China's new leadership seems to have a new slogan - "control coal" - and Australia's coal exporters underestimate their resolve to cap consumption of the fossil fuel at their peril, a Chinese researcher says.

China's leaders under President Xi Jinping say they plan to enforce a target of limiting annual coal use to 4 billion tonnes – about half the world's total - by 2015.

Coal starts to lose favour in China. Credit:Lawrence Dutrieux, Reuters

While estimates vary about how close to the cap current consumption is, the determination to limit the amount burnt each year should be taken seriously, said Yang Yilun, a senior associate with the US-based World Resources Institute.

“People tend to think of China's coal demand as something that will rise forever, and so, overlook the potential risks,” Ms Yang said.