Efforts to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions during the next decade are being criticised as either too ambitious or not going far enough.
The Albanese government on Thursday announced a target to cut emissions by 62 to 70 per cent by 2035.
Environmental organisations slammed the figure, saying it was not enough to address the issue of climate change, while business and industry bodies said efforts to reach the lower end of the target would be "ambitious".
Australian Conservation Foundation climate and energy program manager Gavan McFadzean said the "timid target range" suggested Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was more committed to the future of coal and gas industries than to the nation's wellbeing.
"A target range of 62 to 70 per cent falls significantly short on all measures of what's needed, with the government's plans preparing Australia only to meet the bottom end of the range," he said.
"The 70 per cent figure is greenwashing while the plans are not there to reach it."
Parents for Climate described the announcement as "heartbreaking and insulting".
"Every delay, every weak target, compounds the risk for our children," chief executive Nic Seton said.
The Australia Institute executive director Richard Denniss said a cut of at least 75 per cent was required, describing the target as a "missed opportunity".
"The government can't have it all ways, and if it is serious about meeting climate targets, it will stop approving coal and gas," he said.
But business groups provided a far more positive response to the announced range.
Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black said the lobby strongly supported net zero by 2050, but the settings needed to be balanced against the needs of Australian industry to remain competitive.
"The target range that's been set is ambitious and our analysis shows there is a pathway to achieving it that will require significant capital investment, major reform and exceptional collaboration between the public and private sectors," he said.
"Even the lower end of the range will be challenging."
Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said reaching the lower end of the range would be difficult.
"Delivering 70 per cent will only be possible with favourable tailwinds from technology, global markets and the right policy settings," he said.
Australian Energy Producers chief executive Samantha McCulloch said the oil and gas sector was already doing "a lot of the heavy lifting to cut emissions".
"Continued investment in new gas supply is needed to meet Australia's long-term energy demand because without gas, the energy transition becomes harder, more expensive and less reliable," she said.
