













PRIME MINISTER

AUSTRALIA AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION  CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY

Today President Vladimir Putin and I have agreed to cooperate on the global challenges of climate  change and energy, including in the APEC Leaders Meeting this weekend.  Australia and Russia  share much in common, as two of the world’s largest suppliers of energy, in ensuring economic

growth, energy security and environmental sustainability.

We have agreed that the world needs to make progress towards a new international climate change  framework, to which all major emitters should make substantial contributions.  Australia and Russia  will work together to achieve international consensus on a long-term global aspirational goal for  stabilising and then reducing greenhouse gas emissions.



Australia and Russia will work closely together, with other members of the ‘Umbrella Group’  coalition, to pursue our shared interests in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.  We  will support launching negotiations for a post-2012 agreement at the UN climate change conference  in Indonesia in December.



Australia and the Russian Federation will continue our work to develop and deploy low emission  technologies, including in carbon sequestration and methane and hydrogen technologies.  We have  agreed that reducing emissions from deforestation is an important part of global action on climate  change.

Nuclear power - as a zero-emissions technology - has much to contribute to addressing global  climate change.  President Putin has outlined Russia’s program to significantly expand its nuclear  power industry.  Australia, as a leading and reliable supplier of uranium, has a stake in the expansion  of the safe and secure use of nuclear energy.



I am very pleased, therefore, that Australia and the Russian Federation have concluded, and signed,  an Agreement on Cooperation in the Use of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes.  This new  agreement will allow the supply of Australian uranium for use in Russia’s civil nuclear power  industry, and provide a framework for broader cooperation on peaceful nuclear-related activities.





I have also expressed my appreciation to President Putin for Russia’s support for Australian  participation in the Generation IV International Forum, a partnership of governments working  together on fourth generation nuclear power plant technology.



Australia and Russia, as major energy suppliers, have globally significant mining industries.  As  such, we have agreed to collaborate in developing and implementing the APEC Mining Task Force,  with a particular focus on sustainability.  Australia will organise two workshops on sustainable  mining, with Russia’s support, in November 2007.





7 September 2007



September  2007

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

FACT SHEET - APEC MINING TASKFORCE

What does the initiative involve?

The APEC Mining Taskforce has been formed to  further develop and implement the work program of  the previous APEC mining fora - the Non Ferrous  Metals Dialogue and the Energy Working Group’s  Expert Group on Mining, Exploration and Energy  Development.

The Taskforce aims to improve the economic, social  and environmental benefits from mining in the APEC  region.

The Russian Federation has agreed to be the  inaugural Chair of the Taskforce.  Australia will  collaborate with other APEC economies on the  Taskforce.

What will it achieve?

The APEC Mining Taskforce will build on the  success of the APEC Ministers Responsible for  Mining meeting in February 2007 and aims to  strengthen policy dialogue and capacity building and  enhance market transparency.

APEC Member Economies have agreed to work  through the Taskforce to address the 10 APEC  mining policy principles adopted in 2007 by the  APEC Ministers Responsible for Mining.  These  principles include:

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Encourage, support and promote initiatives by

the minerals and metals industry and  stakeholders that contribute to national and  international sustainable development goals

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Encourage research to develop and apply new

minerals exploration, extraction, and pollution  control technologies that are more cost effective,  efficient, economically sound, environmentally  responsible and socially acceptable.  Promote  information exchange and cooperation on such  technologies

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ In partnership with all life cycle participants,

ensure that materials and products made from  minerals and metals are produced, consumed,  recycled or disposed of in a responsible manner.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Encourage all participants in the life cycle of a

material or product to take direct responsibility  for their area of action, and a shared concern  over other stages of the life cycle.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Support capacity building activities for

sustainable development so that all APEC  Economies are able to maximise the benefits  and minimise the impacts from minerals  resource development.

Australia will hold capacity building sustainable  development workshops open to all APEC Member  Economies in Beijing and Jakarta in November  2007.  These workshops are partly funded by  AusAID and will draw on Australia's Leading  Practice Sustainable Development Program for the  Mining Industry.  The workshop in Beijing will  address Stewardship or life cycle partnerships in the  mining and metals sector.  The workshop in Jakarta  will focus on Life of Mine Planning and will consider  all phases of a mine's life.  These workshops will be  the first activity of the new Taskforce.

Who will benefit?

All APEC economies will benefit from the work  program of the Taskforce.

More information?

Further information can be obtained by contacting  mrm3@industry.gov.au



September  2007

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

FACT SHEET - GENERATION IV INTERNATIONAL FORUM (GIF)

What is the GIF?

The GIF was formed in 2000 to develop advanced  nuclear reactors that address needs identified with  current generation reactors in four main areas  namely, to improve nuclear safety, to strengthen  proliferation resistance and physical protection, to  minimise waste and optimise natural resource  utilisation, and to decrease the cost to build and run  such reactors.

The GIF is now a thirteen-member research and  development consortium that is leading the way  toward innovative nuclear energy systems.   Generation IV nuclear energy systems are aimed at  realising the potential of nuclear energy to achieve a  number of long-term benefits worldwide.

What is Generation IV?

Concerns over energy resource availability, climate  change, air quality, and energy security suggest an  important role for nuclear power in future energy  supplies. While the current Generation II and III  nuclear power plant designs provide a secure and  low-cost electricity supply in many markets, further  advances in nuclear energy system design can  broaden the opportunities for the use of nuclear  energy. To explore these opportunities, the United  States Department of Energy has engaged  governments, industry, and the research community  worldwide in a wide-ranging discussion on the  development of next generation nuclear energy  systems known as "Generation IV".

Currently, of many possible nuclear reactor  concepts, there are six that have been designated  for further development, that is, as possible  Generation IV reactors.  Each member of the GIF  has expressed interest in assisting with at least two  of the designs and has directed their research  efforts accordingly.

What would Australia’s involvement be?

On 28 April 2007, the Prime Minister announced a  new strategy for the future development of uranium  mining and nuclear power in Australia.  The strategy  will involve a number of actions that can be taken  immediately, including making a firm commitment to  Australia’s participation in the Generation IV  advanced nuclear reactor research programme.  To  that end, Australia is pursuing possible membership  with GIF members on the basis of its nuclear  research expertise at the Australian Nuclear Science  and Technology Organisation.

More information:

Further information on the Generation IV  International Forum can be obtained at:  http://www.gen-4.org/



The Prime Minister’s 28 April 2007 announcement  can be viewed at:  http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2007/Media _Release24284.cfm.



September  2007

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

FACT SHEET - NUCLEAR SAFEGUARDS AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA

What does the agreement involve?

The new agreement will allow for the supply of  Australian uranium for use in Russia’s civil nuclear  power industry, and provide a framework for broader  cooperation between Australia and Russia in  peaceful nuclear-related activities.

The agreement meets Australia’s long-standing  strict safeguards conditions and will bring the  Australia-Russia nuclear cooperation relationship  into line with Australia’s other bilateral safeguards  agreements.  Under the terms of the Agreement,  Australian uranium can only be used for peaceful,  non-military purposes in Russian facilities mutually  determined by Australia and Russia which are  subject to Russia’s safeguards agreement with the  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The existing (1990) Australia-Russia nuclear  agreement is more limited than Australia’s other  bilateral nuclear agreements, in that it does not  allow for use of Australian uranium in Russian  nuclear power plants.  The existing agreement only  allows for Australian uranium to be processed (e.g.  enriched) in Russia for third countries.

The new Agreement will come into force when  Australia and Russia have completed their  respective domestic ratification processes. In  Australia the process involves parliamentary and  public scrutiny including consideration of the  Agreement by the Parliamentary Joint Standing  Committee on Treaties (JSCOT).

What will it achieve?

Providing for uranium exports to Russia is consistent  with the growing trade relationship between our two  countries, which has seen an almost fourfold  increase in two-way trade since 2004 and strong  growth in bilateral investment in the same period.

While no specific proposals for cooperation are  presently being considered, an example of a

possible area of cooperation might be research into  next generation reactors under the Generation IV  research program - a major international project to  develop six next generation nuclear power  technologies offering greater efficiency, even better  safety and reduced waste streams.

Who will benefit?

Opening up the expanding Russian export market to  Australian uranium exports will benefit Australian  uranium producers and consolidate Australia’s  position as a secure supplier of energy resources.

Russia’s electricity needs are expected to increase  considerably over the coming decades, so meeting  this increasing demand through the use of very low  greenhouse gas emitting technologies such as  nuclear will have clear environmental benefits.

Australia leads by example in the application of strict  safeguards. Having the world’s largest low-cost  uranium resources, Australia has an opportunity to  contribute to the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

More information?

Further information can be obtained by contacting  the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation  Office, tel 02-6261 1920. or visiting  www.asno.dfat.gov.au

