The two-day conference is being organised by an industry group, the World Coal Association, with the "endorsement" of the economy ministry of Poland, the country hosting the UN talks.
Environment activists are planning to picket the ministry when the meeting starts on Monday.
Environment Minister Marcin Korolec, who chairs this year's UN negotiations, told journalists today the coal meeting was only one of a panoply of events taking place on the sidelines of the climate forum.
"During those two weeks, we have a number of different meetings here," he said.
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The "summit" will bring together some of the world's largest coal producers and consumers, policymakers, academics and observers to discuss the role of coal in the global economy, in the context of climate change, according to the website.
Poland is a major user of coal, a cheap and indigenous but highly polluting energy source.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in September that "hard coal and lignite -- and soon shale gas -- will remain our principal energy sources. That's where the future of the energy sector lies."
According to statistics from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Poland was the world's ninth-biggest coal producer in 2012 with 144 million tonnes or 1.8 per cent of the world total -- compared to China's 3.5 billion tonnes (number one at 45.3 per cent) and the United States 935 million tonnes (second highest with 11.9 per cent).
Poland was also the world's 10th biggest producer of electricity from coal and peat with 141 terawatts in 2011 - some 95 per cent of its total electricity production. The country emitted 300 million tonnes of CO2 from fossil fuel combustion in 2011.