The federal government has secured the key crossbench vote it needs for its climate change bill to pass the upper house.

Independent senator David Pocock said on Tuesday he had agreed to support the legislation in exchange for a number of amendments.

The government’s bill will enshrine emissions reduction targets of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.

The bill, which could be voted on in the Senate this week, needs the support of all 12 Greens senators and one crossbencher to become law.

“The amendments … I believe are sensible and add to the transparency and accountability of the bill,” Senator Pocock said.

“It will be something that is a starting point for Australia. Moving forward, there’s clearly a lot more work to be done.”

Senator Pocock said he wouldn’t “stand in the way” of legislating climate targets.

“Australians have been so frustrated and frankly quite embarrassed about the way that Australia has been shirking its responsibility on climate action,” he said.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen indicated the government would support any “sensible” amendments Senator Pocock moves, including specifics about what is included in the annual report to parliament regarding climate risks and tighter rules around Climate Change Authority advice.

“He’s had a range of constructive suggestions. We don’t agree about everything, there’ll be a couple of things he’ll move we won’t support, but we are more than happy to support his very constructive suggestions,” the minister told Sky News.

But that won’t include reclassifying native forest wood waste as not renewable energy, despite a Labor-led Senate committee recommending the government considers such a change.

Mr Bowen admitted there were concerns about forest waste being labelled a renewable energy source, but said the government would explore the issue carefully.

“There are legitimate issues to be concerned about here … the way we do business in the Albanese government is to do things carefully and with consultation,” he said.

“The forest industry by and large looks for higher value returns … but I do think there are legitimate issues about the carbon impacts so I want to have a discussion paper.”

The Greens party room briefing noted the world could not afford to wait decades for the renewable impacts of native forest wood waste.

They also called on the government to sign up to US President Joe Biden’s global pledge to limit global methane emissions by 30 per cent from 2020 levels until the end of the decade.