Arnold Schwarzenegger is apparently on a mission to terminate the myth that protecting the environment hurts the economy.

The actor and former politician is in Australia to promote his new film Terminator Genisys, the first a planned new trilogy for the popular movie franchise.

During his stint as governor of California between 2003 and 2011, Schwarzenegger passed the first emissions trading scheme in the United States.

He has said all countries, including Australia, need to lift their game when it comes to tackling climate change.

“In order for us to be successful the whole world has to work together ... Australia, Austria, the US – everybody has to work together,” Schwarzenegger told Channel Ten’s The Project on Friday night.

“So I am on a mission, I’m on an environmental crusade to go and motivate everyone to go in that direction.”

Schwarzenegger said after California introduced tough new environmental laws the state’s economic growth well outpaced the national rate.

“The thing that you always hear when you do that is ‘this will hurt the economy’,” he said.

“Going green and protecting the environment did not hurt the economy, it’s a bunch of nonsense.”

Australia’s prime minister, Tony Abbott, has consistently criticised the former Labor government’s carbon tax, which has been repealed.

He has called the tax destructive and said his government would “never do anything that damages the economy”.

Terminator Genisys opens in Australian cinemas on July 1



With Australian Associated Press