North West MEPs team up

An extraordinary partnership between a North West Euro-MP and Prime Minister Gordon Brown has secured funding worth up to £8 billion to support the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects across Europe.

CCS technology is seen by many as an essential weapon in the fight against climate change. It prevents the emission of CO2 from power stations by separating it for permanent storage deep underground in former gas and oil formations.

A deal between the EU's 27 leaders agreed at their summit last week was confirmed on wednesday by the European Parliament.

As a result work on at least one CCS-equipped power station in Britain is likely to begin within two years creating new “green” jobs in the UK.

The massive financial boost for the new technology reached the negotiating table thanks to work by Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrat's environment spokesman in Brussels, who described the result as "the greatest political achievement of my life."

Appointed earlier this year as the European Parliament's chief negotiator, Davies introduced the idea that costly CCS demonstration projects could be financed using 'surplus' allowances from the EU's emissions trading scheme.

The proposal met initially with stiff resistance, but the MEP won a vital vote in the Parliament, and has since fought at meetings with ministers across Europe to gain acceptance from national governments.

He paid tribute to Gordon Brown, who he said had played a key role in securing final agreement.

Davies said: "When Prime Ministers met last week they were ready to endorse my proposal but only to a very limited degree. The British Government insisted that CCS had to be given greater priority.

"I put the ball on the spot, but it was Gordon Brown who kicked it through the goal. A bit of cross-party teamwork secured a good result for the environment."

The MEP expressed hope that an early start could now begin on construction of major projects to test and develop the new technology.

With worldwide use of coal forecast to increase by 70% over the next 20 years, use of CCS technology has been described by leading environment group WWF as an essential bridging measure to combat global warming while alternatives to fossil fuels are developed.

Electricity for the North West of England is provided by the huge coal-fired power station at Fiddler's Ferry near Widnes, which emits more than 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

Although approaching the end of its working life, use of CCS technology could ensure that CO2 from any replacement on the site is stored in former gas reserves beneath the Irish Sea.