Address to Ministerial Dialogue on The Durban Platform for Enhanced Action

Thank you Mr President, Co-Chairs and colleagues.

Lima marks a critical milestone in the work of the ADP.

Australia wants the ADP to deliver a strong, effective and legally binding agreement in Paris.

We will work tirelessly with other Parties to secure this.

The 2015 agreement must be an agreement that countries will sign up to in Paris, and implement back home.

Australia takes on international commitments that we know we can deliver. We do what we say. That is our track record. We expect the same of others.

We are clear about the conditions that will deliver the kind of agreement we need in Paris.

All countries, in particular major economies, will need to make credible emission reduction commitments.

We welcome the announcements by the world's largest economies on their post-2020 emission reduction plans. We look forward to further information on these plans when contributions are formally communicated next year.

For our part, a taskforce has been established in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to consider a post-2020 target for Australia to bring to Paris.

The taskforce will consider Australia's international emissions reduction targets and settings, taking into consideration action by the major economies and our key trading partners.

We will announce our intended nationally determined contribution by mid-2015.

The Paris agreement also needs to establish a common playing field for action by all.

The binary divide between developed and developing countries, as reflected in the Convention Annexes, does not reflect current economic realities.

We must move past an approach that puts a brake on meaningful action, to one based on global cooperation, in line with countries evolving national circumstances and capacities.

We believe that the Paris agreement must take differing national policy approaches into account.

We believe that it should advance global cooperation on adaptation, through approaches that are fit for purpose and keep the focus on improving national and local level outcomes.

It should advance support for international climate action, by being alive to an investment landscape where the great majority of financial flows will come from private sources, and where co-operation among developing economies can be as relevant and beneficial as traditional donor relationships

We need an agreement that sets basic multilateral rules to underpin transparent action and ensure countries are living up to their commitments.

All of these are critical features for Australia, but they will also be the hallmarks of a deal that will bring the world to the signing table in Paris.

Australians are practical people. We are committed to delivering our targets through practical, direct actions that reduce emissions while delivering sustained economic and jobs growth.

I believe that these ideas resonate with discussions I joined at the United Nations Secretary General's climate summit earlier this year.

And they are present in the work the ADP has done on options to enhance pre-2020 climate action.

Australia fully supports the work the ADP is doing to build the body of expertise that will allow countries take further practical steps to reduce emissions and combat global climate change.

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