5 October 2010: The eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which convened in Brussels, Belgium, from 4-5 October 2010, discussed climate change among other issues.

The meeting brought together Heads of States and of Governments of 46 Asian and European countries, the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the Secretary-General of ASEAN. Representatives from Australia, New Zealand and the Russian Federation attended the ASEM Summit for the first time and, on this occasion, became ASEM members.

During the meeting, leaders underlined: the centrality and legitimacy of the UNFCCC process; a shared goal of reaching urgently a fair, effective and comprehensive legally binding outcome under the mandate of the Bali Roadmap; and the need to address the remaining gaps on all major issues during the Cancun Climate Change Conference. Leaders then called on developed countries to follow up, in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and of transparency in implementation of these actions, on their commitment to the goal of mobilizing jointly US$100 billion per year by 2020 in order to address the needs of developing countries.

Leaders also stressed that energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy across all sectors of the economy are major contributions to addressing climate change, while fostering security in energy supplies. They called for making full use of international cooperation, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the UNFCCC, to exchange best practices between developed and developing ASEM partners and stimulate the development, transfer, deployment, dissemination and adaptation of advanced, affordable, safe and environmentally-sound energy technologies and know-how, including aspects of policy and regulation. They underlined the benefits deriving from transparent, competitive and environmentally sustainable energy markets, from consistent legal frameworks at national and international levels and from diversification of sources, routes and types of energy supplies.

In addition, leaders expressed their support for the UN Collaborative Initiative on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and the role of conservation, sustainable use of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+), noting the contribution of the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Action Plan (FLEGT) and of parallel Asian initiatives in addressing illegal logging and introducing transparency in forestry operations.

Furthermore, leaders recognized the importance of promoting sustainable forms of production and consumption, including through the promotion of a green, low-carbon economy. They noted the rising interest among ASEM partners for developing carbon markets and supported the objective of scaling up finance and investment through the development of the international carbon market. Leaders committed to intensify ASEM cooperation in raising awareness, in exchanging information and best practices, in training experts in resource efficiency and in making technologies and know-how more widely available. [ASEM 8 Chair’s Statement]