The almost year-old Paris Agreement commits countries to work towards limiting global warming to two degrees and sets five-yearly targets for cutting emissions.
Australia delayed signing on before the July federal election.
But Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says ratifying the Paris Agreement is in the national interest.
"The global low-emissions economy is estimated to be worth around $6 trillion and is growing at some 4 to 5 per cent per annum. And we believe that, through the use of technology and research and science and innovation, there will be many opportunities for Australian businesses, Australian jobs, in a low-emissions economy."
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia is doing its part with ambitious targets.
"We are on track to meet and, indeed, beat our 2020 targets. We'll review our climate and energy policies next year to ensure that we meet -- as we believe we will, and are committed to do to meet -- our 2030 targets under the agreement."
Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg says Australia has a series of mechanisms to help it achieve a 26 to 28 per cent reduction on 2005 levels by 2030.
"That includes the Emissions Reduction Fund -- which has been very successful to date, with a cost of abatement at about $12.10 a tonne -- our Renewable Energy Target, as well as our National Energy Productivity Plan, which is aiming to boost the efficiency of energy use by 40 per cent by 2030."
Elsewhere, the Turnbull Government's plan to ban asylum seekers who arrive by boat from ever obtaining a visa to enter Australia has passed the House of Representatives.
Labor, the Greens' Adam Bandt, Rebekha Sharkie of the Nick Xenophon Team and Independents Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan voted against it.
Mr Bandt lashed out at the Prime Minister over the ban, saying it was the equivalent of US president-elect Donald Trump's proposed wall between the United States and Mexico.
"This is a bill that Donald Trump would be proud of. This is Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's equivalent of saying he won't allow Muslims into the country. This is Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's equivalent of saying he will build a wall to keep people out."
Mr Bandt backed an unsuccessful amendment proposed by Andrew Wilkie that called on the Government to develop a more sophisticated response to the global refugee crisis.
Mr Wilkie criticised both the Coalition and Labor for treating it as a border-security problem instead of a humanitarian issue.
"It's about time the Liberal Party, the National Party and the Labor Party all stop worrying about your political self-interest and start acting like leaders. I tell you what, if you started acting like leaders, your political self-interests would probably improve."
The bill could struggle in the Senate, with crossbencher Nick Xenophon -- whose team holds three key votes -- indicating Australia must double its refugee intake for his support.
Elsewhere in the Senate, Labor joined forces with the Greens and One Nation to force debate on the Government's controversial backpacker-tax plan.
Manager of Government Business Mitch Fifield tried to move a routine motion, but the opposition successfully amended it to bring on an unscheduled debate on the levy.
Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher says the Government has created 18 months of uncertainty around the tax.
"It's been causing harm and anguish to the country's farmers, to the growers and tourism operators. Let's end the uncertainty today. It has gone on for too long."
Labor has backed Senator Jacqui Lambie's proposal to drop the tax from 19 per cent to 10.5 per cent.
Senator Lambie has accused the Coalition Government of betraying its rural and regional supporters by delaying the introduction of its backpacker legislation.
She says the National Party's claim that it supports regional Australia is a lie.
"If you look at the National Party office doors in this Senate, you'll see signs that say, 'Nationals for Regional Australia.' What a distortion of the truth. What a nasty, grubby, little porky,* peddled by a group of backstabbing, gutless cowards."
Senator Mitch Fifield has dismissed the move as a stunt.
