The Abbott government appears to be reconsidering its longstanding policy to reduce Australia's emissions by between 5% and 25% of 2000 levels by 2020 – a crucial and internationally-scrutinised goal which had retained bipartisan support since 2009, throughout Australia's tumultuous political debate over climate policy.

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, and the environment minister, Greg Hunt, have regularly repeated the Coalition's commitment to increasing Australia's emissions reduction target under a specific set of conditions for global action set down in 2009 and accepted by both major parties.

But Guardian Australia understands the inclusion of this "target range" in a negotiating brief for the Australian delegation to the UN climate conference in Warsaw prompted a lengthy and unresolved discussion in federal Cabinet last Monday and that the matter is due to be discussed again this Monday.

Asked specifically whether the government remained committed to the "target range" of 5% to 25%, a spokeswoman for foreign minister Julie Bishop did not mention the range or the conditions, saying only, "Australia is committed to a 5% reduction in emissions and would like to reduce emissions further but will pursue direct action consistent with prudent fiscal policy to bring this about."

She said the government would "review our climate change policy in 2015 in light of any developments in climate change science and forecasts and policies in other relevant countries".

A spokesman for Greg Hunt insisted Australia's policy had not changed.



The Australian reported on Monday morning that Cabinet had resolved that Australia would not sign up to any new agreement that involves spending money or levying taxes.

A recent report by the Climate Change Authority – the independent advisory body set up by the former Labor government – found that the 5% target, under the conditions previously agreed by both major parties, was no longer a "credible option" and that a tougher target would be required. It found the agreed conditions for a higher target had already been met, but did not nominate the target Australia should now adopt in its draft report.

But the Abbott government has said it will provide only $3.2bn for Direct Action – an amount independent modelling has found will be insufficient to meet even a 5% target – and no more money will be forthcoming. And independent modelling has found meeting a higher target using Direct Action would be hugely expensive.

The range of targets and conditions under which Australia's target would be raised above 5% have been formally submitted as a national commitment in the United Nations climate negotiations.

It was repeated by Hunt in an article for the Australian Financial Review as recently as 30 September, in which he said "the Coalition is committed to a target of a 5% reduction in emissions and the conditions for extending that target further, based on international action."



In a speech to the Grattan Institute think tank in July, Hunt said "we also accept, and we gave support to the government for the targets, not just the 5% but also the conditions for change ... we accept the targets, clearly, categorically, absolutely."

Abbott stated the Coalition's commitment in a letter to former prime minister Kevin Rudd in December 2009, subsequently released under freedom of information laws, in which he requested information on the costs of the proposed emissions trading scheme, but also wrote "the Coalition's position of bipartisan support for emissions reduction targets – subject to the conditions that were earlier outlined – remains unchanged."

Guardian Australia reported last week that Cabinet was also rethinking Australia's involvement in the Green Climate Fund, an international fund to help developing countries cope with the impact of climate change. According to The Australian, Cabinet has ruled out any payments that amount to "socialism masquerading as environmentalism".

Developed nations are being asked to consider higher 2020 emissions targets as well as the commitment they would be prepared to make in a new international agreement for the period after 2020.