Pacific

Australia to stay in Paris climate agreement

08:21 am on 13 September 2018

Australia's prime minister says the country will stay in the Paris Agreement to avoid alienating Pacific countries.

Photo: AFP

Scott Morrison has faced growing pressure from Conservatives within his party to drop the emissions-reductions targets.

But Mr Morrison pushed back, telling a Sydney radio station that climate change dominates Pacific's thinking and priorities.

He said such a move could lessen Australia's influence in the region, which many analysts have said is already waning through a blundering reset.

Mr Morrison said technological changes meant Australia would likely meet its emissions targets without any wholesale changes to its energy and mining policies.

Australia recently abandoned a law the imposed emissions reductions targets.