Australia is the chief obstructer at global warming talks

Speaking from Lima, Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne says Australia is doing everything it can to obstruct progress at the UN climate talks.

"Australia continues to be the chief obstructer in these climate talks, making efforts to remove the most basic things from the draft text which have already been agreed to, like a commitment to global solidarity and long term temperature limits," Senator Milne said.

"Andrew Robb and Julie Bishop have exposed Australia's true colours to the delegates here in Lima. Their troubling statements are seen exactly for what they are - global warming denial.

"The Minister's question 'How could one possibly commit to having a fossil fuel free world by 2050?' certainly tells the story. The Abbott government does not accept the science, continues to support coal expansion and can't see that they will be left behind as plenty of countries commit to a fossil fuel free world.

"Threats and demands about walking away from a final agreement in Paris is a classic bullying tactic designed to obstruct progress and distract from the real work at hand.

"The sad reality is that Australia is embarrassing itself all over the place in order to soften the ground for Australia abandoning genuine action altogether.

"Everyone knows the whole point of a global climate agreement is to constrain global warming and to find the fairest and most effective way of doing it. But everything Australia has done flies in the face of good faith and ignores the science," said Senator Milne.

"I will continue to tell delegates in Lima that Tony Abbott's Coalition government does not represent Australia when it comes to global warming policy. Australians want action.

"If Australia exempts itself from global action it will be Australians who pay the price. Action later will cost much more than action now. "