UK’s plans to build new power plants fuelled by coal have seen it branded as a climate criminal by developing countries.

The World Development Movement has written a letter on behalf of more than 40 countries to Ed Miliband, UK’s energy and climate change secretary, to criticise the plans for plants without equipment for carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The letter blames rich countries for causing global warming and the “increased floods, droughts, sea-levels and disease” that endanger so many of the world’s population. It goes on to say: “Coal power is the most climate-polluting way to generate electricity. New coal power stations in the UK will exacerbate the impacts of climate change on impoverished communities in the south… A decision to support new coal power stations will confirm the UK as a climate criminal in the international climate-change negotiations.” It also goes on to condemn the idea to offset the emissions from the power stations by investing in clean technology in the developing world – something the letter claims “continuously had negative impacts on communities in the global south while failing to cut emissions”.

The first of the plants to be built is planned for Kingsnorth in Kent, but the government says they are yet to make a final decision on the proposal. Kingsnorth was the site of a week-long camp for protestors in August 2008 as the plans have come up against opposition regularly.

In a statement from the Department of Energy and Climate Change however, said: “We are determined to do all we can to cut CO2 in our atmosphere.”

“A decision on Kingsnorth has not been taken yet, and is not expected until the government finalises its policy on carbon capture readiness.”