Apec supports nuclear, agrees climate targets

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting in Sydney, Australia reached agreement on a statement on climate, energy security and clean development. Parties agreed to an aspirational goal of a 25% reduction of energy intensity, relative to economic development. The statement also noted the importance of nuclear energy as a zero-emission energy source.

The Apec statement emphasized the importance of low- and zero-emission energy technologies. In language similar to that used at the recent G8 summit, the Apec statement gave qualified support for nuclear energy by stating that "for those economies which choose to do so, the use of nuclear energy, in a manner ensuring nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation - in particular its safeguards, can also contribute."

More generally the statement said that fossil fuels would continue to play a major role in regional and global energy needs, therefore co-operation would be required to develop and deploy low- and zero-emission technologies for their cleaner use, particularly coal. The importance of enhancing energy efficiency and diversifying energy sources and supplies, including renewable energy was also noted.

On climate change the statement said that Apec parties called for a post-2012 international climate change agreement that would strengthen, broaden and deepen the current UNFCCC arrangements and would lead to reduced global emissions of greenhouse gases.

The statement did not include targets for greenhouse gas emissions reductions. However, Apec parties did agree to an aspirational goal aimed at improving energy efficiency, by reducing the energy intensity of the group as a whole by at least 25% by 2030, relative to 2005.

Apec is an inter-governmental forum with the aim of facilitating economic growth and prosperity, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, and operates on the basis of non-binding commitments.

The meeting was attend by leaders of Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the USA and Viet Nam.