The Government will also continue advocating in the international climate change negotiations to ensure the post-2012 accounting rules only require countries to account for emissions and removals of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity.

Mr Rudd also went out of his way to take a parting shot at the National Party for its "head in the sand" appoach to what he described as the greatest challenge facing Australia's future.

"I just don't get it," he said of the Nationals' policy of opposing outright the ETS.

Mr Rudd said the amended package was both "environmentally credible and fiscally responsible".

Earlier he argued that "the only responsible course of action for parliament to take is to vote for action on climate change," he said.

He called on Coalition members to "act in the national interest, not in your party's interest".

The raft of changes to the ETS Bill to be put before the Senate this week also includes:

• Emissions-Intensive Trade-Exposed Industries: permanently incorporating the Global Recession Buffer – which provides industries eligible for 60 per cent assistance with a 10 per cent buffer, and industries eligible for 90 per cent assistance with a 5 per cent buffer – into assistance rates. The 1.3 per cent Carbon Productivity Contribution has been retained to ensure all industries reduce their emissions.

• Coal Sector: A total of $1.5 billion in transitional assistance will be provided to the coal sector over five years. This is an increase from $750 million previously. The Government will commit $270 million to the Coal Mine Abatement Fund through the Climate Change Action Fund to assist gassy coal mines reduce emissions. In addition, the current COAG Renewable Energy Target (RET) review process will consider whether new waste coal mine gas projects should be eligible.

• Voluntary Action: The Government will ensure the CPRS takes into account voluntary action by households. Voluntary action by households will now allow Australia to go beyond our 2020 emissions reduction target. In addition, the CPRS will be amended to ensure that all existing and future purchases of GreenPower will be counted, and allow Australia to go beyond our 2020 national targets.

• Electricity Sector Adjustment Scheme: An increase of $4 billion in assistance under the ESAS, increasing the total value of permits under the ESAS from $3.3 billion to $7.3 billion. A further three new measures – a Low Emissions Transition Incentive, an Energy Security Assurance Mechanism and deferred payment arrangements - will be introduced to maintain energy security and drive the transition to a low pollution future.

• Electricity Prices: A Transitional Electricity Cost Assistance Program of $1.1 billion to assist medium and large manufacturing and mining businesses with CPRS-related increases in electricity prices in the early years of the Scheme.