PM's adviser: UN uses climate change to grab power

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief business adviser has accused the United Nations of using debunked climate change science to lead "a new world order" - a provocative claim made to coincide with a visit from Christiana Figueres, the UN's top climate negotiator.

Figueres, who heads the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, toured Australia this week, urging the country to move away from heavily polluting coal production.

Under Abbott's leadership, Australia has been reluctant to engage in global climate change politics, unsuccessfully attempting to keep the issue off the agenda of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Brisbane last year.