Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has made his debut as an international television host for CNN program Amanpour.

The segment delved into familiar topics for Mr Rudd, including China's economy and climate change.

“Volatility has rocked the global equities market this week,” Mr Rudd said, from London.

“Many reasons have been given, including the snail’s pace of the economic recovery we’ve seen in Europe, now seven years after the Global Financial Crisis began.

“Also uncertainty over a future rate rise in the United States, but now too uncertainties concerning the future of the Chinese economy.

“Remember it’s been China since the beginning of the crisis that has been the engine for global economic growth.”

Mr Rudd continued before speaking with a number of guests including Chinese Vice-Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao, UN executive director for climate change Christiana Figueres and climate change expert professor Lord Nicholas Stern.

After a serious start to the segment, Mr Rudd attempted to inject some humour as he changed the topic to sport.

Mr Rudd admitted it had been "a bit rough" travelling through London airport on his way to the show when a customs official reminded him of England's recent Ashes victory.

"He says to me, 'what do you call an Australian who's good with a bat'?" Mr Rudd told the program.

"Respectfully, I replied, 'I have no idea'.

"He then says to me, 'a vet, of course'."

"There's only so much a former Australian prime minister can take," Mr Rudd said, before predicting Australia would win this year's Rugby World Cup.

England will be annihilated, he added.

Mr Rudd is one of a number of stand-in hosts for the program while host Christiane Amanpour is on leave.