The French Government urges Australia to deliver a leading climate commitment to cut CO2!

A week before Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott sits down to talk with the French President Francois Hollande in Paris, France urges Australia to stick to an international commitment that will contribute to limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.

France is hosting the crucial United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) later this year, and wants Australia to put an "ambitious" commitment on the table sooner rather than later.

In the discussion next week between the Tony Abbott and French President we are assured that Climate Change, and Australia's post-2020 emissions reduction target will be extremely prominent.

The ABC spoke to the French Ambassador to Australia, Christophe Lecourtier about the issue. Lecourtier states,

"Your country is a very influential country in the Asia-Pacific region and you know that climate change is having tremendous consequences in the region."

"We do believe that it's the ultimate ambition for the world community if we want to leave a liveable planet for the next generation. And I do expect your country, as my government expects your country, to be one of the key countries, one of the leaders in that very important moment at the end of this year."

Australia's position on the post-2020 emissions reduction target is that it will not involve a carbon tax and it will be released mid this year. However, the Federal Government's issues paper for the post 2020 targets released two weeks ago made no mention of the two degree goal, as agreed in Cancun in 2010.

Thus, the question is, will Australia still contribute to the global goal of keeping warming below two degrees?

Australia has all the power in the world to create change and to help take action on climate change. From all corners of the world people are starting to act, governments are starting to spark change and individuals are speaking up, but the Australian government is lagging behind.

Follow 1 Million Women in the lead up to the COP21 for more stories and insights into the negotiations.