02/11/2005 - The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, has welcomed the outcomes of the G8 Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development in London as an important contribution to international collaboration on climate change.

Senator Campbell addressed the London meeting late last night Australian time, where he spoke about the importance of breakthroughs in technology, and the need to develop and deploy this technology around the world.
“To achieve the deep cuts in global greenhouse emissions that scientists tell us are necessary, the international community must cooperate,” he said.

“We need to work together to develop and deploy the energy and other technologies that emit lower amounts of greenhouse gases.
“I welcome the attention that the world’s biggest economies are now paying to these issues and I am optimistic about the potential for broader international cooperation.”

The G8 Dialogue discussed ways to create a secure and sustainable energy future, new approaches to technology cooperation, and approaches to ‘scaling up’ investment in cleaner technologies.
“Australia will have an important role to play in future cooperation because the approach we've already adopted through the Australian Government’s $1.8 billion climate change strategy is broadly consistent with the focus of the G8 Dialogue.
“I believe the international community will be particularly interested in Australia’s experience in integrating our climate change strategy with our national energy policy to ensure our economy, our environment and our way of life are both prosperous and sustainable.

“The international private sector has already shown interest in our $500 million Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund.”
Australia’s involvement in the G8 Dialogue complements its involvement in other international forums such as the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and our bilateral climate change relationships.

The G8 Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy, and Sustainable and Development hopes to promote continued discussion among participating countries in a non-prejudicial manner and to allow participating countries to work together in addressing the issues of climate change, energy security and access to energy.