FOREWORD

The role of energy has been widely recognized as central to achieving the goals of sustainable development. Unfortunately, as many as two billion people or almost one third of the world's population have no access to modern energy services. Ironically a majority of this two billion people live in the Asia-Pacific region. There are a host of factors that need to be addressed to ensure adequate and affordable energy supply for economic and social development. The challenge for the region is to ensure that energy policies are supportive of sustainable development and how could this be accomplished. Energy development that takes into account economic, social and environmental dimensions is normally termed as sustainable energy development.

Against this background, in November 2000, energy policy makers, business community and NGOs of the Asia-Pacific region gathered in Bali Indonesia to discuss and prepare regional perspectives on energy and sustainable development as a contribution to the ninth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The important outcome of the High-level Regional Meeting on Energy for Sustainable Development was the adoption of the Bali Declaration on Asia-Pacific Perspectives on Energy and Sustainable Development as well as the Sustainable Energy Development Action Programme, Strategies and Implementation Modalities for the Asian and Pacific Region, 2001-2005. It is hoped that these two initiatives will guide and inspire all stakeholders to take a bold step towards a sustainable energy future.

The Bali Declaration was submitted to the Commission on Sustainable Development at its ninth session held in April 2001 by the Government of Indonesia, as host government of the High-level Regional Meeting on Energy for Sustainable Development. The Bali Declaration is an indication of strong commitments of the members and associate members of the ESCAP region towards attaining sustainable energy development.

The Commission at its 57th session, held in April 2001, also endorsed the findings and outcome of the High-level Regional Meeting on Energy for Sustainable Development and adopted a resolution to implement the Sustainable Energy Development Action Programme, Strategies and Implementation Modalities for the Asian and Pacific Region, 2001-2005. It is my sincere hope that with the assistance and support of the concerned international organizations and entities, countries of the region will be able to enhance concerted efforts to achieve the goal of sustainable energy development. The Action Programme has a mission to enhance the capacity of concerned stakeholders in developing sustainable energy development strategies under which energy services can be expanded and improved with a minimum compromise on environmental quality.

This publication contains the Bali Declaration and the Action Programme as well as the findings and outcome emanating from the NGO Symposium and the Business Forum, which were concurrently held during the High-level Meeting in November 2000. It succinctly captures the outcome of the regional initiatives taken by ESCAP to develop regional perspectives that are shared and owned by members and associate member countries of ESCAP. I hope that this publication will serve as a good reference as well as a symbol for all of us who are committed to work towards a sustainable energy future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Indonesia for generously hosting the High-level Regional Meeting on Energy for Sustainable Development and for providing invaluable support in organizing the meeting. The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (United Nations Headquarters) contributed financially as well as provided substantive support in organizing this Meeting. Supplementary financial support was also provided by the Government of Australia (AusAID). The United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme generously provided financial support to organize the NGO Symposium. The Government of Japan also contributed towards the NGO Symposium as well as has financed the wide publicity of the outcome of the Meeting through this publication. We acknowledge with appreciation the above contribution and support extended for the Meeting.

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