The sceptics in the Coalition party room have rolled Malcolm Turnbull on climate change, Minister for Climate Change, Penny Wong said today.

Less than twelve months ago, Mr Turnbull said he wanted to"move on emissions trading come what may," and emphasised that his position was "not conditional on international action."

Today, Mr Turnbull has been forced by the party room to again delay a decision on climate change.

He is now arguing Australia should wait until after the passage of a US bill on emissions trading and after Copenhagen - threatening investment certainty and undermining a global agreement.

"If everyone took Mr Turnbull's approach, the world would not secure a global agreement," Senator Wong said.

Senator Wong said Mr Turnbull's lack of conviction was demonstrated by his inability to confirm the Coalition would support legislation in Australia if it mirrored US legislation.

"Waiting for passage of a bill in the United States is just the latest of seven separate excuses the Coalition has used because they can't decide a policy on climate change."

Senator Wong said Mr Turnbull's claim that the current US 'Waxman- Markey' bill provided more assistance to emissions-intensive trade- exposed industries than Australia's scheme was wrong.

"The Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme provides around 25 per cent of permits free to emissions-intensive trade-exposed industries, compared with 15 per cent under the current US bill.

"Delaying a decision on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme undermines certainty for business and threatens billions of dollars of investment.

"Crucially, it means Australia has no means to deliver major reductions in carbon pollution."

Senator Wong said Mr Turnbull's promise to support the Rudd Government's targets was simply a con, because he is offering no plan and no certainty on how to deliver those targets.

"Mr Turnbull is making a promise he can't and won't deliver. He is exposing the Australian economy to unlimited risk by not putting forward any plan to deliver this target."