WASHINGTON- U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today concluded his weekend visit to Aomori, Japan where he participated in the Five-Country and the Group of Eight (G8), China, India and Korea Energy Ministerial meetings hosted by Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akira Amari.  While in Japan, the Secretary met with ministers and other high-level government officials from G8 countries, China, India and Korea (G8+3) to discuss ways to enhance global energy security, while simultaneously combating global climate change.

“To meet our global energy challenges, each nation represented at this weekend’s meetings must be an active participant in developing energy solutions that not only address future growth in energy demand, but do so in a way that reduces our impact on the earth’s environment,” Secretary Bodman said.  “This has been a productive series of meetings, and I'm pleased that my G8+3 colleagues have agreed to take steps to achieve a more secure, clean and diverse energy future.”

During today’s meeting, Secretary Bodman delivered remarks highlighting U.S. investments in next-generation clean and renewable energy technologies that will help the U.S. and other nations keep pace with rising energy demand.  He also encouraged his G8+3 counterparts to promote market-oriented technology-driven solutions to allow continued global economic growth.   

The G8 leaders received an International Energy Agency analysis outlining the progress of G8 members adhering to the St. Petersburg Energy Security Principles.  Established at the 2006 St. Petersburg G8 Summit, the principles exemplify the shared interest of the G8 nations in promoting global energy security.  The principles commit the G8 nations to abide by effective market and investment mechanisms, and to embrace transparent legal and regulatory frameworks.  Secretary Bodman and his counterparts reiterated their commitment to these principles and encouraged other countries around the world to also embrace the principles.

The G8 countries also stressed the critical role of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in tackling the global challenges of climate change and energy security.  The countries agreed to launch 20 carbon capture and storage demonstration projects by 2010.  Under its restructured FutureGen progam, the U.S. will provide funding for the addition of CCS technology to multiple commercial-scale Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) or other advanced clean-coal technology power plants.  Additionally, the U.S. is funding seven regional carbon sequestration partnerships to demonstrate the effectiveness of large-scale, long-term terrestrial storage of carbon dioxide.

Secretary Bodman and his G8+3 colleagues agreed to the establishment of the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC).  The IPEEC will serve as a high-level forum for facilitating a broad range of actions that yield high efficiency gains.  The partnership will support on-going work of the participating countries and relevant organizations, exchanging information of best practices policies and measures and developing public-partnership in key energy consuming sectors as well as on a cross-sectoral basis. 

This was Secretary Bodman’s second time participating in both the Five-Country Energy Ministerial and the G8 Energy Ministerial since being named Energy Secretary in 2005.  In 2006, Secretary Bodman participated in the inaugural Five-Country Energy Ministerial in Beijing and in the G8 Ministerial in Russia.

For more information on Secretary’s Bodman’s trip to Japan, view the DOE's Five Country Energy Ministerial press release.

Joint Statement by G8 Energy Ministers

Joint Statement by Energy Ministers of G8, The People’s Republic of China, India and The Republic of Korea

Declaration:  International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation 
 

Media contact(s):
Bethany Shively, (202) 586-4940