Australian negotiators at United Nations climate talks in Poland are working in overdrive to agree on the rules that countries can use to implement the Paris Agreement.
The rule book covers how nations calculate emissions targets, as well as how to acknowledge the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's study, which pushes for a more ambitious emissions reduction target than the existing 26 to 28 per cent cut on 2005 levels.
Although the mood is positive, there is a clear divide between countries who benefit from fossil fuels and those who are on the frontline of climate change, the Australia Institute's climate and energy program director Richie Merzian told the ABC on Friday.
The former climate and trade negotiator with the foreign affairs department has been in Poland for the duration of the conference.
Pacific island nations banded together to release a joint statement at the conference, urging OECD countries to phase out coal from 2030.
Extreme weather, rising sea levels and dying marine ecosystems are threatening the survival of island communities, the statement said.
In her address, Environment Minister Melissa Price spoke about Australia's use of natural gas as a transition fuel to steer away from coal, noting its export potential.
Mr Merzian says Australia has been promoting alternative fossil fuels throughout the conference, as the nation's environment ambassador joined a US panel to spruik coal, gas, and carbon capture and storage.
"It's a bit odd that Australia is speaking up on issues like promoting fossil fuels," Mr Merzian said.
"But then on other issues where there is a sense of urgency, like in promoting the science, Australia remains silent."
The government could use carryover credits from beating its 2020 goal under the Kyoto Protocol to reach its 2030 Paris commitments, an accounting move which has not gone unnoticed in Poland.
It earnt Australia the "Fossil of the Day" award on Thursday.
"Australia has had rising emissions for the past four years, has scrapped its carbon tax and has the southern hemisphere's largest coal mine," the Climate Action Network said.
"Australia, you've got to get out of the way and start getting a bit more ambition if we're going to take climate seriously."
