3 September 2014: Energy Ministers from the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have called for a broad set of measures to strengthen energy security and sustainable energy development, including diversified energy sources, safe energy transportation routes, technological innovation, and effective forums to ensure cooperation on energy in the region.
Recognizing the need for win-win outcomes “in the face of new realities and challenges” stemming from “profound changes in the world’s energy supply and demand,” the APEC Ministerial’s Beijing Declaration champions an “Asia-Pacific concept of energy security featuring openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and sustainability, and encourage economies to work together toward energy security goals.” The Declaration also reaffirms APEC’s commitment to the 2001 Energy Security Initiative (ESI) and endorses various other measures, including: the full engagement of women in green development; cross-border coordination of pipelines, transmission networks, smart grids, and other energy infrastructure; and stronger cooperation in the exploration, development and integrated utilization of oil and natural gas.
The Declaration instructs APEC’s Energy Working Group (EWG) to continue its efforts to advance sustainable development in the region, including through the provision of strong guidance and support to the APEC Sustainable Energy Center (APSEC). The China-based Center, which was inaugurated at the meeting, will promote energy policy, information exchange, and the research, development and application of new technologies.
The Declaration features sections on energy security, energy investment and trade, energy efficiency and sustainable community, and clean energy. On energy security, the Declaration, inter alia, encourages EWG to undertake a study on the security of transportation routes. On energy investment and trade, it calls for EWG to work with the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to identify barriers to energy trade, as well as best practices in clean energy development and investment for APEC members.
On energy efficiency and community, the Declaration instructs EWG to continue its cooperation with related organizations on energy efficiency standards; and, on clean energy, it reaffirms the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative and instructs EWG to cooperate with the International Energy Agency (IEA) to provide guidance on the safe, secure and efficient deployment of nuclear power.
The Declaration was issued at the 11th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting, which took place in Beijing, China, from 2-3 September 2014, under the theme ‘Joining Hands Toward Sustainable Energy Development in the Asia-Pacific Region.’
The 21 member economies of APEC are: Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; US; and Viet Nam. [APEC Press Release] [APEC Ministerial Statement: Beijing Declaration]