Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dispelled as a "complete furphy" any idea that trade with Europe is at risk over Australian action on climate change.
Speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Saturday, Mr Morrison responded to reports Europe was considering rejecting a $15 billion free trade deal with Australia unless the coalition committed to cutting emissions as part of its Paris pledge.
"Let me be clear about this. Australians' commitments to the Paris targets haven't changed," Mr Morrison said.
"We're not in some sort of unders-and-overs game with a whole range of other nations where some are higher and some are lower."
A former climate and trade negotiator with the department of foreign affairs and trade, Richie Merzian, is now a director at The Australia Institute.
He told AAP that vocal calls for Australia to exit from the Paris Agreement threaten more than its international reputation.
"France is one of the strongest proponents for the Paris Agreement and it is a key part of their global diplomacy," he said.
Australia had done a great deal of lobbying to convince France to open up to Australian agricultural products.
"Now some Australian MPs, including many Nationals, are threatening the whole deal with their calls to pull out of the Paris' treaty," Mr Merzian said.
Share
