Today President Hu Jintao and I have agreed on the importance of addressing climate change and energy, consistent with our respective economic growth aspirations.
China's remarkable economic development, especially since APEC was founded, has brought with it increased influence and responsibilities in regional and global affairs, including in the evolving international climate change framework. This is to be welcomed.
Australia and China have reaffirmed our commitment to the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, and have agreed to continue developing low-emissions energy technologies. This underscores China's growing need for cleaner forms of power generation.
Australia will commit a further $20 million to our joint work on clean coal technologies. We have already funded a carbon capture project in Beijing, and a combined cycle demonstration power plant in Australia. This recognises our role as a reliable and responsible major energy supplier, and China's continued dependence on coal, alongside other energy sources, for its economic development.
President Hu and I have also agreed to continue our other work on climate change, particularly coal mine methane recovery, energy efficiency, climate change science and agriculture. We have agreed on the role that the safe and secure use of nuclear power can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other energy sources such as geothermal and solar thermal energy.
We have also noted today the potentially large role of forestry in addressing climate change. Australia and China are both strong supporters of the Global Initiative on Forests and Climate. Australia strongly supports China's proposal for an Asia-Pacific Network on Sustainable Forest Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management.
I look forward to China's support for a strong APEC Leaders' declaration on climate change, energy security and clean development in Sydney.
Attachments
* APEC China Joint Statement - RTF 31KB | PDF 34KB
* APEC China Joint Statement Background - RTF 87KB | PDF 95KB
* Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate - RTF 186KB | PDF 87KB
* Asia Pacific Forestry Skills and Capacity Building Programme - RTF 188KB | PDF 87KB
* Australia-China Joint Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology - RTF 184KB | PDF 92KB