Tony Abbott arrives in US where climate stance will be under scrutiny

Updated

Tony Abbott has arrived in the United States for top-level meetings to push Australia's business potential, but his stance on climate change will also be closely watched.

The Prime Minister flew into New York today after completing talks with Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper in Ottawa, in which both men agreed they would put their economies ahead of action on climate change.

But Mr Abbott is likely to find his meeting later this week with US president Barack Obama more challenging on that issue.

Last week, the Obama administration unveiled a new regulation requiring the power sector to cut emissions by 30 per cent (on 2005 levels) by 2030 - one of the strongest actions ever taken by the US to combat global warming.

Mr Abbott has likened the measure to his own direct action policies and says he supports moves to tackle climate change that will not "clobber the economy".

In a press conference with Mr Harper, Mr Abbott acknowledged climate change is "a significant problem". But he added: "It's not the only or even the most important problem that the world faces".

The US president's plan to cut emissions from coal plants pushes the country closer to an emissions reduction target pledged at UN climate talks in 2010.

Canada will miss its target.

Both countries have committed to reducing emissions by 17 per cent below their 2005 levels by 2020. But Canada produces less than 2 per cent of global emissions, while the US produces nearly 20 per cent.

In Opposition, Mr Abbott once described climate change science as "absolute crap" but has since stated he does believe humans are contributing to climate change.

The ABC understands Mr Abbott will begin his first day in New York with a run around Central Park with the New York Fire Department before paying his respects at the site of the 2001 World Trade Centre terror attacks.

Back in Australia, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has criticised the Prime Minister's handling of the issue on his world trip.

"It must be embarrassing for the Prime Minister as he meets other world leaders," Mr Shorten said.

"[As] they rub shoulders together, the rest of them are talking about what they are doing about climate change, and in their midst [is] Tony Abbott – climate change sceptic - taking Australia backwards."

Unity ticket against carbon pricing

Under cloudless skies in the Canadian capital, Mr Abbott was given the warmest possible welcome as he arrived to meet Mr Harper at Parliament Hill in Ottawa for their talks.

A marching band played as a guard of honour assembled and fired a 19-gun salute.

Inside the pair sat down for what the bilingual Canadians call a tête-à-tête or head-to-head meeting.

Mr Abbott did not even try to hide his admiration for the more senior conservative statesman.

"I'm happy to call you an exemplar of centre-right leadership," Mr Abbott said.

It is well known the prime ministers sing from the same song-sheet, so many of Mr Harper's phrases had a familiar feel.

"Throughout your time as chair of the G20, you've used this international platform to encourage our counterparts in the major economies and beyond to boost economic growth, to lower taxes when possible and to eliminate harmful ones - most notably, the job-killing carbon tax," Mr Harper said.

"It's not that we don't seek to deal with climate change, but we seek to deal with it in a way that will protect and enhance our ability to create jobs and growth and not destroy jobs and growth in our country."

On the issue, Mr Abbott said: "We should do what we reasonably can to limit emissions and avoid climate change, man-made climate change, but we shouldn't clobber the economy."

Russia 'behaved very badly indeed', Abbott says

Mr Abbott and Mr Harper also denounced Russian president Vladimir Putin yesterday, though they are not ready to boot him out of the economic grouping just yet.

"Plainly Russia has behaved badly, very badly indeed, over Ukraine, but the G20 is still some five months away and let's hope Russia behaves better," Mr Abbott said.

The leaders also agreed on the importance of sharing spy material, pursuing global growth and smaller government.

"Prime Minister, you and I both know that budgets do not balance themselves," Mr Harper said.

ABC/AFP

Topics: abbott-tony, world-politics, government-and-politics, foreign-affairs, tax, climate-change, australia, canada

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