United States President Joe Biden will speak with Prime Minister Scott Morrison about climate change later this month when they meet in person for the first time in their roles.
It's been confirmed the Quad summit - which brings together the leaders of Australia, the US, India, and Japan - will be being held in Washington on 24 September.
“The Quad leaders will be focused on deepening our ties and advancing practical cooperation on areas such as combatting COVID-19, addressing the climate crisis, partnering on emerging technologies and cyberspace, and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Tuesday.
Action on climate change could present as a potential point of friction during the meeting.
Mr Biden has pledged to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2030. In comparison, Australia has pledged to reach a 26 to 28 per cent reduction by 2030.
“[The] statement about the upcoming Quad meeting says they are going to focus on the climate crisis. How that is going to play for Australia is a really open question and is going to be a challenge to overcome,” said Natasha Kasam, director of public opinion and foreign policy at the Lowy Institute.
Jonathan Pershing, deputy to Mr Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry, last month said the Australian government should “step forward with a more ambitious effort”.
Mr Morrison will also attend the United National General Assembly in New York while he is in the US.
Biden tours fire-ravaged areas
Mr Biden on Monday visited California during a three-state tour surveying areas hit by one of the country's worst fire seasons.
The trip is aimed at highlighting the devastation caused by a warming planet and pushing for more resources to tackle the issue.
"Scientists have been warning us for years that extreme weather is going to get more extreme. We're living it in real-time now," Mr Biden said.
Extreme weather events cost the United States $99 billion USD last year, and that record would be broken again this year, the president said, underscoring the need for urgent, decisive action to combat global warming.
US President Joe Biden speaks during a briefing on wildfires. Source: AP
"We have to think big. Thinking small is a prescription for disaster," Mr Biden said.
Mr Biden got a firsthand look at the damage in California as his Marine One helicopter flew over a parched landscape hazy with smoke from the relentless wildfires.
Patches of black in the landscape showed areas where the fires had been put out.
The Caldor Fire in California has charred more than 219,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 homes and other structures since it erupted.
Additional reporting by Pablo Viñales and Reuters.
