The City Council of Newcastle in Australia, home to the biggest coal exporting port in the world, has called for a cap on coal exports through the city’s port at present levels to fight climate change.

The Council has also called for an inquiry into coal mining, a coal export levy, mandatory renewable energy targets and improved public transport and cycling infrastructure.

These actions match similar trends in the US and elsewhere where frustration with their government’s lack of action on climate change at national level has led local governments taking a strong and independent stand on the issue. Both Australia and the US have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol, are part of Annex I and have massive greenhouse gas emissions.

Newcastle Greens councillor Michael Osborne, who moved the proposal, said the recent Stern Report showed environmental and social costs of each tonne of coal were far higher than its market price.

This progressive action by Newcastle’s city councillors contrasts sharply with the performance of Australia’s delegation at these negotiations in Nairobi. Their approach appears to be a desire to match their global position as a leading exporter of fossils by accumulating the most number of fossils awarded daily by the Climate Action Network. At the current pace – four awards in the first four days of negotiations – Australia will soon be giving world-class fossil earners the US and Saudi Arabia a run for their money.

Australia’s negotiators are choking on fossils while Newcastle is choking off coal.