Warwick McKibbin, a long-time adviser to conservative Australian governments on climate change policy, warns Australia is at risk of being bowled over as Beijing and Washington ramp up pressure on laggards to curb emissions.

Describing China’s ambition to restructure the world’s second-biggest economy away from a reliance on fossil fuels as “serious”, Professor McKibbin called on Canberra to lift its game or be left behind.

Read the Australian Financial Review interview here.