Hot on the heels of the failure of world leaders to reach a legally binding deal to limit greenhouse gas emissions at Copenhagen comes news that the worlds biggest coal port  - in Newcastle, NSW - has been shut down for 7.5 hours by activists including a local councillor and Buddhist monk. About a dozen protesters, including an 86-year-old man, were arrested.

The protesters have warned of further action like this in the future and Australian Greens leader Bob Brown believes the coal industry should brace itself for more of these types of protests.

"Civil society is getting more and more frustrated and angry with the inaction of the pollution-bound, big-party politicians, we are going to see more protest action against the powerful coal mining lobby, which wants to open more coal mines." he said.