SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today announced that President Bush will request $52 million in the upcoming FY 2007 budget to support the efforts of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.  This Partnership will expand the use of new energy technologies, improve environmental quality, and promote worldwide economic growth.   This funding request will complement the $3 billion the U.S. spends each year on climate change technology solutions and the billions of dollars being invested by the U.S. private sector to increase efficiency and reduce emissions through voluntary programs like Climate Vision.

 

“The greatest progress in addressing climate change will come through a cooperative effort that combines the best strategies of our governments with the technical know-how of the private sector,” Secretary Bodman said. “In order to achieve meaningful results, we must engage growing and emerging economies from the outset and encourage the implementation of technologies that have demonstrated success.”

 

Secretary Bodman made the announcement as he led the U.S. Delegation to the Asia Pacific Partnership (APP) Ministerial Conference on Clean Development and Climate in Sydney, Australia.  The Partnership expands upon existing international cooperative efforts launched by President Bush over the past four years, including the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, and the Methane to Markets Initiative.

 

This Partnership brings together governments and private sector representatives of partner countries Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. to cooperate on the development, deployment and transfer of cleaner energy efficient technologies and to meet energy security, pollution reduction and economic development goals consistent with the principles of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

 

The meetings in Sydney this week include more than 50 business leaders from energy-intensive sectors working to develop the paths of greatest opportunity and progress.

 

The partner countries have established an initial set of public/private task groups that focus on cleaner fossil energy, renewable and distributed generation, power generation and transmission, aluminum, steel, cement, buildings and appliances, and mining.  The Partnership will focus on developing and commercializing cutting-edge technologies capable of effecting substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in these areas.

 

In addition to the Partnership meeting, earlier today Secretary Bodman had a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.  Later in the day, the secretary will conclude his trip to Australia by touring the University of New South Wales Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Phototonics where he saw the latest technologies available in capturing and storing photovoltaic energy.