Labor welcomes the launching of a high profile campaign by the Climate Institute to pressure the Government to take action over climate change.

With such an eminent and respected environmentalist as Bob Carr as the public face of their campaign, the Climate Institute will help raise public awareness of climate change.

We hope their work makes John Howard focus on climate change - the most significant environmental challenge faced by Australia.

Labor welcomes the extra pressure the Climate Institute will put on the Howard Government to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

Being a political leader is about making judgements and decisions, and John Howard has made bad judgements over climate change.

By ratifying Kyoto and adopting emission reduction targets, Australia will adapt more quickly to protect itself against climate change – and we will also avoid the escalating costs of adapting our economy years from now.

If the Minister for the Environment, Ian Campbell thinks “the debate on climate change is over”, well how about some action?

The Howard Government mouths platitudes over climate change, but does not take effective action.

The Howard Government has warped priorities to spend $100m on political advertising for unfair industrial relations laws, but very little to raise public awareness over climate change.

Hopefully the generous contribution from a philanthropist to the Climate Institute for this important campaign will jolt John Howard from his apathy over climate change.