Prime Minister Tony Abbott says a historic US-China deal on greenhouse gas emissions is welcome, but it shouldn't necessarily put climate change on the G20 agenda.
In a surprise announcement, the US says it will cut emissions by 26-28 per cent by 2025, while China has set a goal for its emissions to peak in 2030.
But Mr Abbott says climate change was "hardly mentioned" at APEC in Beijing and there were other forums for discussing the issue.
"This is a major economic conference, it is the world's premier economic conference," he said in Nawpyidaw, referring to the weekend's G20 summit in Brisbane.
"I certainly expect the focus will be on economic reform, economic growth, how do we drive growth and jobs.
"That is my constant preoccupation."
Australia is aiming for a more modest five per cent cut by 2020.
The target has been heavily criticised, but Mr Abbott says it's realistic and it can be met.
"We are talking about the here and now, we are talking about what Australia is doing, in Australia, right now," he said.
"We're not talking about what might hypothetically happen 15, 20, 25, 30 years down the track.
"We are talking about what we will do and are doing right now, and I think that's what the Australian people expect of us."
