The Commonwealth expressed concern on Saturday about the threat of climate change to small island nations facing rising sea levels, but did not support mandatory goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A statement released during a summit of the mostly former British colonies emphasized the seriousness of climate change as a direct threat to the survival of certain Commonwealth countries, particularly small island states. The statement stressed that the cost of inaction would be higher than taking proactive measures to combat global warming. However, the summit's declaration lacked specific targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, leading Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauvan to criticize it as insufficient. Sauvan pointed out the lack of urgency in addressing the need to control emissions and the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poorest Commonwealth members. The Commonwealth secretary-general, Don McKinnon, described the agreement as a significant step forward, but noted that it fell short of the strong statement many countries were hoping for. Prior to the summit, Britain had called for a clear message and urged developed nations to make binding commitments before the upcoming environment conference in Bali. While the Kampala declaration did not meet those expectations, it did emphasize that developed countries should lead in reducing emissions. It also stated that efforts to address climate change should not hinder the sustainable economic development of developing nations. The Bali summit will focus on a new agreement to replace the expiring Kyoto protocol, which aims to reduce emissions of gases that contribute to global warming. Kyoto does not require developing nations like India and China to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Canada's conservative government stated they would not sign the Kampala agreement unless all countries were required to decrease emissions. The Commonwealth typically reaches agreements by consensus, which may explain the vague wording in the recent declaration, as they had to compromise between Canada's stance and the demands of developing nations, particularly island states. The Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan called for a post-Kyoto agreement to reduce greenhouse gases, but only mentioned a "long term aspirational global goal for emissions reduction that all countries would contribute to." Environmentalists have criticized similar non-binding language used in recent summits by the G8 and APEC. A British official expressed satisfaction with the statement's ability to maintain momentum leading up to the Bali conference, but questioned whether the CHOGM was the appropriate venue to commit to binding targets. Some participants believed that Bali would be a more suitable place to discuss commitments. Australia, previously hesitant to address climate change, announced its intention to sign the Kyoto Protocol after the Labor Party won the general election. The previous government's refusal to ratify Kyoto had upset Pacific island nations, including Commonwealth members, who are at risk of being submerged by rising sea levels.