The Morrison government has been urged to up its climate goals to protect the country's international reputation and for global humanitarian reasons.

Kylie Porter, the executive director of United Nations affiliate Global Compact Network Australia, said the federal government must set "more aggressive and ambitious" climate targets before the 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November.

Save the Children chief executive Paul Ronalds, who returned from Bangladesh this week, said "thousands and thousands" of climate refugees were pouring into the capital, Dhaka. Credit:AP

"If we don't come up with some pretty strong policy before the next international climate change conference ... it's highly likely that Australia's reputation will get worse," Ms Porter said.

Australia drew international criticism at last year's UN climate talks when it avoided tougher emissions reduction targets by banding together with a small group of nations to oppose a measure that would have stopped it using controversial "carry-over credits" to meet its climate goals.