Paris summit shows 'we won't be deterred'

The UN climate change conference is expected to go ahead in Paris in two weeks, with Greg Hunt saying the summit will prove nations won't be deterred.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt believes the world is determined for the United Nations climate change summit to go ahead in Paris to signal "we will not be deterred".

The French capital is due to host the conference in two weeks despite last week's deadly attacks in the city, with 80 world leaders expected to attend.

Mr Hunt, who left pre-summit talks in Paris just days before the attacks, told ABC television the conference was a way of saying the world would not be deterred.

It's hoped 196 countries in Paris will sign an emissions agreement to keep global warming under two degrees. However, pledges made to date will allow temperatures to rise up to three degrees.

Mr Hunt is confident a possible five-year review process will mean countries will eventually pledge to slash emissions enough for the two degree goal.

Studies suggest around 90 per cent of coal reserves would need to remain in the ground to achieve the two degrees, but that hasn't convinced Mr Hunt to rule coal out from Australia's future.

He maintains there is a range of other available avenues to reduce carbon pollution.

"The planet doesn't know or care what the source of CO2 is, what matters is the total volume," he said.

Australia was "in line" to agree to an OECD call to phase out international coal export credits despite not actually providing any itself.

The country was progressively transitioning from coal to renewables, Mr Hunt said.


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Source: AAP



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