With most world leaders on their way home and the theatrics out of the way, negotiators got down to business on day two of major climate talks in Paris.
Environment Minister Greg Hunt took centre stage early, making an opening statement on behalf of the "umbrella group" of nine countries including the United States.
"The world's eyes will be trained on us over the next two weeks," he said.
"We have a great responsibility to discharge in reaching an ambitious and lasting global agreement to tackle climate change."
Tuesday's opening meetings at the United Nations conference were marked by a deliberate sense of urgency.
Conference president and French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius directed countries to maximise time on substantive issues, urging compromise and determination.
Negotiations have been split into eight groups which will work on different sections of the agreement, with a handover deadline of this Friday looming.
Mr Fabius' message appeared lost on delegates negotiating the preamble of the text, who spent hours arguing about whether a deal should be a protocol or not.
Climate finance will be one of the main sticking points in Paris, with developing countries asking for more than richer ones are willing to give.
In his opening address, Mr Hunt reiterated the umbrella negotiating group's commitment to the previously agreed goal of mobilising $100 billion in private and public finance for climate by 2020.
Funding to help poorer countries cope with climate change mitigation beyond 2020, and who should be on the donor list, is still up in the air.
Pacific Island nations were out in force on Tuesday pushing for additional funding for what's known as "loss and damage" caused by climate change.
Kiribati President Anote Tong said Pacific Islands would "dig our feet" in on loss and damage, because its absence would render a deal it meaningless to the world's most vulnerable.
Loss and damage - which could also be seen as compensation - is expected to be a red line for developed nations like the United States.
But in a significant move, US President Barack Obama held talks with a Pacific delegation on Tuesday in an attempt to come to a compromise on the issue.
It's hoped the two-week talks in Paris will produce a legally binding agreement between 196 parties to curb emissions and limit global warming to below 2C.
The Pacific Islands fear the damage to their nations would be too great at that level and are pushing for a 1.5C target.
It's understood Australia is working behind the scenes in Paris for the 1.5C goal or at least the vulnerability of those nations to be referenced somewhere in the agreement.
Australian negotiators have been focused on outreach in the early stages of the talks, speaking with nations they believe could be allies on an agreement.
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