Julie Bishop to Attend UN Climate Summit; Australia Pressured to Announce 'Bolder' Target

The United Nations' call for countries to commit to a "bold" emissions reduction target in time for the special UN summit has put Australia under pressure to respond. Although the country has yet to develop a policy to meet its emissions target before 2020, Australia's current target is deemed "inadequate" by its own independent consultant.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is expected to represent Australia in the upcoming UN summit in New York. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has appealed for bolder commitments in building momentum towards a successful international climate agreement in 2015.

Climate Institute Deputy Director Erwin Jackson said Australia needs to use the UN summit to announce its commitment to a post- 2020 emissions target. The Abbott government has promised to review its renewable energy targets to reduce emissions by 5 percent by 2020 at 2000 levels.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been successful in repealing Labour's emissions trading scheme. However, the Abbott government has yet to pass into law its own emission reduction fund to meet the emissions target by 2020. If there is no substantial amendment, reports said the scheme may not pass the Senate.

Australia's Climate Change Authority has previously recommended that the government should raise its emissions target to at least 15 percent before 2020. However, Mr Abbott remained firm on his decision not to make further commitments to targets beyond the 5 percent.

Reports said more than 120 world leaders will be attending the summit. Mr Abbott has expressed earlier that he will not be in the summit despite his attendance of the special UN security council meeting the next day. U.S. President Barack Obama has convened the security council meeting in New York.

When asked why he will not attend the UN summit, Mr Abbott said he could not come to New York one day before the security council meeting because will be at the Australian parliament.

Some countries are expected to announce their commitment to the global climate fund to aid other smaller nations deal with climate change. Mr Abbott has firmly said he will not be committing anything to the fund.

Meanwhile, a new report said dealing with climate change will not be costly as previously thought. The Global Commission on the Economy and Climate has warned the world's economy will be at risk if leaders fail to address climate change. The commission was established by seven governments and gathered data from research organisations. It found adding $6 trillion a year for transport and power projects can generate clean technology.