The global financial crisis does not reduce the need to respond to climate change, the federal government says.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong, in Poland for talks ahead of a key United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, says the crisis will be factored into the design of a future emissions trading scheme.
The government was also very aware of the desire of many business leaders for certainty and clarity, she said.
Ministers attending the Poland meeting have discussed the financial crisis.
"The current financial crisis does not lessen the need for the nations of the world to deal with climate change," Senator Wong told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
She was responding to comments from Woodside chief executive Don Voelte who said a carbon trading scheme could not start in 2010, as flagged in the government's green paper.
"Heck, I think it's off the table right now," he told ABC Radio.
"You can't put something like that in at this time until we get this whole fiscal chaos that is going on in the world straightened out."
That would probably take a couple of years, he said.
"No government can risk jobs in the economy until we get stabilisation within the world marketplace.
"This is not going to be a short-term issue, it is not going to be two or three months to get this all straightened out."
But the Australian Industry Group says the scheme should start in 2010.
"The economic pressure certainly intensifies pressure on the economy as a whole if we move too quickly on this issue," chief executive Heather Ridout said.
"At the same time if we start sensibly, if we start cautiously, maybe we can learn how to operate in this new environment and the risks will be reduced."
