Australia warns against stripping Paris climate agreement of ambition

After more than 20 years of negotiations, the next 48 hours are seen as crunch time in reaching a deal to avoid dangerous temperature rise

Australia has warned against stripping the Paris climate agreement of ambition in order to get some kind of deal as negotiators met to consider yet another draft agreement.

Speaking of behalf of the so-called umbrella group of developed countries - which includes the US, Canada, Japan and New Zealand - Australia's ambassador for the environment, Peter Woolcott, said the group had significant concerns the draft was "not balanced".