Australian federal government on Monday tasked the Productivity Commission with investigating how other countries are implementing a carbon price.

The study will look at carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, renewable energy targets and subsidies for low-emission technologies from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, New Zealand, China, India and Japan.

The move came as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Sunday suggested Australia to adopt a carbon price sooner rather than later, saying delays have increased uncertainty in the energy sector.

According to Treasurer Wayne Swan, Australia cannot afford to lag behind the rest of the world.

"Australia needs to get started on introducing a carbon price to our economy," he said in a statement on Monday. "Every policy to reduce carbon pollution puts an effective price on carbon, even if that price isn't immediately obvious."

Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said it is necessary for the Government to have more information about how the rest of the world is dealing with reducing carbon pollution.

Combet added that the commission will also estimate the effective carbon price per tonne of carbon emissions on electricity, manufacturing and transport industries.

The commission will report to the government by May 2011.

Nationals senator Ron Boswell has welcomed the commission's involvement, saying an emissions trading scheme or a price on carbon will hurt the export industry.

"People can't export because the dollar is high, put another penalty on that ... we are going to have very serious problems," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

The Australian Greens leader Bob Brown supported the move, saying it is a necessary means of getting an assessment of the overseas action on a carbon price, and to make sure the leaders do not overcompensate to industries in Australia.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has been against putting a price on carbon and wants to use a range of direct action measures to reduce pollution.