Greens leader Christine Milne says dire projections for Australia in the new CSIRO climate change report must be a wake-up call for the Abbott government and big business, which are harming people and missing huge economic opportunities by refusing to minimise global warming.

"If the natural world is in trouble, then so are we, and the Abbott government's climate denial and policy destruction has got us in serious trouble indeed," said Senator Milne.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says Tony Abbott has revealed himself as small-minded in both the climate debate and his view of women, after claiming his greatest achievement as the Minister for Women has been abolishing the carbon price, because "women are particularly focussed on the household budget."

"He might as well have said his greatest achievement was to help women buy a better iron so they can stay home and iron more often," said Senator Milne.

With news today that RET uncertainty has forced Meridian Energy Australia to abandon its Burdekin Hydro project in Northern Queensland, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne, who is in Lima, says the Abbott government's duplicity has been exposed.

"Julie Bishop is over here in Lima bragging about ARENA and the Renewable Energy Target, but even as she speaks her government's attack on the RET is damaging jobs, investment, and efforts to cut pollution," said Senator Milne.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Abbott government has cemented Australia's reputation as a climate free loader by attempting to rort emissions accounting rules.

"Before Foreign Minister Julie Bishop left Australia she said one of her reasons for coming to the climate talks in Lima was to change the accounting rules that relate to Australia achieving its pollution reduction target," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

Speaking from Lima, Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne says Australia is doing everything it can to obstruct progress at the UN climate talks.

"Australia continues to be the chief obstructer in these climate talks, making efforts to remove the most basic things from the draft text which have already been agreed to, like a commitment to global solidarity and long term temperature limits," Senator Milne said.

ABC NewsRadio's Steve Chase spoke to Greens leader Christine Milne about the Federal Government's decision to give $200 million to the UN-sponsored carbon reduction fund.

Australia's contribution was confirmed by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at the UN global warming talks in Lima. The money will come from the foreign aid budget despite Ms Bishop saying two years ago the Coalition would not spend its aid money on climate change programs.

http://www.abc.net.au/newsradio/content/s4146308.htm

Greens Leader Christine Milne, who is at the UN climate talks in Lima, says today's announcement by Julie Bishop is evidence of the intense international pressure Australia has been under to reverse the Abbott government's refusal to contribute to the Green Climate Fund.

"There is no way Australia could have continued with its stand against global finance and be viewed as negotiating in good faith here in Lima," said Senator Milne.

"$50 million a year is nowhere near enough, when the global target for finance is $100 billion a year by 2020.

Greens Leader Christine Milne says the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has sent a clear message to Australia that is time to deliver, in a speech at the global climate change talks in Lima today.

"Ban Ki-moon's calls for transition, instead of tinkering, were squarely aimed at recalcitrant governments like Australia," said Senator Milne.

"Australia has a lot of work to do, and Ban Ki-moon has clearly outlined the road ahead. The Greens will keep the pressure on at home to make sure we follow it.