Prominent climate scientists criticised the Australian government's top climate adviser on Tuesday, saying his recommended targets for carbon emissions were too weak and would not help avoid catastrophic climate change.

Climate adviser Ross Garnaut has urged the government to cut Australian Greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent on 2000 levels by 2020, and to set a carbon price of A$20 (US$16.25) a tonne in the first years of carbon trading in Australia from mid-2010.