Nobody likes left being out of the cool gang – especially one they have asked to join.

But that was Australia's fate overnight when it was excluded by a group of countries describing itself as the "high ambition coalition" on climate change, reflecting ongoing wariness about our commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The apparent snub came as up to 170 countries gathered at the United Nations in New York to formally sign the Paris climate deal reached last December.

The high ambition coalition – including heavy-hitters such as the US, Canada, Germany and Brazil – came together in Paris in a bid to bolster the strength of a global climate agreement and head-off moves by countries such as India and Saudi Arabia to water down parts of the deal.