"Let Australia Be an Example for Turkey"

Ümit Sahin of the Turkish Greens and the Global Action Group said that "Australia signing the Kyoto Protocol and announcing its target of a 60 percent reduction by 2050 is a very important step".

According to Sahin, countries need to agree on the reductions in emissions calculated by scientists and also widen the agreement. This would mean a reduction of average global emissions by 60 percent by 2030, and by 80 percent by 2050.

Sahin said, "These rates need to be 80 percent by 2030 and 95 percent by 2050 for Western countries, and no country should be allowed to get out of these obligations by planting trees or with carbon trade.

Turkey's position "shameful" 

Following Australia's recent signature of the Kyoto Protocol, Sahin said it was "shameful" that the USA and Turkey still refused to sign.

In the name of the Turkish Greens and the Global Action Group, Sahin called on Turkey to sign the agreement before the end of the summit on 14 December and to announce a "useful" reduction.

He pointed out that Australia had signed after former Prime Minister John Howard lost the elections and the new government kept the promise it had made in the face of a major mobilisation of people: "Now we want the same to happen in Turkey".

On Saturday, 8 December, there is going to be a rally in Kadiköy, Istanbul, to call on Turkey to sign the Kyoto Protocol.

Towards a greener future

When asked how Turkey would benefit from signing the protocol, Sahin said: "It would be forced to shelve the plans to build more thermal power plants powered with coal and new cement factories, and it would have to give up plans for a third bridge [in Istanbul] which would increase the number of cars; it would take the first steps towards stable energy, industry and transport policies."

The Bali Summit is being attended by around 190 countries. (EZÖ/AG)