Canavan condemns business emissions self-regulation to meet Paris target

Minister says plan to coordinate climate response in absence of government policy interferes with democracy

Big business has entered discussions about a self-regulated suite of measures to help Australia meet its Paris commitments, weeks after the Morrison government abandoned the national energy guarantee.

The resources minister, Matt Canavan, accused Australia's biggest energy companies of interfering in the democratic process, as climate experts and environmental groups lashed the government over the development on Thursday.