Andrew Robb Asks Obama Not to ‘Lecture’ Australia on Climate Change

U.S. President Barack Obama was further criticised for his climate speech. After Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, it was Trade Minister Andrew Robb who believed that Obama's comments on the Great Barrier Reef was uncalled for.

It was a strong example of direct criticism of the U.S. president by the Australian trade minister. He said that Obama's speech on climate change and its effect on the Great Barrier Reef were unnecessary, misinformed and wrong. He found the content and the timing of the speech were not appropriate. He believed that the American president was not informed enough before talking about Australia's achievements in climate change and environmental transformation. Obama had apparently defied the advice of the U.S. embassy on the matter. The embassy reportedly asked him not to place his comments on climate change in such a manner that the Australian government found it disobliging.

Obama gave a speech on climate change in Brisbane on the sidelines of the G20 summit. He said that climate change would mean higher temperature, more flooding and rising sea levels along with more frequent and extreme storms. He also said that such climatic effects would submerge Pacific islands so the "incredible natural glory of the Great Barrier Reef" was threatened. Several officials immediately found Obama's comments offensive as it apparently "underestimated" Australia's commitment toward the issue. However, the strongest criticism came from Robb as he went direct in his approach.

Robb said that Obama's speech had no sense of the first-world, high-class efforts that Australia was making -- and quite successfully -- to deal with the issue and to maintain the great asset of the Great Barrier Reef.

"You know, we are spending nearly a quarter of a billion dollars every year, again both sides of politics have been doing this, to protect our greatest environmental asset in the Barrier Reef," The Australian quoted Robb, "I don't think others should be coming and lecturing us on climate change and the reduction in emissions in the way in which we have heard over many months from many different sourc­es around the world, including the President." The trade minister referred to the Kyoto targets, which Australia had met, while "most of the countries lecturing us" had not.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au