David Pocock pushes for major changes to Labor's climate bill

Senator Pocock has used his contribution to the final report from the Senate committee inquiry into the bill to propose a raft of amendments, including one which would force the government's emissions reduction targets to be reviewed every two years.

The Labor-chaired Senate committee recommended the bill be passed in a report handed down on Wednesday afternoon.

But Senator Pocock - who is set to hold the key to the bill's passage - is pushing for changes to be made before it is put to a vote.

His changes include a mechanism to provide transparency around the impact of federal budget measures on Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. He also believes the government shouldn't have to pass fresh legislation each time it lodges new climate targets with the United Nations.

The Albanese government is unlikely to agree to Senator Pocock's changes, putting the pressure back on the former Wallabies captain to either support the bill as is stands or use his crucial crossbench vote to possibly sink it.

Senator Pocock has repeatedly said the bill was a step forward in tackling climate change, and it remains almost inconceivable that the long-time conservationist would side with Peter Dutton's Coalition and oppose legislated climate targets.

But the rookie parliamentarians is also keen to push as hard as he can to strengthen the bill, particularly to increase transparency and integrity.

"A national climate law should provide a comprehensive, unifying basis for climate change policy," Senator Pocock wrote in the report.

"Regrettably, the bills themselves do not provide an over-arching or comprehensive position on climate policy, other than to set a mid-term and long-term emissions reduction target.

"The bills fall short on measures of accountability, transparency, fairness, scientific backing, and a proactive frame around policy development."

The bill would legislate Labor's 43 per cent 2030 emissions reduction target and net zero by 2050 goal, task the Climate Change Authority with providing advice on future goals and require the minister to make an annual progress statement in Parliament.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen agreed to adopt minor changes from independents, despite not needing their votes to pass it through the lower house.

But the government appears to be less inclined to support further amendments from the Senate crossbench, despite needing one of their votes to pass the bill into law.

Senator Pocock has formed a bloc with Jacqui Lambie and her colleague Tammy Tyrrell to prevent the government from shopping around for the final vote.

The government is privately arguing that it has already agreed to a number of changes from Senator Pocock during consultation with independents on the draft bill in mid-to-late July.

Coalition senators Hollie Hughes, Ross Cadell and Bridget McKenzie used their dissenting report to attack the government, accusing it of failing to account for rural and regional perspectives.

The trio argued the legislated targets would "invited green activism" in the courts. The opposition senators also claimed that new measures requiring government credit agency Export Finance Australia to consider the new climate targets in its decisions would "inhibit" national security objectives.