Australia heads to the United Nations climate conference with its policy to cut emissions effectively in stasis and facing international pressure to do more.
Perhaps fortunately for the Turnbull government, all eyes in German city Bonn over the next fortnight will be on the United States.
Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg and Ambassador for the Environment Patrick Suckling will lead Australia's delegation to the gathering, known as COP23.
The meeting is the first of the global community since President Donald Trump announced he wanted to pull the US out of the landmark Paris agreement on climate change reached in 2015.
It is being presided over by Fiji, which hopes to use the platform to focus attention on Pacific nations.
Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has noted his region is already bearing the brunt of climate change.
"We who are most vulnerable must be heard," he told a pre-conference session in May.
Other Pacific nations, including Kiribati and Tuvalu, have been vocal about what they see as Australia's inaction.
The Australia Institute's research director Rod Campbell says Fiji could find itself in an awkward situation because Australia is a big aid donor to the Pacific - and there are cultural issues that may shape their diplomacy.
"They don't like being confrontational," he told AAP ahead of COP23.
"But Australia's emissions policies combined with the federal government subsidising Adani, big public debates saying we need more coal-fired power for longer - it's really just rubbing the Pacific's nose in it that Australia's in no way even participating in climate action."
The federal government launched a year-long review of its climate policies last December.
Those recommendations will shape how Australia will achieve its Paris commitment of cutting emissions by 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030, a target Mr Frydenberg describes as "ambitious but responsible".
The annual UN emissions gap report released in October said existing policy - centred on the nearly-exhausted Emissions Reduction Fund - "does not set Australia on a path to meeting its targets".
"Australia is looking at going to these talks looking abysmal," Mr Campbell said.
"Australia is going to these talks with our emissions increasing not decreasing. We are currently in no way on track to meet our commitments."
The same UN report did note Australia would meet its 2020 target from the Kyoto protocol - something Mr Frydenberg likes to highlight when asked how the country's emissions are looking.
The Australian delegation has worked closely with the European Union - and the US - during past negotiations and is expected to do so again.
However, there is some unease at the way Australia's climate policy has flip-flopped over the past decade depending on who holds power.
The official negotiations for COP23 will largely continue work on rules for implementing the Paris agreement, with the final rule book expected to be agreed in 2018.
After Mr Trump's announcement of the US withdrawal there will also be a strong focus on climate finance contributions.
The schemes set up to help poorer countries switch to low-emissions economies were important in convincing many of them to sign up.
Greens member of the European Parliament Claude Turmes says it's vital to keep the conference on track to reassure developing countries.
"The biggest importance for Bonn, it's more I would say the psychology - especially, the financial hole which Trump is creating by withdrawing the US has to be filled," he told AAP.
"EU is working with Canada and China to make it so Trump's strategy to derail the Paris convention is not successful."
European officials acknowledge filling the financial gap can't be a matter of saying the club of rich countries has grown smaller so everyone else has to stump up more cash.
Nevertheless, they still see the Paris agreement as the cornerstone of climate action and - with no other country following the US out and Nicaragua's recent decision to join - believe it will hold.
