If Australia and the USA fail to commit to short-term and absolute pollution reductions through the use of currently available clean energy, a critical opportunity to address climate change will have been lost and the partnership will have failed.

The data released today by the Bureau of Meteorology adds to a huge body of scientific research that shows we no longer live in a natural climate.

Emissions from Australia and United States are spiraling out of control. We need rapid deployment of clean energy such as wind and solar today. If the conference just throws research dollars to the coal industry to clean up their act in 15 to 20 years, we've missed an opportunity.

The conference will fail if it doesn't put in place (regulations) and strong financial incentives for industry to spend billions and billions of dollars on clean energy today. If it just throws research dollars to the coal industry to clean up their act in 15 to 20 years, we've missed an opportunity.

The Bay is cleaner than it was 40 years ago when raw sewage and industrial pollution were dumped directly into it. While the pollution from business and point sources is strictly regulated, storm water pollution from our cars, homes and neighborhoods is still a major problem.

We in Government have begun to recognize the critical work which must be done at all levels--local, State and Federal--in ending the pollution of our waters.