Addressing the Surat Basin Coal Conference in Brisbane today, Roche said the coal and gas-rich region's future would be closely aligned with the commercial application of carbon capture and storage technologies, currently the focus of billions of dollars in research and development.

Roche used the conference to outline industry investments of almost $A2 billion in Australia to help develop and demonstrate technologies capable of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal, oil and gas-fired energy production.

“The climate change dilemma is not going to be resolved by picking winners or installing short-term favourites,” he told delegates.

“It is the QRC's view – endorsed by the likes of Al Gore, Nicholas Stern and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – that an expanding suite of energy resources will be required if we are to maintain and enhance living standards.

“That includes coal, gas, oil, uranium and renewables. The challenge that the global coal industry and their partners have accepted is how to use coal more efficiently in power generation, with the ultimate goal of zero atmospheric emissions.”