Australia will halve its emissions per person over the next 15 years, the Abbott government says, under a long-awaited climate pledge it predicts will cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing the economy.
Critics say the promise to reduce emissions by 26 per cent to 28 per cent by 2030, based on 2005 levels, would leave Australia trailing the international pack, despite the country being among the worst greenhouse gas polluters per capita in the Western world.
The target has been interpreted as a calculated political move that would avoid inflaming climate change deniers in the government and the community, while going some way to meeting Australia's international commitments. 
Companies, investors and climate experts have questioned whether the target is strong enough to meet a global agreement to help limit warming to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels to avert the worst climate changes.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday said the government was focused on growth and jobs, and the pledge was a "good, solid economically responsible, environmentally responsible target".
Coalition MPs approved the measure after a long party room debate. It is understood the government's climate change sceptics were assuaged by Environment Minister Greg Hunt's argument that the target would make the energy market more efficient.
Mr Hunt later said publicly the target showed "we do the right thing by the planet [and] we also do the right thing by families" who were concerned by cost-of-living pressures and power prices.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia would halve emissions per person over the next 15 years, which was "more than any other major economy".
The target is far below that called for by experts including the government's own Climate Change Authority, which advocated a 40 per cent to 60 per cent cut on 2000 levels by 2030.
Mr Abbott repeatedly compared Australia's pledge to that of the United States, despite that nation committing to reach its target five years earlier. He said the target was bolder than that of Japan, South Korea and China.
The announcement has fuelled the fierce domestic political debate on whether Australia is doing enough to limit carbon pollution.
On Tuesday Labor leader Bill Shorten said the government was trying to "drag Australia backwards on climate change" and it must demonstrate how the target was consistent with the 2-degree warming scenario.
AGL Energy, committed to exiting coal-fired power by 2050, called for bipartisan support for a national carbon budget that helps limit global warming to 2 degrees.
Largest carbon dioxide emitters
By country
Billion tonnes
1 China
10.98
2 USA
6.24
3 India
3.01
4 Russia
2.32
5 Japan
1.34
6 Brazil
1.01
7 Germany
0.88
13 Australia
0.65
Per capita
Tonnes
1 Australia
28.5
2 Canada
20.6
3 USA
19.9
4 Saudi Arabia
18.6
5 Russia
16.2
6 South Korea
13.9
7 Germany
11
8 Japan
10.5
2012 FIGURES. SOURCE: WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE


Emission targets 
Announced post-2020 reduction goals

Reductions Australia  United States European Union Britain Japan  New Zealand
from year

2005  26/28%  41%   34%             48%  25%  30%
2000  19%   43%   33%             50%  25%  23%

Reductions Canada  Germany  Norway  Switzerland Average
from year

2005  30%   46%   22%   50%   36%
2000  16%   46%   46%   51%   37%

Largest carbon dioxide emitters
By country 1 China 2 USA 3 India 4 Russia 5 Japan 6 Brazil 7 Germany 13 Australia
Billion tonnes 10.98 6.24  3.01  2.32  1.34  1.01  0.88          0.65
        
        
Per capita 1 Australia 2 Canada 3 US  4 Saudi Arabia 5 Russia 6 South Korea 7 Germany 8 Japan
Tonnes 28.5           20.6  19.9  18.6           16.2  13.9              11               10.5
        
2012 FIGURES. SOURCE: WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE