25 November 2008
APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting Adopts Declaration Committing to Combat Climate Change
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Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 23 November 2008: The sixteenth Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum economic leaders’ meeting was organized under the theme “A New Commitment to Asia-Pacific Development,” and convened in Lima, Peru, from 22-23 November 2008. The meeting concluded with the adoption of a declaration in which the economic leaders commit to enhance their cooperation to improve risk reduction and fight climate change.

On disaster risk reduction, preparedness and management, the leaders
agree on the need for: greater international cooperation and
coordination in this area with the private sector, international
organizations and non-governmental organizations; and greater focus on
disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness and building domestic
disaster management capabilities.
On climate change, energy security
and clean development, the leaders recognize that climate change must
be addressed in a comprehensive manner, through international
cooperation under the UNFCCC, and that poverty is linked to
climate-vulnerability. They indicate their support to long term
cooperation “now, up to and beyond 2012” to address climate change
under the UNFCCC, in accordance with the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, and
welcome the decisions adopted at the Bali Climate Conference in
December 2007, as well as the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Network
for sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet).
In the
declaration, the economic leaders also express their support to, inter
alia, cooperation and capacity building for climate change mitigation
and adaptation, including actions that promote the development and
deployment of clean technologies. The leaders further commit to:
concerted action under the UN to reach “an equitable and effective
post-2012 international climate change arrangement” in Copenhagen in
December 2009; and promote open energy markets and free energy trade
and investment in order to develop renewable sources of energy and
disseminate low emission energy technologies. [The Declaration]

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