Obama inspires in UQ speech
US President Barack Obama has brought the G20 summit to life with an inspiring speech to around two thousand people at the University of Queensland.
Mr Obama used his Brisbane address to announce the United States will pump $US3 billion ($A3.3 billion) into a global climate fund, stepping up pressure on other nations such as Australia to follow suit.
US President Barack Obama used a speech on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brisbane to make the announcement to contribute to the "global fight against climate change".
"No nation is immune and every nation must play its part," he said.
"We can get this done."
OBAMA: "You have to keep raising your voices. You deserve to live in a world that's cleaner and healthy." pic.twitter.com/8v4pVlTPAS
— 7News Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) November 15, 2014
The United Nations Green Climate Fund, was set up to support developing nations dealing with the impacts of climate change, such as rising seas, higher temperatures and extreme weather.
The US contribution is the biggest country pledge so far.
The UN will now have about $US6 billion of the $US10 billion it hopes to raise.
The announcement at the University of Queensland was made in an auditorium partly powered by a solar array.
Obama is in the house! *crowd goes wild* @7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/kD4t1vTMQ0
— Katrina Blowers (@katrinablowers) November 15, 2014
It also comes just days after the US and China signed a pact to lower emissions out to 2030.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier on Saturday urged G20 member countries to contribute to the fund.
Mr Obama used Australia as an example of what could happen if climate change wasn't addressed, by pointing to risk to Great Barrier Reef and the prospect of longer droughts.
"Here in the Asia Pacific nobody has more at stake when it comes to thinking about and then acting on climate change," he said.
"Here, a climate that increases in temperature will mean more extreme and frequent storms, more flooding, rising seas that submerge Pacific Islands.
"Here in Australia it means longer droughts, more wildfires. The incredible natural glory of the Great Barrier Reef is threatened."
Mr Obama said the plan to cut carbon pollution in the US and reverse the course of China's emissions was aimed at paving the way for a more ambitious deal in Paris next year when global leaders again meet.
"You've got to be able to overcome old divides, look squarely at the science and reach a strong global climate agreement next year," he added.
"If China and the US can agree on this, then the world can agree on this - we can get this done and it is necessary for us to get it done."
Australia, which holds the current G20 presidency, declined to put climate change on the official 2014 agenda.
This week lobby groups were clamouring for it to be included.
Prime Minister Tony Abbot has previously argued the G20 is an economic forum and there are other forums to discuss climate change.
However, the historic deal by China and the US has all but guaranteed it should be a G20 talking point at leaders' meeting in Brisbane, which started on Saturday.
The federal government has maintained Australia's commitment to reduce emissions by five per cent on 2000 levels by 2020.
It expects to address the post-2020 reduction target in the lead up to the Paris conference.
The US president touched down aboard Air Force One shortly before 6am at Amberley RAAF base, southwest of Brisbane, before being taken by helicopter to Brisbane and then motorcade to his hotel.
