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Prime Minister John Howard today announced $60 million in funding for 42 projects to help cut greenhouse emissions, to be developed in collaboration with five other countries in the Asia-Pacific Partnership.
The new six-member Asia-Pacific bloc, known as AP6, also involves the United States, Japan, South Korea, China and India.
“The Asia-Pacific Partnership includes countries that represent about half of the world’s emissions, energy use, GDP (gross domestic product) and population, and is an important initiative that engages, for the first time, the key greenhouse-gas emitting countries in the Asia-Pacific region,” Howard said.
The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association today welcomed the AP6 partnership, saying its Asia-Pacific Gas Market Growth Project will emphasise the benefits of natural gas throughout the region.
“Today’s announcement highlights AP6 as an innovative and practical approach to involve the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters in tackling climate change – something that no other international initiative has been able to do,” chief executive Belinda Robinson said.
“As the Prime Minister notes, AP6 is committed to addressing the challenges of climate change, energy security and air pollution in a way that encourages economic development and reduces poverty.
“APPEA strongly supports that goal and is confident the Asia-Pacific Gas Market Growth Project … will make a significant contribution through encouraging greater use of less greenhouse-intensive natural gas.”
Robinson said natural gas could play a central role in a low emissions future for AP6 countries, so long as the demand for natural gas is not limited by constraints within gas markets and delivery systems.
“The Asian-Pacific thirst for energy is growing at an astounding 3.2% per year,” she said.
“This gas project will seek to ensure that a significant part of that growth will be met by low greenhouse-emitting natural gas.”
Results of the Asia-Pacific Gas Market Growth Plan are expected to be delivered next year.
