Gillard 'committed to pricing carbon'

Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard is strongly committed to putting a price on carbon, her climate change minister has said at a major climate summit.

Some of the world's leading climate change scientists have gathered on the Gold Coast to discuss how the world can best adapt to a warming world.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong told the 1000 delegates the Government would listen carefully to what the conference had to say.

"Julia Gillard has made clear her commitment to this issue, and her views about the need for a price on carbon," she said.

"The reason we don't have a price on carbon is [Liberal opposition leader] Tony Abbott tore down a leader [Malcolm Turnbull] and installed himself on the basis that he doesn't believe climate change is real, and the Australian Greens voted with Abbott.

"All of us who understand the risks climate change poses to Australia and its future have a responsibility to work and build a consensus, which Tony Abbott torpedoed," she said.

Wong told the conference it was important to remember that science was at the heart of understanding climate change.

"Remember why this debate started, why we all started talking about climate change and why people called for action?

"It was because the scientists told us how important it was. For too long, those who deny climate change is real have muddied the debate; for too long they have hijacked this issue to pursue their own agenda."

- AAP