The Commonwealth expressed concerns about the threat of climate change to small island nations due to rising sea levels, but did not support enforceable goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The statement issued during a summit of the organization highlighted the urgent need to address global warming, emphasizing that the cost of inaction would be higher than implementing early measures. However, the declaration lacked specific targets for reducing emissions, leading Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauvan to criticize it as insufficient and lacking urgency, especially considering the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poorest Commonwealth countries. The agreement reached at the Commonwealth summit in Kampala was seen as a significant step forward by the secretary-general, Don McKinnon, although it did not meet the strong statement that many countries had hoped 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. The Kampala declaration fell short of these expectations, but did emphasize that developed countries should take the lead in reducing emissions without hindering the sustainable economic development of developing nations. The Bali summit will focus on establishing 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 reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Canada's conservative government refused to sign an agreement in Kampala unless all countries were required to reduce emissions. The Commonwealth reached a consensus on a vague declaration on Saturday, likely due to the need to compromise between Canada's stance and the demands of developing nations. The Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan called for a post-Kyoto agreement on emissions reduction, but only mentioned a long-term global goal for all countries to contribute to. Environmentalists criticized similar non-binding language used in recent summits by the G8 and APEC groups. A British official stated that the statement achieved their goal of building momentum before the Bali summit. However, he questioned whether CHOGM was the appropriate platform to commit to binding targets with Bali approaching. Some participants believed Bali was the right place for these discussions. Australia, previously hesitant to address climate change, announced its intention to sign the Kyoto Protocol after Kevin Rudd of the Labor Party won the general election. The previous government's decision not to ratify Kyoto had upset Pacific island nations, including Commonwealth members at risk of being submerged by rising sea levels.