Boost to carbon capture and storage technology as global partnership is formed to support energy efficiency projects

The UK will provide £60m to developing countries to build carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants under an agreement reached among energy ministers from 23 countries at a meeting in London on Thursday.

The money will go towards demonstrating the crucial but fledgling technology, which involves burying carbon emissions from fossil fuel power stations, but has yet to be used at a large power station.

The ministers also formed a partnership to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors in 16 of the world's biggest emitting countries. It will work on improving the efficiency of electrical appliances, such as air conditioning and lighting.

But the meeting stopped well short of attempting to set a common standard for appliance efficiency among the participating countries. A US official said countries needed to set their own standards based on their national circumstances. "It is more effective to do this locally, and if we went for an international standard that would mean lengthy delays, and we need to take action urgently," he said.

Participants hailed the meeting as a success, but green campaigners said they had hoped for more.

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Source: The Guardian by Fiona Harvey (26 Apr 2012)