THE eighth APEC Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Darwin has concluded with the release of the Darwin Declaration, recognising the need to deploy cleaner, more efficient and sustainable energy technologies.
“Energy Ministers across 21 economies have agreed to a number of ways forward to achieve energy security and sustainable development,” Australian industry minister Ian Macfarlane said.
“The decisions and deliberations we have had will be an integral part of broader considerations undertaken by APEC Leaders when they meet in Sydney in September 2007,” he said.
Key outcomes featured an agreement to improve energy efficiency through the establishment of an Energy Investment and Trade Study and Roundtable, and a voluntary APEC Energy Peer Review Mechanism to improve the operations of energy markets.
The Darwin Declaration also looked at developing energy efficient transportation, cost-effective use of non-food feedstocks and collaboration on alternative fuels.