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Polluters to tackle energy-intensive industries

01 Nov 2006 11:57:29 GMT
Source: Reuters

NEW DELHI, Nov 1 (Reuters) - An alliance of the world's biggest polluters is working together to make the most energy-intensive sectors such as coal, cement and steel manufacturing more efficient, India said on Wednesday.

The Asia-Pacific Partnership -- made up of India, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and Australia -- favours a voluntary approach to reducing emissions instead following the Kyoto model of setting specific targets.

The six countries -- which represent about half of the world's economy, population and energy use -- have identified 98 projects in power generation, steel, cement, aluminium, mining and buildings where they will share technology to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But environmentalists are sceptical about the approach, saying that the pact is voluntary and does not commit countries to the kind of emissions cuts which are required to prevent global warming.

They said countries such as the United States and Australia were using the voluntary pact as an excuse to avoid demands to ratify the Kyoto agreement.

Collectively, the alliance produces about 65 percent of the world's coal, 48 percent of the world's steel, 37 percent of the world's aluminium and 61 percent of the world's cement.

Officials said the government and private sectors in the six countries would work together to develop renewable energy sources and clean fossil fuel technology.

Projects included efforts to make buildings and household appliances more energy-efficient, set up joint ventures on waste coal management and develop gasified biomass-fuelled engines to provide energy for rural populations.

"Based on our own projections we see that if certain policy decisions are taken and certain technologies become available to us in the next 20 to 25 years, we will consume about 20 percent less energy," said Surya Sethi, principal adviser at India's planning commission.

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Last updated:Wed Nov 1 11:59:58 2006