EIGHTH MEETING OF APEC ENERGY MINISTERS
DARWIN DECLARATION ON:
ACHIEVING ENERGY SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
EFFICIENCY, CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
Darwin, Australia, 29 May 2007
Message from APEC Energy Ministers
1. We, Energy Ministers of the APEC economies, gathered
for the eighth time in Darwin, Australia, on 29 May 2007 under the theme "Achieving
Energy Security and Sustainable Development through Efficiency, Conservation and
Diversity".
2. We met within the context of an increasing global
consensus that energy security is fundamentally linked to our economic, social
and environmental well- being. We discussed the Ha Noi Declaration's call to
respond to the challenges of meeting rapidly growing energy demands while
minimising environmental effects.
3. We emphasised the need to strengthen our emergency
preparedness and participate in measures to manage the risks and consequences of
short- term energy supply disruptions.
4. We also recognised the importance for our longer- term
energy future of pursuing policies and technologies to promote the development
of cleaner energy and the improvement of energy efficiency and conservation.
5. We determined that addressing the challenges of energy
security and sustainable development should be based on well- functioning
markets that are progressively characterised by free and open trade, secure and
transparent frameworks for investment, market- based price signals, market
transparency, good governance and effective competition.
6. We welcomed the keynote address by the Executive
Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) on global and regional energy
security challenges. We encouraged the development and implementation of APEC-
IEA
collaboration.
7. We recognised the need to address environmental
challenges - in particular air quality and climate change objectives - requires
a concerted response to promote energy efficiency and conservation, develop and
deploy cleaner and more efficient technologies, address barriers to energy
investment and facilitate cross- border energy trade.
8. We discussed actions to achieve greater efficiency and
diversity in the stationary energy sector. We noted how energy efficiency in
industry, buildings and commerce and cleaner power generation technologies -
including renewables, clean coal, natural gas/LNG, and for interested economies,
nuclear technologies - can provide for more secure, diversified systems of
energy supply and use with lower carbon emissions.
9. We discussed actions to achieve greater efficiency and
diversity in the transport energy sector, which is the key driver of oil demand.
We encouraged the development of policies and technologies to promote fuel
efficient transport as well as the uptake of biofuels and other alternative
transport fuels in a sustainable manner.
10. We welcomed the meeting of energy business at the APEC
Energy Business Forum and the address by the Energy Business Network. We noted
the recommendations of the Energy Business Network. We encourage the efforts of
the Energy Business Network to strengthen its structure and widen its
membership.
11. We responded to APEC Leaders' instructions to report
in 2007 on ways in which APEC might further contribute to policies and
technologies that promote the development of cleaner energy and the improvement
of energy efficiency, thereby enabling economies to meet increasing energy needs
with a lower environmental impact and to address climate change objectives.
Instructions from APEC Energy Ministers
ACHIEVING OIL SECURITY
12. APEC oil import dependency is forecast to rise from 36
percent in 2002 to 52 percent in 2030.1 Recent high oil prices have been
driven by supply- demand fundamentals, geopolitical risks
and concerns about supply interruption and speculative trading. In response we
encourage APEC economies to adopt a broad range of measures designed to enhance
security of supply and promote fuel efficient transport and the uptake of viable
alternative fuels.
(a) Facilitating investment and trade in downstream and
upstream oil markets
13. To ensure sufficient investment in refining capacity to
meet growing demand, including for cleaner fuels, we encourage APEC economies
to:
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provide a transparent and streamlined regulatory
framework for such investment;
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facilitate freer trade of oil products; and
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create a positive environment for technology
development to help refiners to produce cleaner oil products more
efficiently.
14. Transparent, credible, equitable, and effective legal and
regulatory frameworks, including the ability to enforce contracts, are essential
to generate sufficient and sustainable international upstream investment.
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We support ongoing dialogue between consumers and
producers to facilitate an enabling investment climate in oil and natural
gas resources and reserves.
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We recognise the importance of facilitating upstream
investments.
15. Observing the important role of oil and gas companies in
APEC economies:
(b) Enhancing emergency preparedness
16. Oil supply disruptions can affect all member economies.
In response:
-
we encourage APEC economies to participate in the Real-
Time Emergency Information Sharing System (RTEIS) and to develop
and communicate emergency mechanisms and contingency plans, including
through the APEC Taskforce for Emergency Preparedness and also through
enhancing the RTEIS to facilitate the establishment of an APEC Rapid
Response Points of Contact Network for the Protection of Critical Energy
Infrastructure to help minimise the potential for supply disruptions and to
better protect critical energy infrastructure, including for maritime
transportation;
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we instruct the EWG to strengthen cooperation with other
relevant international fora, such as the IEA, for coordinating efforts at the
time of energy supply disruption;
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we recognise the implications of disruptions and
limitations to maritime energy transport and we instruct the EWG to develop
linkages with organisations responsible for regional maritime security with a
view to identifying and reporting any cross- cutting
issues to our next meeting; and
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we encourage interested economies to continue to report
on implementing best practices for the establishment, financing and management
of strategic oil stocks.
(c) Improving oil data sharing
17. A lack of transparent and reliable oil market data
aggravates price volatility.
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We reaffirm our support for the Joint Oil Data
Initiative (JODI) as an international initiative that addresses investor
uncertainty, contributes towards global harmonisation of energy data, and
strengthens producer and consumer dialogue by demonstrating concrete action.
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We encourage APEC economies to report timely, accurate
and complete data on oil reserves, supply and demand, stocks and production
under the JODI. We direct the EWG to continue to provide training through
JODI for economies to undertake this task and to contribute towards the JODI
World Database.
(d) Promoting energy efficient transport and alternative
transport fuels
18. Transportation is the leading sector for oil demand
growth in the APEC region and high oil prices are driving cost- effective
improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency and the development and uptake of
alternative transport fuels.
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We welcomed the report of the APEC Biofuels Task
Force. Among its key findings are that biofuels from several crops are cost-
competitive at current oil prices, that biofuels can lower
greenhouse gas emissions and that biofuels can displace a sizeable share of
oil use over time.
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Biofuels production should be advanced in line with
sustainable development objectives. We encourage intensified efforts to
develop and deploy techniques for the cost- effective
use of non- food feedstocks, such as farm and forest
residues and grasses, which hold the greatest potential for expanded biofuels
production and greenhouse gas reductions.
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We encourage the EWG to collaborate on alternative fuels
with other international bodies, such as the IEA and the Global Bioenergy
Partnership (GBeP).
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We encourage APEC economies to manage their growing
dependence on oil for transportation through policies and measures to promote
energy efficiency in transportation and to diversify the fuel mix using
cleaner fuel sources.
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We direct the EWG to develop best practice principles
for energy efficient transport.
PROMOTING CLEAN AND EFFICIENT ENERGY PRODUCTION AND USE
19. Meeting growing energy needs with a lower environmental
impact requires cooperation to improve energy efficiency, cleaner and more
efficient energy technologies, attraction of additional energy investment and
facilitation of cross- border energy trade.
(e) Improving energy efficiency
20. Improving energy efficiency is a cost- effective
way to enhance energy security and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. There is
great potential for energy efficiency improvements in the power generation,
industrial, transportation, public, residential and commercial sectors.
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We encourage APEC economies to individually set goals
and formulate action plans for improving energy efficiency on an overall
and/or sector basis.
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We direct the EWG to collaborate with the IEA to
develop energy efficiency indicators and compile best practices that can be
used to help formulate and track progress towards such voluntary goals and
action plans.
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We direct the EWG to strengthen efforts to share
information on energy efficiency policies and measures, identify effective
energy efficiency approaches and review progress towards efficiency goals.
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We encourage APEC economies to contribute to and
utilise the APEC Energy Standards Information System (ESIS).
(f) Developing and deploying cleaner and more efficient
energy technologies
21. New energy technologies can address energy security and
provide environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gases and other
atmospheric pollutants. To accelerate their deployment:
-
we encourage the development of cleaner and more
efficient power generation technologies, including renewables, clean coal,
natural gas/LNG, and for interested economies, nuclear technologies;
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we direct the EWG to progress the development of clean
fossil energy technologies, including carbon capture and storage;
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we encourage EWG collaboration with the Renewable
Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) on financing, policy and
regulation;
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we recognise the importance of progress in the uptake
of new and renewable energy through the APEC 21st Century Renewable Energy
Development Initiative;
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we encourage interested APEC economies to join the EWG's
Ad- Hoc Group on Nuclear Technologies and to ensure
that the safety, security, seismic, health and waste handling aspects,
including trans- border effects, of civilian nuclear
energy are adequately addressed; and
-
we await EWG advice on the recommendations from the
forthcoming meetings of regional nuclear safeguards experts.
(g) Attracting energy investment and facilitating cross-
border trade
22. Meeting energy demand in the APEC region will require new
investment of at least US$ six trillion to 2030. Significant economic benefits
can be gained by removing barriers to such investment.
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We encourage continued efforts by the Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy Financing Task Force to help governments,
businesses and financial institutions incorporate the value of energy
savings in large- scale investment decisions.
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We direct the EWG to review the uptake and currency of
Best Practice Principles on: Accelerating Investment in Natural Gas Supplies,
Infrastructure and Trading Networks in the APEC Region; Facilitating the
Development of LNG Trade; Financing Energy Projects; and Natural Gas Trade.
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We direct the EWG to contribute to the proposed APEC
Energy Trade & Investment Study and Roundtable.
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We encourage APEC economies to address the
recommendations of the APEC Gas Forum.
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We direct the EWG to continue implementation of its LNG
Public Education and Communication Information Sharing Initiative.
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We direct the EWG to continue cooperative efforts to
improve natural gas data collection.
(h) APEC Energy Peer Review Mechanism
23. To assist interested economies in developing policies
that support energy security and environmental objectives:
PROMOTING BROADER ENERGY COOPERATION
24. Cooperation and partnership are essential to addressing
energy security and environmental challenges that extend beyond the sphere of
any single economy or the APEC economies as a group. In response:
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we direct the EWG to further advance collaboration
with other international energy fora, including the International Energy
Agency;
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we welcome the work of the Asia- Pacific
Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) and await advice from the
EWG on potential areas of cooperation; and
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we direct the EWG to continue to report sustainable
development activities to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable
Development.