Prime Minister of Tuvalu Enele Sopoaga has warned Australia that its "Pacific pivot" risks being fatally undermined by its climate change policies ahead of crucial talks in Poland.

Key points: Tuvalu's PM made the comments ahead of COP24, the most important climate talks since the Paris agreement

Tuvalu's PM made the comments ahead of COP24, the most important climate talks since the Paris agreement He says Australia's return to the Pacific undermined by climate change inaction

He says Australia's return to the Pacific undermined by climate change inaction Tuvalu is particularly vulnerable to climate change, being made up of low-lying atolls

Australia has unveiled an ambitious suite of policies to cement its position in the region and push back against China, including a massive new infrastructure bank and an ambitious move to electrify much of Papua New Guinea.

But Mr Sopoaga declared climate change could "totally destroy" his tiny Pacific nation, and he called on Australia to help fight it by blocking the contentious Adani coal mine in Queensland and making deeper cuts to carbon emissions.

"We cannot be regional partners under this step-up initiative — genuine and durable partners — unless the Government of Australia takes a more progressive response to climate change," Mr Sopoaga said.

"They know very well that we will not be happy as a partner, to move forward, unless they are serious."

Tuvalu's low-lying atolls are particularly vulnerable

Fuel drums are being used as sea walls to provide protection against coastal erosion in southern Funafuti, Tuvalu. ( Oxfam: Rodney Dekker )

Delegates from almost 200 countries are gathering in the city of Katowice for the COP24 talks, the most important UN meeting on global warming since the landmark Paris deal.

The talks are designed to get all 195 countries to agree to a binding set of conventions in order to reduce carbon emissions.

Tuvalu is made up of nine low-lying coral atolls and its highest point is only 4.5 metres above sea level, making it particularly vulnerable to climate change.

US President Donald Trump has already pulled the US out of Paris and Mr Sopoaga warned the world risked "going backwards" unless countries made concrete commitments to cut pollution.

Mr Sopoaga also said all Pacific nations — including Australia and New Zealand — would sign a "new declaration" on climate change during the talks in Poland.

"The idea is to further project to our world the necessity and imperative of collective actions against climate change," Mr Sopoaga told the ABC.

Pacific nations tip-toe around Canberra

Abbot Point is located about two hours south of Townsville, near vast coal reserves Adani is looking to exploit. ( Supplied )

Mr Sopoaga said the statement would "focus on the necessity of moving to renewable-energy-based economies which is safe and friendly to the environment, and impress on all parties the need to develop renewable technology".

But the ABC understands the climate change statement has not yet been raised with Australia.

Mr Sopoaga was not purely critical of Australia — he praised Prime Minister Scott Morrison for resisting calls to get out of the Paris deal, and said Australia was "seriously looking" at taking a more ambitious approach on renewable energy.

But he pleaded with the Coalition to prevent Indian company Adani from pressing ahead with its plan to open a new coal mine in Queensland, although the project has been scaled down.

"This will only go into causing a lot of serious damage to the environment, and eventually causing destruction to the people of the Pacific", Mr Sopoaga said.

"So it is my strong prayer that Australia will reconsider opening this new coal mine."