APEC meeting: Sydney Declaration a Climate Distraction
Takver - Sydney Indymedia | 08.09.2007 17:17 | Analysis | Climate Chaos | Globalisation | World
While thousands of people protested in the streets of Sydney about the war in Iraq, climate change, and civil liberties, the 21 APEC leaders made a fashion statement on the steps of the Opera House, before meeting inside and signing the Sydney Declaration - a statement on climate change, that is being widely criticised by environmentalists and climate activists.
APEC Leaders Fashion Statement
On the Street Fashion Statement
NSW Police State
Stay in your Homes
According to details from a draft of the declaration being widely circulated by the media, the APEC wide regional aspirational goal is to reduce energy intensity by at least 25 percent by 2030 from the 2005 level, and set an APEC-wide regional goal of increasing forest cover in the region by 20 million hectares by 2020.
About the Sydney declaration Australian Prime Minister Howard said "Firstly the need for a long-term aspirational global emissions reduction goal, and that is enshrined in the Sydney Declaration," he said. "Secondly the need for all nations, no matter what their stage of development, to contribute according to their own capacities and their own circumstances to reducing greenhouse gases."
Prime Minister John Howard and US President George Bush will play up the Sydney Declaration as a win for combatting climate change but Howard has already been effectively contradicted by his own foreign minister Alexander Downer. In April 2007, Alexander Downer told an APEC lecture in Melbourne that aspirational targets are a "political stunt" and "not a real target at all".
"I think you have to face up to the fact that, within the APEC group, there are Economies… that believe in setting CO2 emission targets, by particular dates. Some of them, of course, are just aspirational targets: which is code for “a political stunt”. An aspirational target is not a real target at all.” said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer at the Monash APEC lecture.
Greenpeace spokeperson Catherine Fitzpatrick said "If this statement is the platform we build future climate change action on, the world is in trouble," she said. "Because this is a statement with no recognition of binding targets, it has no targets for the future. Without binding targets for developed countries, it's little more than a political stunt by the prime minister."
Executive Director of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Don Henry, told the Herald Sun "Today's declaration does not advance global discussions on climate change. History shows vague aspirational goals do not lead to reductions in greenhouse emissions. The Kyoto Protocol was established precisely because the aspirational targets of the early 90s failed to stop the spiralling rise in global emissions."
Australia and the USA are the only two developed nations who have not signed the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement on reducing emissions to the year 2012.
The Chinese President, Mr Hu in a speech on September 7 called on countries to uphold the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, calling them "the core mechanism and main avenue of co-operation" for tackling climate change.
Developing nations were determined not to sign up to a specific goal on emissions, especially when Australia and the USA, the two biggest greenhouse gas polluters on a per capita basis, had not signed up for the Kyoto targets.
The Governments of the USA and Australia do not want to work within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) framework after Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, and are actively undermining any such agreement that follows on using this framework. The next meeting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference is in Bali, 3 - 14 December 2007.
===On Sydney's Streets==
The APEC meeting had inconvenienced Sydney siders with the subdivision of the city by a 1.8 metre high concrete and wire 5 kilometre fence. Motorists had to put up with disruptions caused by priority given to VIP motorcades. Thousands of police had the city in lockdown with special powers to stop, search, detain and confiscate.
The police and media had constantly beat up the fear of rioting protestors running amok. The Public Control and Riot Squad had been able to purchase a new toy - a water cannon to be deployed against uppity protestors. Demonstrations in the past week have had an overwhelming police presence often accompanied by intimidation of protests through the media.
On Saturday September 8 Several thousand gathered outside the Sydney Town Hall between 9.30 and 10 am to protest against Bush , the war in Iraq and the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum leaders meeting. There was a heavy police presence with George, Pitt and Castlereagh streets barricaded by Police buses and police lining the Park street route to Hyde Park North. Despite the heavy police presence and provocation the rally and march were largely peaceful and uneventful.
The Stop Bush Coalition who organised the march said that 10,000 people attended while police estimated numbers at 5,000. While many people gathered at the Town Hall, 500 student protestors rallied in Belmore Park and marched to the Town Hall. Another 500 people, primarily trade unionists, gathered outside the Maritime Union of Australia offices and marched to the Town Hall rally.
At the start of the rally a neo-nazi group of about 20 people dressed in black and some of them with bandanas over their faces gathered at the Town Hall. The police allowed the counter demonstration to be present causing anti-war protestors to accuse the neo-nazis of provocation, with much shouting and chanting.
At the Town Hall and other convergence points police confiscated banner poles longer than one metre long from anti-war protestors. While the police had the power to confiscate such items in declared zones Alex Bainbridge, from the Stop Bush Coalition disputed their right to do this at the rally and march "We are not in a declared zone, and we do not intend to go anywhere near a declared zone, so by confiscating these poles, the police are actually breaking their own laws." Anti-war protestors noted the police did not confiscate the banner poles from the neo-nazi counter demonstration.
Damien Lawson urged the the people present to respect that this will be a peaceful protest, and warned people not to be provoked either by people such as the small group of neo-nazis present or plain clothes police and that the march should remain unified and peaceful.
The march down Park street was led by the Maritime Union of Australia and the Fire Brigade Employees Union. At the corner of Castlereagh and Park streets the march came to a halt for about 20 minutes and organisers called for the crowd to sit down "to mark the loss of democracy".
Chants included "Howard, Bush, USA, how many kids did you kill today?", 'Troops out now!', 'The workers united will never be defeated!' Banners included 'War criminals not welcome here -- Bush go home'.
One group of protestors, dressed in formal attire, called themselves 'Billionaires for Bush' and carried banners saying 'Blood for Oil', 'How Many Species Do You Really Need?' and 'Clean Air, Can't Sell It, Who Needs It'. Many others dressed colourfuly or in costumes giving the march a carnival like atmosphere.
Mamdouh Habib attended the march and said "George Bush is a great evil... He should get out of this country,". Habib was incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay and released in 2005 never being charged with any offence.
Peter McGregor, who is facing court charges for a Citizens Arrest of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock as a War Criminal at a legal conference at the University of NSW, told Green Left Weekly “whenever war criminals such as George Bush and John Howard appear in public, it’s important people come out also in public, to protest them.”
Dan Jones and Paddy Gibson attended the march though being on the police blacklist and have been arrested, along with seven other arrests. Paddy Gibson was later released by police as he was outside declared zones.
The NSW Police intimidated protestors by flexing their new shiny hardware. A water canon that makes up the centre piece of the Public Order & Riot Squad. But they never got to use their shiny new toy. (Watch video)
Another example of the excessive police intimidation happened to Chris Ward who took his wheelie bin sound system to the rally and march. "I’ve been searched three times today for having a wheelie bin sound system," Mr Ward said. Each time the search took half an hour and on least one occasion police reinforcements had to be called when Chris and his sound system and the 'searching' police officers were surrounded by other activists.
Human Rights monitor Dale Mills described the search as an overreaction to Channel Nine News. "In my opinion, that was just an illegal search," Mr Mills said. "That’s the sort of aggressive attitude … that provokes problems at protests."
At Hyde Park drizzly rain put a damper to the end of the rally with protestors finding shelter under trees and umbrellas. Police have been criticized for forming lines preventing people leaving the end rally in Hyde Park.
At the end of the march one of the protest organisers, Damien Lawson said "We're very happy, the turnout is double our expectations, there are at least 10,000 people here and it's been a very peaceful march. We got across the key issues: opposition to the war in Iraq, concern about climate change and opposition to John Howard's WorkChoices," he was reported as saying on Skynews.
Police Violence at a Park Meeting gives details one incident of police provocation and also gives details from the Police website that there were 17 arrested on the day.
Sources:
* Alexander Downer, 19 April 2007, Monash APEC lecture (PDF)
* Greenpeace Sept 6, 2007, Downer admits aspirational goals “political stunt”
* Melbourne Herald Sun, Sept 8, 2007, Greenpeace slams APEC climate pact
* ABC Online Sept 8, 2007, Leaders wear Driza-Bones for APEC photo
* Protest peaceful despite arrests
* stuff.co.nz via AAP, Reuters Sept 8, 2007 - Protesters march through central Sydney
* Green Left Weekly Sept 8, 2007 - More than 5000 protesters at anti-APEC rally
* Green Left Weekly Sept 8, 2007 - Anti-APEC protesters: united and peaceful
* Green Left Weekly Sept 8, 2007 - Photos: Bush not welcome!
* Sydney Morning Herald, Sept 8, 2007 - Nine arrested at Sydney APEC protests
* Ninemsn Sept 8, 2007 - Police swoop on 'wheelie bin boom box'
* Sky News Sept 8, 2007 APEC protests peaceful
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au
About the Sydney declaration Australian Prime Minister Howard said "Firstly the need for a long-term aspirational global emissions reduction goal, and that is enshrined in the Sydney Declaration," he said. "Secondly the need for all nations, no matter what their stage of development, to contribute according to their own capacities and their own circumstances to reducing greenhouse gases."
Prime Minister John Howard and US President George Bush will play up the Sydney Declaration as a win for combatting climate change but Howard has already been effectively contradicted by his own foreign minister Alexander Downer. In April 2007, Alexander Downer told an APEC lecture in Melbourne that aspirational targets are a "political stunt" and "not a real target at all".
"I think you have to face up to the fact that, within the APEC group, there are Economies… that believe in setting CO2 emission targets, by particular dates. Some of them, of course, are just aspirational targets: which is code for “a political stunt”. An aspirational target is not a real target at all.” said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer at the Monash APEC lecture.
Greenpeace spokeperson Catherine Fitzpatrick said "If this statement is the platform we build future climate change action on, the world is in trouble," she said. "Because this is a statement with no recognition of binding targets, it has no targets for the future. Without binding targets for developed countries, it's little more than a political stunt by the prime minister."
Executive Director of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Don Henry, told the Herald Sun "Today's declaration does not advance global discussions on climate change. History shows vague aspirational goals do not lead to reductions in greenhouse emissions. The Kyoto Protocol was established precisely because the aspirational targets of the early 90s failed to stop the spiralling rise in global emissions."
Australia and the USA are the only two developed nations who have not signed the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement on reducing emissions to the year 2012.
The Chinese President, Mr Hu in a speech on September 7 called on countries to uphold the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, calling them "the core mechanism and main avenue of co-operation" for tackling climate change.
Developing nations were determined not to sign up to a specific goal on emissions, especially when Australia and the USA, the two biggest greenhouse gas polluters on a per capita basis, had not signed up for the Kyoto targets.
The Governments of the USA and Australia do not want to work within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) framework after Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, and are actively undermining any such agreement that follows on using this framework. The next meeting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference is in Bali, 3 - 14 December 2007.
===On Sydney's Streets==
The APEC meeting had inconvenienced Sydney siders with the subdivision of the city by a 1.8 metre high concrete and wire 5 kilometre fence. Motorists had to put up with disruptions caused by priority given to VIP motorcades. Thousands of police had the city in lockdown with special powers to stop, search, detain and confiscate.
The police and media had constantly beat up the fear of rioting protestors running amok. The Public Control and Riot Squad had been able to purchase a new toy - a water cannon to be deployed against uppity protestors. Demonstrations in the past week have had an overwhelming police presence often accompanied by intimidation of protests through the media.
On Saturday September 8 Several thousand gathered outside the Sydney Town Hall between 9.30 and 10 am to protest against Bush , the war in Iraq and the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum leaders meeting. There was a heavy police presence with George, Pitt and Castlereagh streets barricaded by Police buses and police lining the Park street route to Hyde Park North. Despite the heavy police presence and provocation the rally and march were largely peaceful and uneventful.
The Stop Bush Coalition who organised the march said that 10,000 people attended while police estimated numbers at 5,000. While many people gathered at the Town Hall, 500 student protestors rallied in Belmore Park and marched to the Town Hall. Another 500 people, primarily trade unionists, gathered outside the Maritime Union of Australia offices and marched to the Town Hall rally.
At the start of the rally a neo-nazi group of about 20 people dressed in black and some of them with bandanas over their faces gathered at the Town Hall. The police allowed the counter demonstration to be present causing anti-war protestors to accuse the neo-nazis of provocation, with much shouting and chanting.
At the Town Hall and other convergence points police confiscated banner poles longer than one metre long from anti-war protestors. While the police had the power to confiscate such items in declared zones Alex Bainbridge, from the Stop Bush Coalition disputed their right to do this at the rally and march "We are not in a declared zone, and we do not intend to go anywhere near a declared zone, so by confiscating these poles, the police are actually breaking their own laws." Anti-war protestors noted the police did not confiscate the banner poles from the neo-nazi counter demonstration.
Damien Lawson urged the the people present to respect that this will be a peaceful protest, and warned people not to be provoked either by people such as the small group of neo-nazis present or plain clothes police and that the march should remain unified and peaceful.
The march down Park street was led by the Maritime Union of Australia and the Fire Brigade Employees Union. At the corner of Castlereagh and Park streets the march came to a halt for about 20 minutes and organisers called for the crowd to sit down "to mark the loss of democracy".
Chants included "Howard, Bush, USA, how many kids did you kill today?", 'Troops out now!', 'The workers united will never be defeated!' Banners included 'War criminals not welcome here -- Bush go home'.
One group of protestors, dressed in formal attire, called themselves 'Billionaires for Bush' and carried banners saying 'Blood for Oil', 'How Many Species Do You Really Need?' and 'Clean Air, Can't Sell It, Who Needs It'. Many others dressed colourfuly or in costumes giving the march a carnival like atmosphere.
Mamdouh Habib attended the march and said "George Bush is a great evil... He should get out of this country,". Habib was incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay and released in 2005 never being charged with any offence.
Peter McGregor, who is facing court charges for a Citizens Arrest of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock as a War Criminal at a legal conference at the University of NSW, told Green Left Weekly “whenever war criminals such as George Bush and John Howard appear in public, it’s important people come out also in public, to protest them.”
Dan Jones and Paddy Gibson attended the march though being on the police blacklist and have been arrested, along with seven other arrests. Paddy Gibson was later released by police as he was outside declared zones.
The NSW Police intimidated protestors by flexing their new shiny hardware. A water canon that makes up the centre piece of the Public Order & Riot Squad. But they never got to use their shiny new toy. (Watch video)
Another example of the excessive police intimidation happened to Chris Ward who took his wheelie bin sound system to the rally and march. "I’ve been searched three times today for having a wheelie bin sound system," Mr Ward said. Each time the search took half an hour and on least one occasion police reinforcements had to be called when Chris and his sound system and the 'searching' police officers were surrounded by other activists.
Human Rights monitor Dale Mills described the search as an overreaction to Channel Nine News. "In my opinion, that was just an illegal search," Mr Mills said. "That’s the sort of aggressive attitude … that provokes problems at protests."
At Hyde Park drizzly rain put a damper to the end of the rally with protestors finding shelter under trees and umbrellas. Police have been criticized for forming lines preventing people leaving the end rally in Hyde Park.
At the end of the march one of the protest organisers, Damien Lawson said "We're very happy, the turnout is double our expectations, there are at least 10,000 people here and it's been a very peaceful march. We got across the key issues: opposition to the war in Iraq, concern about climate change and opposition to John Howard's WorkChoices," he was reported as saying on Skynews.
Police Violence at a Park Meeting gives details one incident of police provocation and also gives details from the Police website that there were 17 arrested on the day.
Sources:
* Alexander Downer, 19 April 2007, Monash APEC lecture (PDF)
* Greenpeace Sept 6, 2007, Downer admits aspirational goals “political stunt”
* Melbourne Herald Sun, Sept 8, 2007, Greenpeace slams APEC climate pact
* ABC Online Sept 8, 2007, Leaders wear Driza-Bones for APEC photo
* Protest peaceful despite arrests
* stuff.co.nz via AAP, Reuters Sept 8, 2007 - Protesters march through central Sydney
* Green Left Weekly Sept 8, 2007 - More than 5000 protesters at anti-APEC rally
* Green Left Weekly Sept 8, 2007 - Anti-APEC protesters: united and peaceful
* Green Left Weekly Sept 8, 2007 - Photos: Bush not welcome!
* Sydney Morning Herald, Sept 8, 2007 - Nine arrested at Sydney APEC protests
* Ninemsn Sept 8, 2007 - Police swoop on 'wheelie bin boom box'
* Sky News Sept 8, 2007 APEC protests peaceful
http://sydney.indymedia.org.au
Takver - Sydney Indymedia
