Climate change policy: Brazil, China, India and Russia

An emerging common theme amongst the policies of Brazil, China and India is the growing realisation of the potential severity of the impact of climate change upon them. This appears to have led to increased efforts on their part to meet these challenges. This is a positive sign for their undertaking increased commitments to reduce their GHG emissions in the context of any new international agreement. Indeed, developing countries generally committed to undertaking ‘nationally appropriate mitigation actions…in the context of sustainable development, supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity-building, in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner’ at the United Nations Bali Climate Change Conference in late 2007.[48]

Yet, these countries still appear to insist on a firmer commitment by developed countries, including Australia, to reduce emissions before they will commit to setting a formal target for their GHG emissions. As the above conference decision indicates this commitment may depend the willingness of the developed world to assist in this task via financing emissions control measures in the developing world and appropriate technology transfer.