Australians fear being climate change 'lifters' while others are 'leaners'

Yvo de Boer, who headed the UN framework convention on climate change, says 'we must respect that each shoulder is not able to shoulder the same amount'

Australians' biggest fear in tackling climate change is that they are doing the "lifting" while other countries do the "leaning", the former head of the United Nations agency tasked with leading the global response to climate change has said.

Yvo de Boer, who headed the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC), told Guardian Australia that the country's political leaders must help people understand that all countries are doing what they can to cut emissions.