US and China need ‘climate armistice’ to meet net zero, says former head of CSIRO

Climate change is a global problem. It needs that global level of collaboration,' says Larry Marshall

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The world needs a climate armistice" between the US and China if net zero emissions are to be reached while Australia should hone its efforts on a few key areas where it has an unusual competitive edge, Larry Marshall, the former CSIRO chief executive, said.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's budget in which the Albanese government's Future Made In Australia (FMIA) plans will probably be prominent, Marshall said the nation ought to focus any industrial support on sectors such as processing of lithium or vanadium or products that realistically scale up.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup