The fate of Labor's plan to legislate a 43 per cent 2030 emissions reduction target rests with the Greens after Peter Dutton's Coalition confirmed it would oppose the bill.
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Greens leader Adam Bandt is poised to reveal his position at the National Press Club this afternoon after a meeting late on Tuesday attempted to resolve internal divisions over the Albanese government's signature climate change legislation.
Debate on the legislation will resume on Wednesday as the government pushes to pass it through the House of Representatives before the end of the week.
Labor has the numbers to pass the bill through the lower house, but is open to considering further amendments from crossbenchers including Zali Steggall and Helen Haines.
But much of the attention will be on the Greens, which have the power to kill off the bill in the Senate after the Coalition confirmed it would vote against the legislation.
The Greens met twice on Tuesday to debate their position, as members grapple with whether to support legislation which marks an "incremental step forward" but is considered inadequate for tackling global warming.
At Wednesday's press club appearance, Mr Bandt might only choose to reveal how he and his three lower house colleagues will vote, keeping the Greens' options open in the Senate.
Mr Bandt last week signaled the Greens could support the bill after securing some concessions during talks with Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen.
The Greens are pleased the bill clarifies that the 43 per cent target is a floor rather than a ceiling on the government's ambitions, and have welcomed provisions which would make it harder for government agencies to invest in fossil fuel projects.
But Labor's refusal to put a blanket ban on new coal and gas projects remains a sticking point for the Greens, who are also adamant that a 43 per cent 2030 target is too low.
The Coalition on Tuesday agreed to vote against the bill after climate change and energy spokesman Ted O'Brien told his colleagues the legislation was "not necessary" because Labor had already submitted its new targets to the United Nations.
But in an olive branch to moderate Liberals, Mr Dutton has assured his colleagues that the Coalition would commit to more ambitious emissions reduction targets ahead of the next election as part of a "credible and detailed" set of climate and energy policies.
Nuclear is set to be a central plank in that plan, with Mr Dutton announcing an internal review into the role the contentious energy sources could play in the future.
Mr Dutton said it was "high time that Australia had an honest and informed debate" about pivoting to nuclear energy.
Moderate Liberals Andrew Bragg, Bridget Archer and James Stevens all spoke up in the party room meeting about the need for more ambitious policies.
Senator Bragg emerged from the meeting assured that the Coalition would take a higher medium-term emissions reduction target to the next federal election.
"We were given a strong message on emissions by the electorate," Senator Bragg told The Canberra Times.
"We will now have, throughout this term, a stronger and more ambitious emissions reduction policy.
"I think we are heading in the right direction by committing ourselves to a new emissions reduction policy."
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Crossbenchers, including new "teal" independents, are set to put forward amendments during Wednesday's debate in an attempt to strengthen Labor's bill.
"Any .. amendments I move will be designed to future-proof our legislated targets in line with the science," Warringah MP Zali Steggall said.
Indi MP Helen Haines will push for four tweaks to the bill to ensure regional Australia is front of mind when climate policies are developed.
One of the amendments would require the Climate Change Authority to ensure that measures to respond to global warming "boost economic, employment and social benefits, including for rural and regional Australia".
"Renewable energy and the new industries it will unlock could become the next goldrush or the next wool boom for regional Australia - but only if we plan it right," Dr Haines said.
