As the annual meeting of APEC members kicked off Sunday in Sidney, members of environmental organizations were able to dodge the impressive security force and reveal a huge protest banner against Australia’s massive export of coal.

At the same time Greenpeace activists unfolded another banner in the Newcastle harbour, condemning Australia and the United States for not ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and refusing to join other industrialized countries that pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Meanwhile, Australian Premier John Howard said climate change and trade will top the agenda of this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, which unites leaders from 21 Pacific Rim countries.

Through his previous statements, Howard indicated that firm targets for combating global warming won’t be accepted and will probably be replaced with a “long-term aspirational goal.”

Those words sparked the anger of environmentalists, who said Australia is doing nothing to stop pollution and pushes forward with coal export. According to Greenpeace, the largest quantities of coal come from Australia where per-capita emissions are on the global podium.

Greenpeace urged APEC members “to strengthen and extend the Kyoto Protocol” during this week’s meetings and continue at the climate change summit held in Bali later this year.

Regardless of the massive protest actions looming and criticism, the Australian prime minister revealed the fundamental issues scheduled to be discussed at the Sidney forum.

“The key task in Sydney is to give political direction to the shape of a future framework for climate change that is truly global,” Howard said.

“At APEC we should strive to find agreement on principles for international action that genuinely address the problem, whilst allowing countries such as China and Indonesia to continue to grow and prosper.”

According to media reports, APEC leaders aren’t going to follow the path of cutting emissions. Instead, they will push forward for cleaner energy sources, like existing power plants fueled by coal or nuclear energy.

After the news broke out, environmentalists expressed their resent once more for the evasive measures taken by leading economies in slashing pollution.

“We need our leaders to be tackling this as a serious issue and that means committing to definitive targets as occurred in the Kyoto Protocol,” Kerry Nettle, the parliament representative of the Australian Greens said.

“We don't need George Bush and John Howard trying to take us backwards from what we achieved as an international community under the Kyoto Protocol.”

In total contrast with Howard’s policy, the Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd pledged to adhere to the Kyoto Protocol if he wins the November runoff and succeeds John Howard.

Rudd said APEC members should seriously consider sturdy measures and targets for reducing emission of gases harmful for the environment.

“APEC's membership includes five of the top 10 global emitters and many of the countries that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,” Rudd said.

“Put simply, if APEC can't get its act together on one of the biggest challenges that the world faces today, that of climate change, then APEC will have no effective future.”