And Australian taxpayers have subsidised coal mines and power plants around the world to the tune of $1.4 billion through the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, a government bank that helps finance Australian projects in other countries.

Government-owned finance institutions poured more than $US73 billion into coal between 2007 and 2014, according to the research by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Oil Change International and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

The global report is an attempt to unravel a web of public finance for coal-fired power plants in particular that has been "moved through largely unknown and opaque institutions" by governments to fund projects overseas.

It comes as Australia, Japan and South Korea are leading opposition within the OECD to a push by the US, Britain and France to curb the amount of government funds spent on coal plants.

Australia is listed as the fourth highest recipient of public finance for coal, but ranks first among high-income countries in the report. Only Vietnam, South Africa and India outrank Australia overall.

Australia was the eighth largest provider of export subsidies for coal projects worldwide.

Japan is named as the biggest contributor to global coal financing at $20 billion in the seven-year period, followed by China, South Korea, Germany and the US.

Between them, the five countries account for more than 80 per cent of the coal funding from countries reviewed in the report.

"Nations of the world, and particularly of the G20 and G7, have made repeated clear commitments to both fight climate change and end fossil fuel subsidies," the report states. "And yet, billions of dollars' worth of government support continues to flow towards fossil fuels and, incredibly, towards coal."

The report argues that claims by governments that continued public spending on coal is necessary to end energy poverty in poor nations is "baseless" because "zero export finance for coal has gone to low-income countries, where the need for access to energy is greatest".

It continues that the $73 billion is probably an underestimate because of a lack of transparent data for many of the institutions.

"Governments of the world are literally hiding their ongoing support for fossil fuels, and for coal in particular," it says.

It calls for an immediate end to international finance for coal via export credit agencies, development banks and state-owned banks, except in circumstances to support energy access for the poor where no other options are available.

And it demands OECD nations immediately disclose "exhaustive data on public finance" for the entire energy sector.

Fairfax Media revealed in March the Abbott government was using an international forum to frustrate efforts by the US, Britain and France to wind back export subsidies for coal plants.

A leaked briefing paper showed the government arguing it was in global environmental interests for developing countries to have access to the most up-to-date, "emissions-reducing coal-fired power station technology".