[Source: AP Photo]

Ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions can’t be ignored, Australia’s climate change minister says, ahead of the UN’s climate summit.

World leaders and experts are coming together for the COP29 summit in Azerbaijan, which gets underway on Monday.

The timing of the summit comes just days after incoming US President Donald Trump signalled he would pull America out of the Paris Agreement climate targets.

Climate Minister Chris Bowen, who will be representing Australia at the two-week summit, said the country was punching above its weight on the world stage in reducing emissions.]

But he said countries around the world needed to aspire to higher targets.

“Maintaining momentum and maintaining high ambition at COP cannot be taken for granted. A COP with a less than ideal outcome is not a good thing,” he said.

“We will be arguing for strong language on ambition, with the Duabi consensus as the absolute baseline. The signals we send are important, as a government and as an industry.”

The Dubai consensus was the agreement signed on to by leaders at the previous COP summit in the United Arab Emirates, which called for a transition away from fossil fuels to allow for net-zero emissions by 2050 to be reached.

Mr Bowen said while the annual climate summits had done large amounts of work in reducing emissions, more needed to be done.

“For the third year in a row, we’ve been asked to take a significant role in the COP proceedings. For ten years Australia had no role and no reputation in the international arena,” Mr Bowen said.

“Our role at COP now is a signal that the international community has acknowledged the massive shift in approach between those who came before us, and our government.”

Australia has also signalled it would look to host the COP31 summit in 2026, with a decision expected to be made at this year’s event.

South Australia’s government has launched its intention to host the summit.