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The world's biggest economies have called on all developed countries to slash greenhouse gas emissions, putting pressure on Australia to beef up its own target.
G8 leaders agreed on Wednesday that developed countries should cut emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Australia has promised to cut its emissions by 60 per cent by then.
The US and the European Union have already committed to cut emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050.
Acting Climate Change Minister Greg Combet defended the government's 60 per cent target.
'I think the targets ... are stacking up pretty well in the international arena at the moment,' he told Sky News.
The G8 had called for cuts 'in the 80 per cent area', but that was a combined target for all developed countries.
'What the G8 has said, is an aggregate 80 per cent cut by developed countries by 2050.'
Mr Combet reiterated the government's message that it may seek to beef up the 2050 target, but would take such a promise to an election first to seek a mandate.
Climate Change Minister Penny Wong, who is in Italy for climate talks on Thursday, has welcomed the G8's statement that the world should restrain global warming to two degrees.
The 80 per cent target is aimed at achieving that.
'(It) recognises the signs that we need to restrain global warming to around two degrees if we're to avoid dangerous climate change,' Senator Wong told ABC Radio.
Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said Australia's targets were not good enough to hold warming to two degrees.
The existing targets - including a five to 25 per cent cut by 2020 - undermined the two degree goal, he said.
'If they are committed to the two degree goal, they need to lift their weak targets to match that goal,' Senator Brown said.
Rupert Posner, Australian director of the Climate Group, said the G8 declaration had 'absolutely' made it more likely that Australia would lift its 2050 target.
The government had already indicated it would probably do so, he said.
The upper limit for the 2020 target - a 25 per cent cut - 'could be' enough to limit warming to two degrees.
But there was a possibility Australia would need to increase that too, to play its part in an ambitious global climate deal, Mr Posner said.
