But Labor says the prime minister is being loose with the truth, while the Climate Council labelled Mr Morrison's speech to the United Nations in New York overnight as "colossal bullshit".

Mr Morrison said Pacific leaders were often surprised to learn what Australia was doing on climate.

"Oftentimes the criticisms that have been made about Australia are completely false," he told reporters.

"Where do they get their information from? Who knows? Maybe they read it, maybe they read it."

Asked if he was calling it "fake news", Mr Morrison replied: "I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is when I've spoken to them, they've been surprised to learn about the facts about what Australia has been doing."

The prime minister focused on Australia's practical actions on environmental challenges - such as plastics in the oceans, waste management and fishing - in his address to the UN.

He said the country was committed to its target of cutting emissions by 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, describing that as a "credible, fair, responsible and achievable contribution".

"Australia's internal ... and global critics on climate change willingly overlook - or, perhaps, ignore our achievements - as the facts simply don't fit the narrative that they wish to project about our contribution," Mr Morrison told the general assembly.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the government should stop pretending "black is white" when it comes to Australia's carbon emissions.

"There's a pattern here developing, whereby Scott Morrison is loose with the truth," he told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

"The fact is Australia's emissions are rising and the government has no plan to deal with it."

Mr Albanese said the prime minister was downplaying the seriousness of climate change and dismissing young people's fears about the environment.

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie gave Mr Morrison both barrels.

"Scott Morrison's speech and his claim that Australia was doing enough on climate change was colossal bullshit," she said.

"Mr Morrison is out of touch with what is happening all around us. He is also out of touch with Australians who are really worried."

The prime minister told the UN that Australia would beat its 2020 Kyoto targets and claimed it would also meet its 2030 Paris pledge.

Earlier, he was more bullish, saying Australia wouldn't just meet its 2030 commitments, but improve on them.

Environment department figures show Australia's emissions have risen since 2014.

Under the Paris agreement, all countries are expected to update their pledges to cut emissions at the 2020 climate conference in Glasgow.

But Mr Morrison indicated Australia is unlikely to do so at this stage.

"We have our commitments, and we're sticking to those commitments," he said.

Mr Morrison also confirmed to the UN that Australia won't contribute any more to the global Green Climate Fund.

Instead, Australia is redirecting $500 million to help Pacific Island nations become more resilient.

"I'm not writing a $500 million cheque to the UN, I won't be doing that. There's no way I'm going to do that to Australian taxpayers," he told reporters.

Australian Associated Press