not do.

In addition, the coalition agreement calls for developed countries to aid developing countries to “create and deploy modern technologies to help…slash emissions.”

"We're going to have a 40 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol and the world needs a 50 percent reduction this century," said Australia’s Environment Minister Ian Campbell, in the announcement about the coalition’s plan.

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Remember that Australia and the United States have refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol, and that China, India, and South Korea – even as signatories – are exempt from the emission reduction targets of the Protocol until 2012.

Also remember that these five countries together produce more than 40% of all greenhouse emissions in the world, so an emission reduction agreement that was honored by them would have a powerful impact.

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Here are the responses of the environmentalist watchdogs:

Greenpeace went on record yesterday that the “Kyoto Protocol was the best option.” Greenpeace energy campaigner Catherine Fitzpatrick called the coalition agreement a “secretive, selective deal…” that was reached by “skulking around.”

Friends of the Earth’s International Climate Campaigner Catherine Pearce said the deal will “mean business as usual for the United States” that does not “address climate change.”

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Question: Did these folks read the agreement before rejecting it?

Another question: Are all climate campaigners named Catherine? The alliteration is so classy.

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UPDATE: This Reuters article mentions a sixth nation, Japan, in the agreement. The clean climate coalition of the willing is growing!