Emissions trading needed to meet targets

Talks with Mr Netanyahu focused on combating IS, the situation in Syria and the history of Islam and conflict with the West. Mr Turnbull used his national statement to the United Nations summit to confirm Australia would spend at least $1 billion on climate finance over the next five years.

However, like the $200 million reluctantly pledged for the Green Climate Fund in Peru previous year, the additional $800 million will be redirected from the foreign aid budget.

Chanting “We want climate justice and we want it now” and other slogans and holding placard such as “People before profit” and “100% Renewable Energy Now”, the marching crowd departed from the lawn in front of the Parliament House, down the Parliament Drive and round to the Reconciliation Point in front of the Old Parliament House.

The decision by Australia to ratify Kyoto again has two practical elements. Australia, too, was missing from a list of nations pledging $343 million for the most vulnerable countries – some of which are South Pacific neighbours.

Developing nations looking for encouraging signs from Australia wouldn’t have found any.

However, Mr Connor also said that while Mr Turnbull had taken steps towards zero emissions, “the Prime Minister should be taking strides”.

US President Barack Obama and Chinese Leader Xi Jinping will both attend.

Earlier, French President Francois Hollande told delegates the stakes of an global meeting had never been so high.

“It is therefore imperative that industry is comprehensively involved in the development of any future policy and government efforts, to help encourage increased farmer participation in emissions reduction programs”, he said.

At the same time, the Prime Minister has baulked at joining a Paris push to scale back government subsidies of fossil fuels.

“Ratifying Kyoto 2 is fine as far as it goes.but it’s not exactly setting the world on fire”, he said.

“In contrast, our government is the only government internationally that’s actually doing less when it comes to fighting climate change in recent years”.

Australia has also pledged to cut emissions by 26 to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

Australia will struggle to meet its post-2020 carbon reduction targets without a completely fresh look at carbon emissions trading or other market mechanisms, the Climate Change Authority said in a new report as negotiations kick off in Paris.

It also said the five-year reviews that Australia is pushing for in Paris will also put pressure on the government to have more effective policies.

But he continues to be restricted by the constant attention of his Liberal right wing – and right wing commentators – who are alert to, and highly critical of, any deviation from the Abbott line.

But Ms Plibersek said people might be relieved Mr Turnbull is attending the forum of global leaders instead of former Coalition leader Tony Abbott.

He accused the government of “playing accounting games” by using existing aid funding for its $1bn climate financing promise.

However, Shorten argued yesterday that despite this change in leadership, the country’s policies have remained the same.

Canberra was one of more than 600 cities around the world to take part the largest worldwide weekend of climate action ahead of the Paris talks.