APEC urged to enhance knowledge sharing to hit energy efficiency goals

MANILA, Philippines – The 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) are being urged to join the Regional Sharing Initiative to determine appropriate projects that will help in achieving energy efficiency goals in the next 20 years.

In a statement disseminated by the Department of Energy, the APEC Expert Group in Energy Efficiency & Conservation (EGEEC), in its 46th meeting held last week in Cebu City, has reaffirmed its commitment to intensify efforts to reduce the aggregate energy intensity by 45 percent based on the 2005 level by 2035.

The APEC group defined energy intensity as a comparative measure to determine the energy efficiency of each economy calculated as units of energy per unit of gross domestic product (GDP).

Those member economies that have low energy intensities have highly productive economies with manageable weather patterns, and use high energy efficiency appliances and equipment; apply energy efficient technologies in its buildings and industries; utilize efficient mass transport system and fuel efficient vehicles; and adopt energy conservation measures, among others.

The APEC EGEEC actively formed the Energy Smart Communities Initiatives’ (ESCI) Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP), a tool to consolidate ideas and best practices, energy efficiency and low carbon projects to support its four main pillars – smart transport, smart buildings, smart grids, and smart jobs and consumers.

The APEC group is urging member economies to support the development of this valuable resource (ESCI-KSP), which will be key to determine appropriate project proposals that will address the remaining challenges in achieving the APEC leader’s energy intensity reduction goal.

The APEC Economic Leaders Meeting will be held on Nov. 18-19 in Metro Manila.  It is an annual regional forum attended by 21 world leaders that seek to leverage on the growing inter-dependence of the Asia-Pacific.