By comparison Australia's contribution to greenhouse gases is relatively minor at 1.07%.

Hogsback reckons "holier than thou" lecturing by some British commentators amounts to modern day colonialism by Australia's former mother country.

The facts are the UK industrialised, opened coal mines, colonised a large part of the world, used up and closed its coal mines, and now wants everyone else to close their coal mines.

Unlike the UK, Australia has a viable and efficient coal mining industry that provides energy to the economy and thriving export industry to Asia and the rest of the world.   

No-one is pointing the finger at the real scroundels - developed economies in the northern hemisphere such as the UK, Germany, and the US, which have been pumping out greenhouse gases for centuries.

Australia's coal is one of the cleanest in the world with low ash and sulphur.

The newly industrialised economies to our north are choosing to use coal for their power generation and are better off using the clean coal we produce than dirtier alternatives.

Australia was forced to find new markets for its natural resources such as coal in Asia after the UK abandoned its old Commonwealth trading partners and joined the European Communities in 1973.

Australia should not have to give up a $70 billion industry that provides employment and exports for our economy as well as helping other nations in our region develop their industries. 

Britain says eradicating coal from its national grid and presents this as an example of how committed they are to arresting climate change.

They have dominated the agenda and presented themselves as the saviours instead of the villains.

Australian coal is actually essential for providing a relatively low polluting energy source to the developing world as we transition out of fossil fuels.