The European Commission representative with responsibility for the environment has highlighted the importance of new technology in reducing emissions across Europe.

Speaking at a conference of national parliaments of the EU, being held in London, Stavros Dimas described the development of new technologies to provide clean fuel, such as fuel cells or even improvements to current mainstream fuels like diesel, as "indispensable" if the EU is to move to a "low-carbon society".

He called on countries to reverse the current trend, which he claims has been in evidence since the 1980s, of reducing spending on research and development in the fuel sector.

Mr Dimas added that it is very important for countries to offer "incentives" so that new technologies currently available are taken up, while those still being developed are given more attention so that they can become mainstream alternatives.

One way Mr Dimas suggested that this could be achieved is through schemes similar to the emissions trading programme already set up by the EU, claiming that such a project can "pull new technologies onto the market by allowing companies to profit from exploiting these new products".


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