The Baird government has moved to burnish its climate change credentials, becoming Australia's first conservative government to sign up to The Climate Group.

NSW will join South Australia and Tasmania as the only Australian states to be members of the international non-profit organisation, which brings business, governments and communities together to promote renewable energy and cut carbon emissions blamed for global warming. Both SA and Tasmania signed up under Labor-led governments.

The Climate Group welcomes a conservative state government in Australia as its newest member. Credit:Leigh Henningham

"We believe that sustainable economic growth and environmental conservation are intrinsically linked aspirations," Rob Stokes, Environment Minister, said. "We are already working hard to make sure that there are no barriers to businesses making decisions that environmentally, and economically, make sense."

NSW has distanced itself over the past year from conservative counterparts, including the Abbott government, on climate and other issues. It backed leaving the Renewable Energy Target as it is, in contrast to the Abbott government's efforts to cut the 2020 goal by as much as 40 per cent, and has spent $3 million preparing climate change studies for expected impacts to 2030 and 2070.