Integrated agreement the only way to resolve climate change

An effective multi-track approach would complement this obligatory core agreement with a collection of subsidiary provisions. These voluntary, extra provisions would not be legally binding but would instead exist separately to that agreement.

These voluntary provisions would allow parties to build their own commitments to mitigate their national or regional emission levels within a guided system. Self-determined commitments have proven to be a popular idea during negotiations in Warsaw. Parties would more likely follow and implement commitments of their own construction.

In this form the contractual reporting and review system would obligate Parties to justify their commitments and support the adoption of more ambitious pledges.

Australia has so far largely supported the implementation of a multi-tracked form, driven by contractual schedules to guide parties in their commitments. Whether the recent change in Government will result in a new approach is not yet known, but if climate change is to be seriously addressed a multi-tracked form is an appropriate course of action.