Al Gore welcomes Turnbull's elevation

Former US vice president Al Gore says a new prime minister gives Australia the chance to take leadership on international climate change.

"New PM offers fresh opportunity for Australia to stand beside the US and China in a leadership position going into #COP21," Mr Gore tweeted, after the Liberal party room voted to replace Tony Abbott with Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Abbott had been criticised for a lack of action on climate change by world leaders in the lead up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, which kicks off on November 30.