An American environmental activist has delivered a scathing critique of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's "irresponsible" climate change policies which he says are akin to the position taken by global warming sceptic Donald Trump.
Bill McKibben, the founder of climate change movement 350.org, says Australia is in a "fair amount" of denial and, like the United States, is committed to the idea of going back to the 1950s.
"My impression in general about Australian climate change policies is not unlike the United States under Trump," Mr McKibben told AAP ahead of delivering a speech in Sydney on Tuesday.
"Even though Mr Turnbull is not as ridiculous as Mr Trump his climate policies are similarly rooted in the past."
Visiting the Hunter region last week - home to most of NSW's coalmines - Mr McKibben was shocked by the scale of the industry.
He slammed the federal government's failure to move from coal to renewable energy.
"The government continues to support building giant coalmines and even talks about using public funds, in 2018, in a planet that's watched ice caps melt and the reef get absolutely decimated," he said.
"That's the most dangerous and irresponsible action one can think of."
Mr McKibben said Scandinavia and Germany were leading the way in the developed world with China doing the "most remarkable" things in the developing world.
There was no reason Australia shouldn't be up there given the nation's sun and wind resources.
He said the country should move to renewables and stop burning gas and oil - especially as Australia has one of the worst extinction rates in the world.
There was no "magic answer" except to move away from fossil fuels, Mr McKibben said.
"The government needs to commit immediately to 100 per cent renewable energy at the fastest possible rate.
"Cities and states across the world have shown this is entirely possible."
Mr McKibben is in Australia on a tour promoting a sustainable energy future as part of a global campaign by 350.org which opposes new coal, oil and gas projects.
