Two years ago, Gregory Andrews was the high commissioner to West Africa, where he was responsible for promoting Australia's mining interests. Today, he is on the lawns of Parliament House, 14 days into a hunger strike protesting the lack of government action on climate change.

“What I’m asking for are five things that … are all possible with the technology we have,” he told ABC Radio Canberra.

“It’s not as hard as going to the moon.”

Those demands are for Australia to stop subsidising fossil fuels; for coal and gas exports to be phased out “as soon as possible”; for the logging of native forests to cease; for the prime minister to release the findings from the National Security Climate Risk Assessment report; and for Australia’s Environment Protection Biodiversity Act to be amended to include climate impacts.

Mr Andrews said it was time the Australian government began “taking responsibility”.

“Australia is the third-largest fossil fuel exporter in the world,” he said.

"When I think about what that means for my children, and all of Australia and all of the world’s children, it’s quite unbearable.

“So that’s why I’m doing it.”