Emissions up under coalition policy: study

Australia's carbon pollution levels will increase under a coalition government, new research shows.

In a blow for the coalition less than four weeks from the federal election, modelling by The Climate Institute has found that opposition policy would result in a rise in emissions by at least nine per cent by 2020.

The result is at odds with Australia's commitment, supported by the coalition, to reduce emissions by the end of the decade by at least five per cent of 2000 levels.

"To achieve their promised range of 2020 carbon cuts of five to 25 per cent below 2000 levels, the coalition would need to spend at least an extra $4 billion to $15 billion by 2020," Institute chief executive John Connor said, adding that such an expense would spark a budget blowout.

The cost is linked to the coalition's adoption of direct action in preference of the government's emissions trading scheme.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt has priced the direct action plan at less than $1.6 billion over its first three years, while making savings by scrapping subsidies currently paid to brown coal generators under the carbon tax system.

Acknowledging that the coalition is yet to reveal the full details of its climate policy, the Institute has drawn up a number of recommendations for them including retaining the current legislative framework which is on track to achieve the target emissions reduction by 2020.

The independent research body also suggests the coalition should boost renewable energy targets among a raft of clean electricity-generation initiatives.

Labor wasn't immune from criticism in the report.

"Both major parties have work to do to improve Australia's carbon competitiveness and help pursue our national climate interest," Mr Connor said.

"In the absence of a broad carbon limit and price, the coalition will struggle to do so without a host of new stringent regulatory interventions."