East Asia leaders expected to make pledges on oil alternatives
Radio New Zealand
Leaders at the East Asia Summit are expected to endorse a pledge to move toward nuclear and other alternative energies to help cut the region's dependence on fossil fuels.
Those at the meeting on the central Philippine island of Cebu, are: the Association of South East Asian Nations and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
ASEAN comprises: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. They are meeting for only the second time as the East Asia Summit.
A draft of the declaration acknowledges that oil still underpins their economies and that their dependence on crude will not disappear overnight; but calls for better efforts to find future alternatives.
The draft says biofuels, natural gas, nuclear power for selected countries, hydroelectricity and renewable energy should reduce the need for fossil fuels in future.
Commitment to energy security
Much of the document reaffirms the bloc's collective commitment to ensuring energy security which was first issued in the inaugural meeting of the EAS in Malaysia in 2005.
The draft does not mention stockpiling of oil - though there are suggestions the region should consider this.
The ASEAN meeting earlier reached several agreements: including closer political ties and introduction of a free trade zone by 2015; as well as a counter-terrorism pact obliging them to share information.
Those at the meeting on the central Philippine island of Cebu, are: the Association of South East Asian Nations and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
ASEAN comprises: Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. They are meeting for only the second time as the East Asia Summit.
A draft of the declaration acknowledges that oil still underpins their economies and that their dependence on crude will not disappear overnight; but calls for better efforts to find future alternatives.
The draft says biofuels, natural gas, nuclear power for selected countries, hydroelectricity and renewable energy should reduce the need for fossil fuels in future.
Commitment to energy security
Much of the document reaffirms the bloc's collective commitment to ensuring energy security which was first issued in the inaugural meeting of the EAS in Malaysia in 2005.
The draft does not mention stockpiling of oil - though there are suggestions the region should consider this.
The ASEAN meeting earlier reached several agreements: including closer political ties and introduction of a free trade zone by 2015; as well as a counter-terrorism pact obliging them to share information.
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