A study challenging government and industry to "step up their commitment" to countering growing carbon emissions has been published in the journal Science following recent research from the University of Edinburgh.

The research indicates that there is between 30 and 60 tonnes of potential CO2 storage capacity in the North Sea, enough to store all the CO2 from half of all power plants in Europe for 100 years.

This would place the United Kingdom as the leader in capturing CO2 emissions, an emerging market.

University of Edinburgh Geosciences professor, Dr Stuart Haszeldine said: "The UK Government has given its backing to carbon capture and storage, and we hope that Parliament will soon push through moves to fund this technology, so that the first projects can start when they are needed."

This may be in 2014, when the first full-sized commercial plants are expected to begin operating. Carbon capture and storage enables collection of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide before it can escape into atmosphere. Storing the gas underground prevents it from contributing to global warming.

The study highlights the potential of the UK in carbon capture and storage. This technology involves the collection of CO2 at a power station or industrial site. The gas is then liquefied and transported by pipeline, before being injected between one and four kilometres underground.

The CO2 remains stored in microscopic rock pores and eventually dissolves in underground water. A suitable storage site would have impermeable rock near the surface, to prevent CO2 from escaping.

Speaking to The Journal, the University of Edinburgh's Energy and Sustainability Manager, David Somervell asked: "What happens after 100 years?"

He added that while "this is an example of the university's research pre-eminence in exploring solutions to climate chaos... there is a growing recognition that we must also consume less energy."