The former deputy prime minister said his "less than spectacular" relationship with Nationals leader David Littleproud contributed to his plan to leave the junior coalition party and his decision not to recontest his NSW seat of New England at the next election.
The news fuelled rumours Mr Joyce would join Pauline Hanson's One Nation, conjecture the outspoken MP did little to extinguish on Monday.
"I think they do a good job," he told ABC Radio on Monday.
"On (net zero), I suppose One Nation is not barking mad like others are.
"I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no. I'm saying I'm not going to entertain this discussion."
Mr Joyce pointed to statements by the Nationals leader on generational change as one of the reasons for his decision to quit.
Mr Littleproud said Mr Joyce would remain in the party room for as long as he was a member and would not be forced out.
However, he said any decision on Mr Joyce's political future lay squarely with the New England MP.
"The ball's in his court if he wants to be part of the party room," he told Sky News.
"Nothing's changed. It's up to him in terms of where he wants to go next. We've made it very clear he's welcome."
Mr Littleproud dismissed suggestions the speculation over Mr Joyce's future had cast his leadership in doubt, calling for the New England MP to fall into step with Nationals policies.
"You have to accept the decision of the leader and who's in the shadow cabinet," he said.
But Mr Joyce said there had been a breakdown in his relationship with the Nationals leader.
"I don't think it's conducive to a harmonious party room for them or, to be honest, for me," he said.
"I think it is playing silly games of charades that everything is fine and anything is going well - it wasn't.Â
"The best thing to do there is to move on, which is what I can do."
Mr Joyce revealed he spoke to Senator Hanson on Sunday night.
"I did ring her last night because seeing they (the media) are talking about us, we may as well speak to each other rather than through the media," he said,
"There was nothing locked-in, nothing ... let's take it down a step. I have not joined One Nation."
But his potential move to the minor party has still prompted his Nationals colleagues to try to convince Mr Joyce to stay within the coalition.
Former Nationals leader Michael McCormack said he wanted Mr Joyce to stick with the party and had been in contact with him since the news became public on the weekend.
"Barnaby's been a force of nature for regional Australia and he's done a lot of good things," he said.
"Whilst I appreciate Pauline Hanson has been there for a long time ... the Nationals have been there for more than 100 years, we've turned up."
Mr McCormack said it was unlikely the Nationals would stick with a policy of targeting net-zero emissions by 2050 as MPs like Mr Joyce called for the party to dump the measure.
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