The Prime Minister must agree to the NSW Premier’s request for a National Climate Change Summit if he’s serious about tackling climate change.

The need for a national summit couldn’t be clearer.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, September 2005 was the warmest September for 125 years. 2005 is on track to be the hottest year since annual records began in 1910. Climate change is the cause.

The Government’s own Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability report tells us that climate change will deliver more severe cyclones, storms and bushfires and much less rainfall in southern Australia.

These threats could put some of our major tourist centres like Cairns, Broome, Darwin and Townsville at considerable risk. Our major capital cities in southern Australia – Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth – will face increased pressure on access to critical natural resources, like water.

Despite all of the evidence, there is no plan of action from the Government. There is no plan to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, no plan to establish an emissions trading scheme, no plan to establish an ambitious mandatory renewable energy target.

Instead, in the lead up to the Montreal Climate Change Conference which began last night, the UN has reported Australia’s greenhouse pollution rose by more than 23% between 1990 and 2003.

In spite of all of the evidence, the Howard Government refuses to join the other 156 countries taking global action by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

The Howard Government is frozen in time while the world warms around it.

The national summit is John Howard’s chance to deliver a plan of action to tackle climate change.

The solutions are there. The Premiers are ready. The Opposition will be there. Will the Prime Minister take his seat at the national climate change summit?