17 July 2008: The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) held a breakfast briefing on 17 July 2008, in Washington DC, US. This briefing was the first of a series that will be held throughout the year to provide updates on the Partnership’s activities.

The APP is a coalition of seven of the world’s largest economies that account
for over half of the world’s economy, population, energy use and greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions. The APP aims to accelerate the development and deployment of
clean energy technologies. The briefing brought together over 100 representatives from the media, industry, and government. Following an opening speech by Paula Dobriansky, US Under Secretary for
Democracy and Global Affairs, a panel of representatives from the
World Resources Institute, Portland Cement Association, Solar Turbines, the US Environmental
Protection Agency, the US Department of Commerce and the US Department of
Energy discussed their experiences under the APP. Dobriansky elaborated on the place of the APP within the US climate strategy, noting the importance of involving emerging economies in reaching agreement on GHG
emissions reductions. She recalled that at their recent meeting in Japan, major economies leaders had called for “voluntary, action-oriented international cooperation” in key sectors, an approach undertaken by the APP. [Speech by the US Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs] [US Government’s APP Website]