Increasing use of non-food crops could reduce global warming

The proposed centre would put it at the forefront to counter global warming and find alternatives to fossil fuels.

It would look at ways of using natural sources such as soya beans to create bio-diesel and ethanol to run vehicles.

Kent County Council leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said Kent would be able to build on its reputation for high quality agriculture and horticulture.

This would leapfrog us into a new scientific area, and would be very exciting Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, KCC leader

He has recently returned from the US where he outlined the council's proposals to a group of senior UN and World Bank officials in Washington.

Sir Sandy told BBC Radio Kent the UN wanted a world centre which focused on scientific research and the "Garden of England" would be the right place.

He said the county was also home to the Wye agricultural college, near Ashford, and the Horticultural Research International site, near Maidstone, and located close to the centre of Europe.

"This would leapfrog us into a new scientific area, and would be very exciting," he said.

Detailed plans

Sir Sandy said he was persuaded to speak to the UN after he was approached by a Kent landowner.

Experts claim that increasing use of non-food crops would reduce global warming, encourage biodiversity and help producers.

Developing countries such as Africa would also benefit.

World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz has asked the council to produce a paper outlining its plans in more detail.