We must understand the connections between the climate crisis and the afflictions of poverty， hunger， HIV-aids and other pandemics. As these problems are linked， so too must be their solutions. We must begin by making the common rescue of the global environment the central organizing principle of the world community.
Fifteen years ago， I made that case at the “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro. Ten years ago， I presented it in Kyoto. This week， I will urge the delegates in Bali to adopt a bold mandate for a treaty that establishes a universal global cap on emissions and uses the market in emissions trading to efficiently allocate resources to the most effective opportunities for speedy reductions.
Heads of state should meet early next year to review what was accomplished in Bali and take personal responsibility for addressing this crisis. It is not unreasonable to ask， given the gravity of our circumstances， that these heads of state meet every three months until the treaty is completed.
We also need a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store carbon dioxide. And most important of all， we need to put a price on carbon—with a CO2 tax that is then rebated back to the people， progressively， according to the laws of each nation， in ways that shift the burden of taxation from employment to pollution. This is by far the most effective and simplest way to accelerate solutions to this crisis.
The world needs an alliance—especially of those nations that weigh heaviest in the scales where earth is in the balance. I salute Europe and Japan for the steps they’ve taken in recent years to meet the challenge， and the new government in Australia， which has made solving the climate crisis its first priority.
But the outcome will be decisively influenced by two nations that are now failing to do enough： the United States and China. While India is also growing fast in importance， it should be absolutely clear that it is the two largest CO2 emitters—most of all， my own country—that will need to make the boldest moves， or stand accountable before history for their failure to act.