Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I have some further information in response to a question asked of me today by Senator Milne. I am advised that there is no basis to claims that African countries walked out of a meeting chaired by Australia in Barcelona. Australian negotiators have gone to great lengths to play a constructive role in the UN climate negotiations, including at the most recent UNFCCC negotiations in Barcelona. Since the beginning of this year, as chair of the umbrella group—a key group of developed countries—Australia has hosted a series of meetings with key regional groups and non-government organisations in an effort to help build a global climate deal. In Barcelona, Australia continued these efforts, including through hosting francophone African countries in a constructive and useful discussion about key issues in the negotiations. There was no walkout from this meeting. It was conducted respectfully and constructively, and finished with a request from African countries for further such meetings.