The 27-member European Union, Switzerland and eight other industrialised countries joined Australia in signing the extension to Kyoto, the first leg of which expires on December 31.
They represent about 15 per cent of global emissions.
However, the protocol excludes major developing polluters such as China and India, as well as the United States which refuses to ratify it.
Negotiations have begun for a binding global agreement in 2015 that would bring in those big nations.
Australian Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said progress was encouraging.
The Australian Conservation Foundation said Australia's recommitment to the Kyoto Protocol, along with carbon pricing, put the country in a position to be influential in developing the 2015 agreement.
"Australia can play a key role by urging the USA and China to work for an ambitious agreement," chief executive Don Henry said in a statement.
"If we want a healthy Great Barrier Reef, a prosperous agricultural sector, safety from bushfires and a limit to sea level rise and extreme weather, Australia needs to be bold and active in helping achieve a strong global agreement in 2015."
Dr Emerson said it wasn't as if the major countries were doing nothing on climate change at the moment.
He noted there were at least 10 states within the US which had set up emissions trading schemes.
"Within a year we'll have either a carbon price or an emissions trading scheme in 50 or more national and sub-national jurisdictions covering well over a billion people," he said.
"That's a pretty good start."
Environmental lobby group WWF called on the Australian government to commit more financial assistance for developing countries to reduce emissions.
-AAP
