Australia will ratify second stage of Kyoto Protocol, Malcolm Turnbull pledges

Observers say the formal ratification sends a positive signal at the start of the two week climate talks in Paris, but will make little practical difference

Malcolm Turnbull has pledged Australia will ratify the second stage of the Kyoto Protocol - a move that underlines Australia's change in attitude towards international climate talks but is unlikely to make any practical difference to reductions in emissions.

Experts said formal ratification of Kyoto 2 - which includes Australia's minimum target to reduce emissions by 5% by 2020 that the government says it is already on track to meet - would have a limited real world impact.