US plan a ‘dirty coal deal’

A US-LED plan to develop clean-energy technologies was met with caution by critics in Asia yesterday, who claimed it was a ploy to undo the Kyoto pact, the binding accord on controlling global warming that Washington refuses to sign.

The initiative the result of year-long secret talks brings together the US, Australia, China, India, South Korea and last-minute partner Japan, with the aim of inventing and selling technologies ranging from 'clean coal' and wind power to next-generation nuclear fission as a means of reducing pollution and addressing climate concerns.

"The pact sounds more like a dirty coal deal," said the environmental group Greenpeace.

"However, whatever this deal includes in its final form, it cannot and should not be used by the US and Australia to escape domestic emissions reductions," said a Greenpeace statement.

The pact was made public in a statement by US President George W Bush on Wednesday, coinciding with an Asia-Pacific security meeting in Laos attended by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick among others.

Critics noted that the partnership is non-binding and sets no targets for signatories to meet in reducing pollution, talking only about grandiose ideas.