EU and China pledge cooperation on clean coal technologies
The EU and China have drawn up a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the development of clean coal power generation technologies and other energy issues. The agreement will be signed during the sixth EU-China Energy Conference in Shanghai, at which the two partners will address issues such as the security of energy supplies, promoting renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, nuclear safety and the interaction between energy, research and the environment. The MoU itself will encourage joint development of technology for the capture and underground storage of carbon dioxide emitted from coal-fired power stations. This is considered a key challenge for improving the sustainability of the coal industry and fighting climate change. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, representing the EU at the conference, said: 'By reducing the environmental impact of coal, it will remain a viable part of our energy mix for some time. Energy is one of the EU's foremost concerns and I am glad to have this opportunity to discuss the way ahead with my Chinese counterparts.' China is currently the world's second largest consumer of energy after the United States, and coal accounts for 70 per cent of this consumption. Coal-related pollution is a major problem in many of China's large cities; indeed, in 1998 the World Health Organization found that seven of the globe's ten most polluted cities could be found in China. Sulphur dioxide and soot pollution from industrial furnaces and boilers result in the formation of acid rain, which affects large swathes of the country. The MoU will build upon existing cooperation between the EU and China, such as the Action Plans on clean coal technologies, energy efficiency and renewable energy, a scientific and technological cooperation agreement, and the EU-China Energy and Environment Programme. Currently, EU and Chinese researchers are collaborating in over 100 joint research projects worth around 300 million euro, and both are also partners in the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) project. Commenting on the MoU, Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said: 'This new agreement on zero emission power generation is another example of the developing partnership between the EU and China in science and research.'
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