President Barack Obama’s tougher climate change policy is likely to add pressure on other countries, including Australia, to increase their own efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, a US-based analyst said.

The US President is expected to reveal plans later on Monday to cut carbon emissions at existing power plants by 30 per cent of 2005 levels by 2030, his biggest move aimed at halting global warming.

Will they mention climate? Credit:Getty

“A lot of countries have used US inaction on this issue as an excuse either to not act, or to not act with significant ambition,” said Michael Obeiter, a senior associate at the World Resources Institute in Washington D.C. “We know other countries - Australia included, but China in particular - are looking at what the US is doing on climate.”

President Obama has signalled he intends to make action on climate change a signature domestic policy in his second term. The US has reportedly asked Australia to include the issue at the G-20 leaders’ summit planned for November in Brisbane.