ASEAN should prioritise finding effective ways to realise energy security and deal with climate change challenges, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said yesterday.
Opening the 28th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) in Da Lat City, Dung emphasized that this was a pivotal year for the regional bloc as it was being considered a growth engine in the aftermath of the global crisis.
As signs of initial recovery had been seen in the regional and global economies, the situation presented both opportunities and challenges for ASEAN, he said.
"We should strive harder so that ASEAN energy development co-operation initiatives and programmes can be realised," the PM said.
He said the meeting should focus on increasing co-operation to ensure energy security for ASEAN in the context of rising consumption to meet the demands of recovery and development, and to cope with climate change impacts.
Dung also called for wide-ranging co-operation in researching and developing energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The PM suggested that ASEAN step up research efforts and expedites projects like the regional power grid and the trans-ASEAN gas pipeline. Member nations should also implement petroleum security agreements to ensure mutual support for electricity, oil and gas among members, especially in emergencies, he said.
"The region should promote co-operation in trade and investment in the fields of clean coal technology transfer and application among member nations and with partners to meet the growing demand for coal," he added.
Dung also called for greater co-operation in the use of renewable energy sources so that they account for at least 15 per cent of total energy consumption by 2015.
"We need stronger commitment to providing financial support, promoting technology transfer and coming up with new, more effective mechanisms for building projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)," he said.
Kyoto Protocol
The CDM allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement emission-reduction projects in developing countries in order to earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to 1 tonne of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets.
Dung also urged co-operation in energy planning and policy-making, transportation and distribution of oil and gas, as well as environmental protection.
"The possibility of co-operation in using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as a source of alternative low-carbon and sustainable energy should be considered," he stressed.
Dung said the plans being developed within and among ASEAN nations as well as between ASEAN and its partner countries and the international community aimed to develop low-carbon economies.
"Dialogue and co-operation between businesses and governments to ensure realisation of the ASEAN Action Plan of Energy Co-operation (AAPEC)\'s objectives are crucially important," he said.
Vietnam took over as chair of the 28th AMEM for a year, replacing Myanmar.
"This is a very important period for implementing AAPEC, which was approved last year in Myanmar," said Vu Huy Hoang, Minister of Industryand Trade, as he opened a working session at the meeting.
The lack of necessary sources was clearly creating difficulties in implementing the AAPEC, and ASEAN should raise its relationship with the international community to a new level.
Earlier, ASEAN energy officials held talks about energy co-operation for the first time with Russia and the US.
New proposals
The regional energy ministers looked at key achievements and studied new proposals for implementing the 2010-15 AAPEC, focusing on coal and clean technology, energy efficiency and conservation; renewable energy, nuclear energy and regional energy policy and planning.
They also reviewed the activities of the 2010-11 programmes initiated by SOME + 3 (Meeting of Senior Energy Officials from ASEAN and China, Japan, South Korea); as well as the implementation of the EAS (East ASEAN Summit) energy cooperation programme.
Later yesterday, Dung met the Indian Oil and Gas Minister, Murli Deora, who said Indian businesses wanted to boost their investment in Vietnam\'s energy and steel sectors.
Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam reached an agreement on future energy co-operation during a forum on the sidelines of the 28th AMEM
The document, signed yesterday evening by Vietnamese minister Hoang; Cambodian Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Suy Sem; and Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Soulivong Dalavong, demonstrated the countries\' commitment to projects involving the three nations, the ministers said.
The agreement covered inter-connection 230kV and 500kV electricity projects, development support for environmentally friendly hydroelectric power projects on the Mekong River and promotion of future energy projects that would benefit the three countries individually or collectively.
A Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in developing nuclear power sources was signed yesterday evening by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and its Japanese counterpart.
Source: VNS