China leads in carbon capture, says IEA

BEIJING - China is playing a leading role in applying carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, an initiative that the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects to help cut global carbon emissions in industrial sectors by 4 gigatons a year by 2050.

"The Chinese government is making serious efforts in CCS in both investment and technological research, which has put it ahead of many other countries," said Ellina Levina, energy analyst of the agency's CCS unit.

CCS technologies capture carbon dioxide (CO2) before or after combustion in the industries such as cement, oil and power, and store it for other uses. The IEA considers it the most effective way to cut carbon emissions.