New Zealand's Climate Change Minister says more ambition's needed to transition the world away from fossil fuels.

Simon Watts is attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, which is reportedly on the verge of failure, because of a lack of agreement.

Its draft climate deal doesn't include plans to phase out fossil fuels and several countries are threatening to walk out.

Watts says words in the agreement such as 'could' take action simply won't cut it.

"Our Pacific Island neighbours and brothers and sisters, in effect, are at the front lines- and we're standing right with them, calling for a consensus." 

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