G20 summit: Obama speech puts climate change at centre stage

BARACK Obama has put climate change where Tony Abbott least wanted it at this year’s G20 summit — centre stage.

BARACK Obama has put climate change where Tony Abbott least wanted it at this year’s G20 summit — centre stage.

The US President, in a far more welcoming atmosphere in Brisbane than he had during the mid-term US elections, received a rapturous reception at Queensland University as he delivered a key speech outside the confines of the world leaders’ economic summit.

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In a reprise of his Darwin speech three years ago — when he dramatically announced the “rotation” of US Marines through northern Australia as part of his Pacific “pivot” policy, which was an ongoing US commitment to the Asian region — Obama reinforced an American future in the region.

Militarily and politically the President pledged the US would work with Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia and the Philippines into the future and sought to reassure China of co-operation.

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It was all strong stuff and enough on its own to bolster US stocks in the region and lift the Australia-US alliance.

But unlike his Darwin speech, although there was a crocodile reference, Obama bought into domestic politics on climate change after acknowledging there had been healthy debate in Australia.

Citing all the examples used by the Australian supporters of a carbon emissions scheme, Obama suggested there would be longer droughts in Australia, more “wildfires”, hotter summers and, most importantly of all, that the Great Barrier Reef was under threat.

All year Abbott and Joe Hockey have been trying to keep this year’s G20 summit focus on economics and energy rather than climate change as such.

David Cameron, even Vladimir Putin, agreed that the key for the G20 should be job creation through economic growth.

Although it may not be a major conclusion from the summit, Obama has ensured the headlines and sympathy to climate change.