The overwhelming weight of scientific opinion indicates that human activity is having a discernible and negative influence on the earth's climate system. The Australian Government, together with about 100 other nations, has accepted the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change third assessment report, released in 2001. This report was prepared by several hundred eminent scientists from all over the world, from various scientific disciplines and with differing opinions on global warming._x000D_
The IPCC third assessment report contains a series of relevant, significant conclusions; for example, it finds that there is an increasing body of observations that gives a collective picture of a warming world and other changes in the climate system._x000D_
Global average surface temperature increased over the past 100 years by about 0.6C. This may not seem much, but in the 900 years beforehand, the Earth's temperature remained relatively stable. The 20th century was the warmest of the past 1000 years in the northern hemisphere (there is much better information available from the northern hemisphere than the southern hemisphere). The 1990s were the warmest decade of the millennium in the northern hemisphere and 1998 was the warmest year._x000D_
Although many factors influenced the Earth's climate, scientists are confident that greenhouse gas increases were the main factor contributing to global warming in the last 50 years of the 20th century. Increases in carbon dioxide, methane, troposhperic (lower atmosphere) ozone, halocarbons and nitrous oxide have all contributed to global warming._x000D_
Combating climate change cannot be done without the cooperation of industry and the community at large. It is important that Government and industry work together to achieve greenhouse gas abatement while ensuring continued economic growth._x000D_
The cause of the problem - the generation of greenhouse gas emissions - lies at the heart of the structure and size of modern economic activity. Greenhouse gas emissions are embedded in our way of life from our energy consumption patterns to the basic production of food. Moreover, the costs of the impacts of climate change to the earth will be potentially revolutionary, not merely evolutionary._x000D_
It is in this light, acknowledging both the seriousness and nature of the problem before us that I want to reflect on the key drivers in the international climate change negotiations. A consideration of the past, present and future from what I see as the mid-way point in the process._x000D_
In 1997, Parties agreed to adopt the Kyoto Protocol, which sets out mandatory targets for greenhouse gas emissions for developed countries.