Australia left 'flat-footed' as climate accord takes shape By Peter Hannam Countries should agree to review their carbon-emission reduction policies every five years to ensure dangerous global warming can be avoided, according to a draft United Nations agreement being circulated before the upcoming Paris summit. 
The provision for regular revisions in the draft accord - slashed from 80 to 20 pages - is a sign UN organisers are increasingly resigned to the fact that any pledges in Paris will not be enough to keep temperature rises to less than 2degrees of pre-industrial levels.
Even so, the first "comprehensive draft" by the event's co-chairmen for some 200 nations demonstrates "the inevitable trend to stronger action" that will be strengthened over time, said Erwin Jackson, the deputy chief executive of the Climate Institute.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised to retain his predecessor Tony Abbot's Paris pledge to aim to cut Australia's emissions about 19 per cent on 2000 levels by 2030 - a reduction far short of the 40-60per cent recommended by the government's independent Climate Change Authority.
An agreement for deeper post- Paris cuts would only add to difficulties for Australia using the budget to pay polluters to cut emissions under the government's Direct Action policy, Mr Jackson said.
"This [draft] again just highlights that Australia's lack of stable, scalable and credible domestic policy to modernise our economy is leaving us flat-footed in a world turning to clean energy," Mr Jackson said.
A spokeswoman for Environment Minister Greg Hunt dismissed claims Australia would not be doing its fair share.
"Australia has a strong and credible emissions reduction target," she said.
"It represents a 50per cent reduction in per capita emissions [from 2005 levels] - the highest per capita reduction of any major developed nation."
Greens environment spokeswoman Larissa Waters said Australia should sign on for regular revisions to ensure climate ambitions "keep pace with the science".
"The Turnbull government's Paris targets are so bad that they not only isolate Australia from the trade and job opportunities of the clean energy future but they could have a wrecking effect on global ambition at these pivotal talks," Senator Waters said.
The climate summit is set to run from   November30 to   December11.