The Australian Government has been accused of softening the language in a Pacific islands climate declaration.

Reports say Australia has removed all but one reference to coal on the draft communique of the Pacific Islands Forum.

It has also watered-down references to the risks of climate change and any reference to a climate ‘crisis’.

Tuvalu’s prime minister, Enele Sopoaga, told reporters for Guardian Australia on Thursday Pacific leaders would probably not be successful in getting the language of “climate change crisis” in the communique.

It is alleged that the draft text of the communique will call on members to “reflect on” the UN secretary general’s call for no new coal and an end to fossil fuel subsidies, rather than actually endorse it.

If Australia is successful in neutering the resolution, it may go against the wishes of small island Pacific leaders, who called for “an immediate global ban on the construction of new coal-fired power plants and coalmines” and for nations “to rapidly phase out their use of coal in the power sector” in the leadup to the summit.