AUSTRALIA, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, CHINA, HONG KONG, CHINA, INDONESIA, JAPAN, MALAYSIA, NEW ZEALAND, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, PHILIPPINES, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, SINGAPORE, THAILAND, VIET NAM: Declaration of the First Meeting of APEC Energy Ministers "Energy: Our Region, Our Future" 

Meta Data
Draft: 
No
Revision of previous policy?: 
No
Draft Year: 
1996
Effective Start Year: 
1996
Scope: 
Multilateral
Document Type: 
Other
Economic Sector: 
Energy, Power
Energy Types: 
Power, Renewable, Other
Issued by: 
The Energy Ministers of Member Economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Overall Summary: 
This Declaration offers an overview on the Ministers' discussion regarding the major energy challenges confronting the region, including the effect of rapid population and economic growth on food, energy and the environment. The Asia Pacific region will be the main driver of global economic growth into the next century and Ministers agreed that meeting APEC’s rapidly increasing demand for energy in an environmentally responsible way will be essential if the region’s economic growth potential is to be fully realised. The following objectives were identified: (a) Improvement of regional energy security primarily through the enhancement of open efficient regional energy markets, and through supply capacity expansion and energy conservation (b) Reforms to mobilise business investment in power sector infrastructure (c) A strategic approach to reduce environmental impacts (d) A framework to reduce business costs through cooperation on energy standards (e) The adoption of energy policy principles which give impetus to regional initiatives to reform energy policies for incorporation into member economies’ domestic energy policy deliberations.
Access
Energy service quality targets: 
Improvement of regional energy security primarily through the enhancement of open efficient regional energy markets, and through supply capacity expansion and energy conservation.
Efficiency
EE priorities: 
Pursue policies for enhancing the efficient production, distribution and consumption of energy.
EE action plans: 
Improvement of regional energy security primarily through the enhancement of open efficient regional energy markets, and through supply capacity expansion and energy conservation.
Cooperation in EE: 
Promote cost effective measures which improve the efficiency with which energy is used but reduce greenhouse gases as part of a suggested regional response to greenhouse gas reductions.---The regular exchange of experience on the various policies being used by member economies to achieve a more rational energy consumption.
Environment
Energy environmental priorities: 
Objective: A strategic approach to reduce environmental impacts.---Ministers agreed that the application of economically sound measures to minimise the adverse environmental impacts of energy production and use is essential to protect the well being of both present and future generations.---Ministers agreed that priority should be given to activities which concurrently enhance economic development and mitigate environmental impacts at a local, regional and/or global level.
Decarbonization strategy: 
Consider reducing energy subsidies progressively and promote implementation of pricing practices which reflect the economic cost of supplying and using energy across the full energy cycle, having regard to environmental costs.
Cooperation in env.: 
Ministers decided to adopt a strategic approach to reducing the environmental impacts of energy supply and use which includes agreement to:(a) Integrate environmental considerations into the planning and evaluation processes for energy infrastructure projects (b) A program of work by the Working Group on Regional Energy Cooperation to promote the uptake of environmentally sound energy technologies and processes (c) The pursuit and facilitation of voluntary, cooperative, multilateral joint activities, including demonstration projects, between APEC members to address environmental concerns related to greenhouse gas emissions.---Promote cost effective measures which improve the efficiency with which energy is used but reduce greenhouse gases as part of a suggested regional response to greenhouse gas reductions.---Cooperate, to the extent consistent with each economy's development needs, in the joint implementation of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the Climate Change Convention.
Pricing
Cooperation in energy pricing: 
Consider reducing energy subsidies progressively and promote implementation of pricing practices which reflect the economic cost of supplying and using energy across the full energy cycle, having regard to environmental costs.
Energy Supply and Infrastructure
Infrastructure development priorities: 
Ministers agreed that reform to mobilise the capital needed for power infrastructure growth is essential.
Regional integration priorities: 
Improvement of regional energy security primarily through the enhancement of open efficient regional energy markets, and through supply capacity expansion and energy conservation.---Pursue open energy markets for achieving rational energy consumption, energy security and environmental objectives, recommending action in the appropriate forum of APEC to remove impediments to the achievement of these ends.
Investment
Energy sector investment priorities: 
Ministers agreed that reform to mobilise the capital needed for power infrastructure growth is essential.
Investment climate development: 
Governments and business must forge a strong partnership to ensure that the region’s power infrastructure investment needs are fulfilled.---Promote capital flows through the progressive removal of impediments to the funding of the transfer and adoption of more energy efficient and environmentally sound technologies and infrastructure.
Public Private Partnerships: 
Objectives: Reforms to mobilise business investment in power sector infrastructure.---Governments and business must forge a strong partnership to ensure that the region’s power infrastructure investment needs are fulfilled. Ministers agreed that the challenge for governments of member economies is to find ways to reduce risks (and hence costs) for the business sector to invest in power infrastructure. In particular, APEC Governments must play a catalytic role in creating the project approval, regulatory and financial conditions necessary to mobilise the investment capital required from the business community. ---Ministers recognised that visionary policies will be required to respond to the many energy challenges shared in common Cooperation between APEC member economies and the strong involvement of business will play a vital role in addressing these challenges.
Governance
Energy management principles: 
Objectives: Ministers recognised that visionary policies will be required to respond to the many energy challenges shared in common Cooperation between APEC member economies and the strong involvement of business will play a vital role in addressing these challenges.---Ministers agreed that their common goal should be to work towards the simultaneous achievement of economic growth, enhanced energy security and mitigation of the impact of energy on the environment, by developing shared policy principles and enhancing closer cooperation, leading to sustainable development in the APEC region.---Pursue open energy markets for achieving rational energy consumption, energy security and environmental objectives, recommending action in the appropriate forum of APEC to remove impediments to the achievement of these ends.---Enhance energy information and management programs to assist more rational energy decision making.
National policy structure: 
Objectives: The adoption of energy policy principles which give impetus to regional initiatives to reform energy policies for incorporation into member economies’ domestic energy policy deliberations.---Ministers considered and endorsed the non-binding energy policy principles agreed by the Working Group on Regional Energy Cooperation in October 1994, and agreed to incorporate them in their domestic energy policy deliberations.
Technology
Clean energy technology transfer: 
Promote the adoption of policies to facilitate the transfer of efficient and environmentally sound energy technologies on a commercial and non-discriminatory basis.---Promote capital flows through the progressive removal of impediments to the funding of the transfer and adoption of more energy efficient and environmentally sound technologies and infrastructure.
Clean energy technology deployment: 
Encourage the establishment of arrangements for the development of human resource skills relevant to the application and operation of improved technology.
R&D renewable energy: 
Ministers agreed to cooperate extensively in research and development, technology adaptation and uptake, and programs related to energy efficiency, cleaner fuels and renewable and alternative sources of energy.
R&D energy efficiency: 
Ministers agreed to cooperate extensively in research and development, technology adaptation and uptake, and programs related to energy efficiency, cleaner fuels and renewable and alternative sources of energy.
Technology collaboration with other member States: 
Ministers agreed to cooperate extensively in research and development, technology adaptation and uptake, and programs related to energy efficiency, cleaner fuels and renewable and alternative sources of energy.