President-elect Joe Biden has vowed to step up America's action on climate change.Credit:AP
He will also recommit the US to the Paris Agreement on climate change when he officially takes office on January 20,after President Donald Trump withdrew from the international treaty.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday that Australia looked forward to collaborating with the US on technology to"practically confront the challenge of climate change",and said targets alone were not the answer.
"We want to see global emissions fall and it's not enough for us to make commitments. We need transformational technologies that are scalable and affordable for the developing world,"Mr Morrison said.
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Former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull said Mr Biden’s election could provide a catalyst for the Morrison government to set long-term climate change goals – an issue that contributed to both leaders'demise.
"Use this change in Washington to swallow your political pride and get real on the mid-century target of carbon neutrality and a new trajectory to 2030,"Mr Rudd said on ABC television.
Mr Turnbull described the government’s plans for a gas-led recovery from the recession as"political piffle"and said Mr Biden’s victory created an opportunity for"Morrison to pivot".