Australian newspapers have boycotted a climate change editorial

Sydney (dpa) – Australia’s major newspapers have boycotted a common editorial published in 45 countries and in 20 languages calling on delegates to the Copenhagen conference to agree global action on climate change.

“We applaud The Guardian’s global initiative,” Melbourne’s The Age newspaper said in a statement Monday. “At The Age we decided it was important to put our own views – to be consistent and partly because of the nuances of the debate in Australia.”

Britain’s Guardian newspaper claimed Australian dailies had reneged on a pledge to carry the common editorial after the opposition Liberal Party elected climate change sceptic Tony Abbott as its leader.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has offered to cut Australia’s emissions by 5 to 25 per cent, depending on similar commitments from others at the United Nations-sponsored Copenhagen meeting that is due to run until December 18.