APEC energy officials set foundation for sustainable cities in Asia-Pacific

Energy officials from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are laying a foundation for more sustainable cities in the Asia-Pacific, intent on mitigating the environmental impact of rapid urbanization and the escalating threat it poses to energy security and economic growth in the world’s most populous region.

Technical support for the proliferation of solar-powered, energy efficient buildings and high-efficiency lighting, improved vehicle fuel efficiency labeling and consumer information, and easier green energy financing were among the efforts advanced by officials during a recent meeting in the coastal city of Gyeongju, 370km southeast of Seoul.

“Supply and demand swings of late do not change the energy calculus in the bigger picture,” said Dr. Phyllis Genther Yoshida, Chair of the APEC Energy Working Group, which oversees APEC member collaboration within the sector. “Demand for power will continue to rise over the coming decades, fueled by urbanization, and put smart energy production and use to the test.”

“Widening access to clean, low cost energy supplies is vital to the sustainability of fast-growing cities in the Asia-Pacific and their capacity to power growth and improved living standards,” said Dr. Yoshida, who is also United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy.

“Access to energy supplies must also be integrated with increased energy efficiency. Coordinated action that is timely, far-reaching and ambitious is central to APEC’s agenda.”

Urban areas account for up to 80 percent of energy consumption and 75 percent of carbon emissions in Asia, according to the Asian Development Bank. About 120,000 people migrate to the region’s cities daily, the United Nations adds.

Officials are working together to develop, test and deploy new technologies and approaches for doubling renewable energy use in APEC economies by 2030 – it currently accounts for about ten per cent of their energy mix. They are also pursuing a 45 percent reduction in energy intensity – facilitated by improved energy efficiency – by 2035 and reductions in carbon emissions.

Focus is on promoting next generation transport, building and grid development as well as green industries, jobs and public consumption under a multiyear APEC Energy Smart Communities Initiative. This includes facilitating the introduction of more efficient and resilient energy infrastructure, greater integration of renewable energy sources, efforts to accommodate large-scale use of plug-in electric vehicles, and the adoption of energy-saving high insulation windows and heat deflecting building materials, among other measures.

Officials are also working with the private sector to create training and certification programs for designers and installers of solar photovoltaic rooftop systems. It comes as APEC members angle to cut their tariffs to five per cent or less on 54 environmental goods such as solar panels, wind turbines and air pollution control equipment by year’s end to enhance their accessibility.