Australia calls for rule changes in climate talks

Australia is seeking changes to the rules covering rich and developing nations ahead of crucial UN-led climate talks next year in Denmark to ensure wealthy nations like Singapore and South Korea do not gain concessions.

In a submission to the UN ahead of interim talks next month in Poznan, Poland, Australia's government said the 1992 Kyoto climate pact capping Greenhouse gas emissions let many advanced economies off the hook on carbon reduction obligations.

"Since the Convention was adopted in 1992 no work has been done to better differentiate the responsibilities of Parties," the submission said, adding two annex lists of countries in the Kyoto Protocol were now out of date.

"Neither list reflects current realities," said the submission, seen by Reuters.

The Poland meeting, to be attended by Australia's Climate Change Minister Penny Wong, will include officials from about 190 nations and aims to continue negotiations on a climate pact to succeed the Kyoto Protocol from 2013.

The talks are meant to conclude at the end of next year in the Danish capital Copenhagen and aim to bind the United States, China, India and other major emitters to curbs on their greenhouse pollution.

Australia said the Kyoto lists were based on membership of the OECD in 1992 and classified advanced economies such as Singapore, South Korea, and Malta as developing, while Ukraine was listed as developed.

A new list could be crucial in deciding what countries are required to do to reduce greenhouse emissions and the cost to their economies of climate shift mitigation measures.

"Over time, and as part of the post-2012 outcome, more countries may assume obligations in the form of assigned amounts," the Australian submission said.