Anthony Albanese is positioning himself at odds with Donald Trump by declaring climate change an ‘existential threat’ while promoting Australia’s updated climate goals in a bid to secure a place on the United Nations’ influential security council.

On Thursday, the Prime Minister made his debut speech to the UN General Assembly, following a day after the US President dismissed climate change as a ‘hoax’ and criticized nations recognizing Palestine for empowering Hamas.

Albanese emphasized that the UN serves more purposes than merely allowing major powers to block each other’s goals, contrasting with Trump’s criticism of world leaders’ failure to fulfill the UN’s ‘tremendous potential.’

‘This is a platform for middle powers and small nations to voice – and achieve – our aspirations.

‘That is why Australia is seeking a place on the UN Security Council in 2029-30.’

Australia last held a security council seat in 2013-14. Albanese mentioned this history as motivation for Australia’s ongoing efforts with Pacific nations to possibly host the UN COP climate summit next year.

‘(We are) nations for whom climate change is more than an environmental challenge, it is an existential threat,’ he said.

‘This is a place for the global spotlight to shine on suffering and struggles that might otherwise be forgotten.’

In a rambling, hour-long address the day before, Trump had told the gathered world leaders that their ‘countries are going to hell’. 

He also berated the UN, claiming he had ‘ended seven wars’ without any help from the international body.

‘What is the purpose of the United Nations?’, Trump asked.

‘The UN has tremendous potential. I’ve always said it. It possesses such tremendous, tremendous potential, but is far from achieving that potential.’

There was implicit criticism of Trump’s approach in Albanese’s speech, as he defended the UN and called on member states to work together.

‘If the United Nations steps back, we all lose ground. If we give people reason to doubt the value of co-operation, then the risk of conflict becoming the default option grows,’ Albanese said.

‘If we resign ourselves to the idea that war is inevitable, or relegate ourselves to the status of disinterested bystanders … if our only response to every crisis is to insist that there is nothing we can do … then we risk being trusted with nothing.’

Trump had lashed the countries who chose to formally recognise Palestine as a state, claiming the decision was a ‘reward for these horrible atrocities’ on October 7.

‘Instead of giving in to Hamas ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message, release the hostages now,’ he added.

But Albanese defended Australia’s decision, alongside other western nations, to recognise Palestine as a state with conditions, including the return of the hostages and the promise that Hamas will play no role in any future government.

‘Australia is calling for a ceasefire, for the immediate release of hostages, for aid to flow to those in desperate need and for the terrorists of Hamas to have no role in Gaza’s future,’ he told the UN.

He quoted from the UN’s foundational charter, claiming it ‘was right 80 years ago and it’s right today’.  

‘To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours,’ he said. 

Albanese also spruiked Australia as a global leader in tackling climate change because of its abundance of space and sunlight to power renewables. 

‘Australia is acting to meet the environmental challenge of climate change while working to seize and share the economic opportunities of renewable energy,’ he said.

‘We will meet our 2030 target of 43 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels. And last week we set our target for 2035: cutting emissions by 62 to 70 per cent.’

Meanwhile, Trump had described claim change as a ‘fake energy catastrophe’.  

‘The carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions and they’re heading down a path of total destruction,’ he said. 

The two men met briefly at a reception in New York last night, with Albanese taking a grinning selfie next to the US President. 

Albanese will return to the city on October 20 for a proper meeting with Trump, potentially including an Oval Office audience.