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.