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Tony Blair spells out critical importance of Copenhagen at Climate Summit

Tony Blair has called on the Sunshine state to get on the low carbon path and become a leader of the green economic revolution at a high level summit for business leaders and policy experts.

Addressing the summit, organised by The Climate Group and the Queensland Government, Tony Blair, said:

"By focusing on practical solutions, Queensland can be at the forefront of the green economic revolution, so I believe climate change is and will remain a defining issue for our generation. But I also believe that we can ensure that progress towards a new low-carbon future means economic growth and prosperity as well as a safer climate. Indeed, we estimate there are already two million people worldwide employed in renewable energy alone."

Tony Blair also spoke of the challenges facing the world in the lead up to the UN climate summit, taking place in Copenhagen:

"The challenge before us then is immense. And In just one month the countries of the world will meet in Copenhagen to address the challenge. Success is critical, but it's going to be dependent on political leaders having the political will as well as understanding the technological and other solutions available to them."

Anne Bligh, the Labour Premier of Queensland told the Summit it was crucial that her state tackled climate change, as Queensland was responsible for 30 per cent of national carbon emissions, despite having only 20 per cent of Australia's population.

Premier Bligh, who is the first woman Premier of Queensland, said:

"Queensland is the Australian state that is most vulnerable to climate change - which also means we have the most to gain from international action. For a state that has so much to lose, we're also one of the big climate sinners."

Having been the first major head of government to bring climate change to the top of the international political agenda at the Gleneagles G8 summit in 2005, Tony Blair is now leading the 'Breaking the Climate Deadlock' initiative, a strategic partnership with The Climate Group, through which he is working with world leaders to bring consensus on a new and comprehensive international climate policy framework.

The Climate Group is an independent NGO working internationally with business and government leaders to advance practical policies and technologies necessary to cut global emissions and drive a prosperous low carbon economy.