Climate Change and Water Minister Penny Wong made the offer yesterday after Senator Fielding returned from a conference in the United States, saying he was not satisfied with the science behind the widely held view that global warming was a result of an increase in carbon dioxide levels caused by human activity.

Senator Fielding said there may well be no need for the Federal Government's planned emissions trading scheme, which would cost thousands of Australians their jobs.

If the Opposition refuses to support the trading scheme, the Government will need the support of Senator Fielding, independent Nick Xenophon and the Greens to get the necessary legislation through.

Senator Wong said the Government had always been willing to talk to Senator Fielding and other parties on the climate change issue.

"The Government's approach to climate change is guided by the consensus science and we are able to provide a briefing on this to Senator Fielding," Senator Wong said. "We are happy to facilitate a meeting between Senator Fielding and Australian Government scientists if requested."

Senator Fielding said he was neither a climate sceptic nor a climate extremist, but was open-minded. He said that as an engineer he was trained to listen to both sides of a debate and climate change science was by no means conclusive.

"Australians must be given the opportunity to debate the possibility that climate change was part of a naturally occurring, 1500-year cycle or an increase in solar activity," Senator Fielding said.