Australia and China stressed the great importance they attached to the issue of climate change and their willingness to strengthen cooperation to jointly meet the challenge of climate change.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol. Both sides reiterated, in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and consistent with the Bali Roadmap, the need for developed countries to continue to take the lead in reducing GHG emissions beyond 2012 and the necessity to assist developing countries in enhancing their capability to address climate change.

Australia and China recognized the need for intensified negotiations to meet the timeframes set out in the Bali Roadmap and resolved to work closely together in relevant upcoming bilateral and multilateral forums in support of the UNFCCC negotiations.

Australia and China have a lot in common in relation to climate change. The partnership and cooperation between two sides will focus on the relative strengths and common interests for making contribution to global efforts to address the challenge of climate change.

The two sides agreed to promote closer cooperation in responding to climate change by strengthening policy dialogue at ministerial level and strengthening practically focused cooperation by developing and implementing concrete projects in areas of mutual benefit that will assist both countries in addressing climate change.

As the two countries foster a spirit of closer cooperation on climate change, both sides reiterated their support for the work of the Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology.

Both countries believe that actions to reduce emissions from deforestation should be one of the aspects of future action on addressing climate change and reaffirmed their support for the China-initiated Asia Pacific Network on Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation, established during APEC in Sydney in September 2007.

Identified Initial Areas for Closer Australia-China Cooperation:

1.Closer Policy Dialogue

Australia and China worked together with other parties in COP13 of the UNFCCC to finalize the Bali Roadmap on an international framework for addressing climate change into the future. Both sides will continue to work together to promote the negotiations and relevant international cooperation on climate change, under the guidance of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.

For this purpose, the two sides agreed to meet at ministerial level on an annual basis and to strengthen their regular policy dialogue, cooperation and coordination on climate change, based on existing mechanisms on climate change. The first ministerial level meeting will be hosted by Australia in the latter half of 2008.

2. Expanding the Australia-China Climate Change Partnership

Australia and China share a successful bilateral partnership that draws together the resources and expertise of Australian and Chinese industry, science, and government sectors concerned.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the agreed joint projects and agreed to further expand practically focused project activity particularly in the areas of capacity building; renewable energy technologies; energy efficiency; capture and use of methane; climate change and agriculture; land use, land use change and forestry; adaptation to climate change; and climate change science.

3. Developing Clean Energy

Australia and China will cooperate to develop low emission technologies that will assist both countries in economic development in the way of minimizing GHG emissions and underscoring both countries growing need for cleaner forms of power generation.

Both countries welcomed current Australia-China cooperation in these areas occurring through the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, the Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology, and our bilateral climate change partnership.

China welcomed Australia's reaffirmation of the commitment to invest 20 million Australian dollars in the Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology.

(Source: www.xinhuanet.com)