Take reins on climate at G20: Labor

The Abbott government is being urged not to squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take the lead on climate change at the G20 leaders summit.

Federal Labor is pressuring the government to put global warming on the agenda for the weekend gathering in Brisbane, claiming it could be the turning point on climate change action.

"The Brisbane G20 could become famous for the fusing of the economic, environmental and security imperatives for climate action," Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told the Sydney Institute on Thursday.

So far, the Australian G20 presidency has resisted making climate change a top agenda item, but concedes it will likely be discussed after this week's historic carbon emissions reduction deal between the US and China.

Just days before world leaders congregate in Brisbane the two major polluters announced an ambitious agreement to slash their greenhouse gas output by 2030.

Mr Shorten said the tide was turning and the world would not wait for Australia to play catch-up.

While Australia maintains a commitment to reducing its overall emissions by five per cent on 2000 levels by 2020, it's yet to determine further measures beyond this deadline.

The coalition government has scrapped the previous Labor government's carbon tax and its negotiating - so far unsuccessfully - with the opposition on its renewable energy target.

Mr Shorten warned Prime Minister Tony Abbott's "doubling down on denial" on real action on climate change would affect Australia's competitiveness.

"Sooner rather than later, Australia's refusal to act on climate change will affect our trade negotiations," he said.

Future trade deals - and possibly the long-awaited China-Australia free trade agreement - could involve a built-in carbon price of sorts, he warned.

Mr Shorten is expected to meet Chinese president Xi Jinping on Monday in Canberra.

The Chinese leader will address federal parliament and is expected to announce the long-awaited trade deal with Mr Abbott.