SINGAPORE: November 22, 2007


SINGAPORE - Following are the key points of the "Singapore declaration on climate change, energy and the environment" signed by the East Asia Summit (EAS) nations.


The EAS includes the 10 Southeast Asian members of ASEAN plus China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. The declaration does not include numerical targets for the reduction of emissions, but includes some of the world's largest polluters.

The declaration states that the EAS nations are:

"Concerned about the adverse impact of climate change on socio-economic development, health and the environment, particularly in developing countries, and thus emphasising the need to enhance their adaptive capacities, as well as for the international community to urgently act to address the growth of global greenhouse gas emissions;

"Recognising that rapid economic development, while contributing to sustainable development and poverty eradication in the region, poses new challenges in dealing with greater energy consumption, regional and global energy security concerns; and that growing urbanisation increases the need for environmental management, given the projected doubling of Asia's 1.7 billion urban population between 2000 and 2030;

EAS countries declare to:

"Stress that all countries should play a role in addressing the common challenge of climate change, based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities; and that developed countries should continue to play a leading role in this regard;

"Commit to the common goal of stabilising atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations in the long run, at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system;

"Support the work to achieve a common understanding on a long-term aspirational global emissions reduction goal to pave the way for a more effective post-2012 international arrangement;

"Acknowledge that adaption is a critical issue for the region.

"Intensify ongoing cooperation to improve energy efficiency, and the use of cleaner energy ... by:

- Enhancing regional cooperation to develop cost-effective carbon mitigation; cleaner fossil fuel technologies including clean use of coal; and to produce environmentally friendly and sustainable biofuels;

- Cooperating for the development and use of civilian nuclear power;

"Promote cooperation on afforestation and reforestation, and to reduce deforestation, forest degradation and forest fires, including by promoting sustainable forest management, combating illegal logging, protecting biodiversity, and addressing the underlying economic and social drivers, through, among others:

- Work to achieve an EAS-wide aspirational goal of increasing cumulative forest cover in the region by at least 15 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020."


REUTERS NEWS SERVICE