There are two Sydney Declarations: the aspirational one, compiled before the negotiators of the 21 APEC nations uncapped their red pens, and the actual one, the refined and re-refined final document that all member nations agreed to sign.

Crikey has compiled a comparative analysis of the two documents to find out exactly what was taken out, watered down, written in, or beefed up by the negotiators. Call it an exercise in decoding international diplomacy.

(Here’s the draft document and the final version. Changes are marked in italics.)

On future international action:

Before: Making measurable and verifiable contributions to meeting shared global goals.

After: We support domestic actions which make measurable contributions to a shared global goal.

Support for post-2012 climate change arrangements:

Before: Agree that a long-term aspirational global emissions reduction goal will be a key component of the post-2012 framework. Note the national decisions made by some APEC economies to propose a long term global emissions goal.

After: We agree to work to achieve a common understanding on a long-term aspirational global emissions reduction goal to pave the way for an effective post-2012 international agreement. We appreciate the efforts Japan and Canada in proposing a long-term global goal.

Additional statements :

We welcome the initiative by the United States to convene a group of major economies to seek agreement on a detailed contribution to a post-2012 global arrangement under the UNFCCC .

We pledge our support for the initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in convening a High-Level Event on Climate Change.

Energy efficiency:

Before: Agree to implement national policies and measures consistent with improved energy efficiency.

After: Encourage all APEC economies to set individual goals and action plans for improving energy efficiency.

Trade in environmental goods and services:

Before: Support the successful conclusion of the WTO Doha Development Agenda with the inclusion of a substantive liberalizing package in the area of environmental goods.

After: Agree to review and discuss … the progress achieved in the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations on the liberalization of trade in environmental goods and services.

Civil aviation transport:

Before: Agree that APEC will further develop practical co-operative measures to reduce emissions from aviation.

After: To promote practical co-operative measures that address greenhouse gas emissions from this sector.

Forests:

Before: Endorse the Global Initiative on Forests and Climate.

After: Welcome the Global Initiative on Forests and Climate.

Deleted: Agree on the importance of sustainable forest management, stopping illegal logging and the benefit of forests as carbon reservoirs.

Additional statements:

Work to achieve an APEC-wide aspirational goal of increasing forest cover in the region by at least 20 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020 – a goal which if achieved would store approximately 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon, equivalent to around 11 per cent of annual global emissions (in 2004).

Alternative and low carbon energy uses:

Before: Agree APEC will exchange information and promote policy environments that will encourage investment in all cleaner fuels, including all renewable energy sources.

After: Agree to promote policies that advance the deployment of low and zero emission energy uses in particular in the field of clean coal use and carbon capture and storage … 

Additional section:

Energy Security.

We underline the importance to the region of affordable and secure supplies of energy which are central to economic growth and sustainable development, and we are committed to continuing efforts within APEC to address long-term energy needs in the region.

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