Australia is the worst industrialised country in the world for climate change, according to a report released during international talks in Peru.

It ranked second-bottom, above only Saudi Arabia for its emissions levels, lack of progress, renewable energy and national policy.

The UK came third, below Denmark and Sweden, in the 2015 Climate Change Performance Index released at the UN Climate Conference.

Australia’s slip down the table was blamed on moves by Tony Abbott’s government to repeal the country’s carbon tax in favour of his much-criticised “Direct Action” policy.

The Prime Minister came under fire from President Barack Obama and other world leaders at the G20 summit, where he appeared to avoid the issue of climate change.

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott and US President Barack Obama clashed at the G20

David Cameron said every country needed to “put more on the table” if the world was to reach a successful agreement next year on reducing greenhouse emissions after 2020.

“Countries that have so far done the least have to think about what more they can do,” he told Sky News. “I’ve had good and friendly discussions with prime minister Abbott about that…I hope [Australia will] do everything they can in the coming months to look at what more they can deliver.”

Mr Abbott has emphasised that Australia was not among the world’s largest polluters and claimed his policy is working to cut emissions by a 5 per cent target.

The index put Australia in 60th place rated “very poor” with a score of 36, compared to Britain’s score of a “good” 71.

Australians bury their heads in the sands of Bondi Beach to send a message to Prime Minister Tony Abbott about the dangers of climate change (AFP/Getty Images)

“The new conservative Australian government has apparently made good on last year’s announcement and reversed the climate policies previously in effect,” the report said. “As a result, the country lost a further 21 positions in the policy evaluation compared to last year, thus replacing Canada as the worst performing industrial country.”

China, the world’s biggest emitter, was found to be making improvements.

In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World Show all 6 1 /6 In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World Sydney Enviromental protesters form the words 'Beyond Coal + Gas' during a meeting in a park in Sydney on September 21, 2014, as part of a global protest on climate change. Australians rallied for climate action forming a human chain message as part of an international day of action to fight climate change ahead of a United Nations summit in New York on 23 September AFP/Getty In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World London People with giraffe puppets march during The People's Climate March, central London, a march and rally to demand urgent action on climate change PA In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World New York Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, centre, walks down 6th Avenue during the People's Climate March. Activists mobilized in cities across the globe for marches against climate change, with one of the biggest planned for New York AFP/Getty In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World New York People dance during a rally against climate change in New York Reuters In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World London Vivienne Westwood, Peter Gabriel and Emma Thompson show their support at the People's Climate March, London PA In pictures: Climate Change Protests Around the World Berlin Participants of the climate demonstration 'Mal schnell die Welt retten' (roughly translated as 'Save the world in passing') hold signs reading 'Share more, buy less' in front of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, 21 September 2014 EPA

The report, by Germanwatch and CAN Europe, was released at the UN climate talks in Lima at the start of the second week of negotiations.

Delegates are working to establish a draft international climate change agreement to be signed by all countries at the Paris Climate Summit next year.

Tony Abbott in quotes