The amendments, which were approved by the Coalition party room last night, are broadly in line with several proposals from business groups, such as the Business Council of Australia (BCA), who have been lobbying the Opposition for several months.

The Coalition will hand out $10 billion in compensation for coal-fired electricity generators, who have argued recently that the costs of the Government's scheme would mean they could not meet debt repayments and would have to shut down.

The Opposition will also adopt an "intensity" approach for electricity generators, which would mean they would have to buy less carbon permits than the Government's scheme, which the Opposition argues would limit electricity price rises, shielding small business and households.

Coal-fired electricity makes up about 44 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, and is currently expected to receive $3.9 billion in compensation over five years from the Government's trading scheme plans.

The Opposition is also seeking to exclude methane emissions from coal mines and move to permanently ban agriculture's inclusion in any trading scheme.

But other amendments will allow farmers to make money out of an emissions trading scheme by replanting trees and storing more carbon in the soil.

The Government has delayed until 2013 a decision on agriculture, which accounts for 18 per cent of the nation's greenhouse gases.

Another amendment would result in food processors, such as milk and meat producers, receiving free carbon permits.

The Opposition will also give huge concessions to trade-exposed polluting industry, meaning all will receive 94.5 per cent free permits, dropping to 90 per cent in 2015. Those free permits will continue until 80 per cent of the industries' international competitors are faced with a carbon price.