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Thursday, 1 November 2012
Page: 8766

Senator MILNE (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (12:07): Mr President, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 987 standing in my name for today relating to global hydrofluorocarbons.

Leave granted.

Senator MILNE: I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges proposals submitted by the Federated States of Micronesia, and by Canada, Mexico and the United States of America, to amend the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to regulate and phase-down production and consumption of hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) with a high global warming potential, that have support of at least 108 Parties and are on the agenda for consideration for the 4th year in a row at the Meeting of the Parties in Geneva from 12 November to 16 November 2012 [25th anniversary meeting];

(b) recognises that:

   (i) at the Rio+20 Conference earlier in 2012, the nations of the world agreed on a final document that recognised that the phase-out of ozone depleting substances was resulting in a rapid increase in the use and release of high global warming potential HFCs to the environment, and supported a gradual phase-down in the consumption and production of HFCs,

   (ii) it is time for the Montreal Protocol to regulate HFCs in order to support efforts to tackle climate change and to reduce the threat of crossing tipping points for abrupt, irreversible and catastrophic climate change,

   (iii) any action taken under the Montreal Protocol on HFCs recognise the primacy of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and

   (iv) that the equivalent carbon price levied on HFCs through the Clean Energy Future Plan is already working to reduce these emissions in Australia; and

(c) calls on the Government to play an active role in negotiations to encourage all countries to reach an effective agreement to drive a global phase-down of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol.

The PRESIDENT: The question is that the motion as amended be agreed to.