The Commonwealth expressed concern about the threat of climate change to small island nations due to rising sea levels but did not endorse mandatory goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The statement, issued during the summit of former British colonies, warned of the dire consequences of inaction in combating global warming. However, critics like Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauvan criticized the lack of urgency and specific targets in the Commonwealth's declaration. The Commonwealth secretary-general, Don McKinnon, referred to the agreement as a significant step forward, even though it did not meet the expectations of many countries. Britain had called for a strong message and binding commitments from developed nations before the upcoming environment conference in Bali. The Kampala declaration fell short of these demands, but did emphasize that developed countries should lead in reducing emissions while ensuring that developing nations can continue sustainable economic development. The Bali Summit will focus on a new agreement to replace the expiring Kyoto protocol, which aims to reduce emissions 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 that they would not agree to a deal in Kampala unless all countries were asked to reduce emissions. The Commonwealth typically makes decisions based on consensus, which may explain the vague language in Saturday's declaration due to the need to compromise between Canada's stance and the requests of developing nations. The Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan called for a post-Kyoto agreement to reduce greenhouse gases, but only mentioned a 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 as it aligns with their goal of building momentum before the Bali conference. However, there is a debate over whether CHOGM is the appropriate venue to commit to binding targets, with some feeling that Bali would be more suitable. Australia, previously hesitant to address climate change, announced their intention to sign the Kyoto Protocol after Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd's election victory. The previous government's refusal to ratify Kyoto upset Pacific island nations, including Commonwealth members, at risk of being impacted by rising sea levels.