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BALI DECLARATION ON ASIA-PACIFIC PERSPECTIVES
ON ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
We, the Ministers and the heads of delegations of members
and associate members of the Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific, convening at the High-level Regional
Meeting on Energy for Sustainable Development, in Bali, Indonesia,
on 23 and 24 November 2000,
Noting Economic and Social Council resolution 1999/60 of
30 July 1999 on preparations for the ninth session of the
Commission on Sustainable Development, on energy issues, in
which the Council called upon governments to actively participate
in and contribute to the preparatory process, and that the
Ad Hoc Open-ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Energy
and Sustainable Development, held in New York in March 2000,
recognized the need for the active exchange of information
on energy and sustainable development leading to the ninth
session of the Commission;
Noting further that the Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific, at its fifty-sixth session, held in
June 2000, attached great importance to the ninth session
of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which would
review and assess the issues in the implementation of energy
for sustainable development in the context of Agenda 21, and
recommended that the ESCAP region should provide valuable
input to the discussion at the ninth session of the Commission;
Recalling the regional action programme adopted by the Ministers
attending the Ministerial
Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the
Pacific, 2000, held in Kitakyushu, Japan, on 4 and
5 September 2000, which contains a programme area on sustainable
energy development;
Noting finally that the Preparatory Meeting of Senior Officials
on Sustainable Energy Development held in Bali, Indonesia
on 21 and 22 November 2000 outlined specific activities to
attain a sustainable energy development path;
Make the following declaration for submission to the
Commission on Sustainable Development at its ninth session
outlining the regional perspectives comprising the concerns,
needs and priorities specific to the Asian and Pacific situation:
1. Energy is a crucial input to economic and social development.
Sustainable energy development will also contribute to poverty
alleviation. The Asian and Pacific region, particularly the
developing countries, will require more energy supplies and
services to meet the basic needs and to improve the quality
of life of its people. However, high energy consumption patterns
and high energy demand growth, together with the high levels
of energy demanded by developed countries, would cause a deterioration
of the environment if the current pattern of unsustainable
production, inefficient distribution and use of energy continued
worldwide. It is important to take cognizance of the need
to minimize the environmental impacts of these current patterns.
2. The energy demand and supply situation in the Asian and
Pacific region varies widely across the region. The vast majority
of the people live in rural areas without access to commercial
energy and depend heavily on traditional sources of energy.
The region also has the largest number of mega-cities, where
air pollution poses increasing health hazards and, at the
same time, the poor do not have access to adequate modern
energy services. In small island countries, air pollution
and natural hazards are the main causes of the health risks.
To enhance more equitable supply and servicing of energy to
these people, it is extremely important to bring commercial
energy supplies to the urban poor and rural areas.
3. Many countries, while trying to increase energy supplies,
have made considerable efforts to minimize the environmental
impacts, but more effort is needed to promote energy development
and consumption in a sustainable manner. Many key issues need
to be resolved and constraints will have to be removed, taking
into consideration the needs and priorities specific to the
Asian and Pacific region, in particular those of developing
countries.
4. We consider capacity-building and transfer of technology
to be the most important cross-cutting issues that should
be taken into account in addressing all key issues identified.
5. We therefore seek to undertake to enhance the capacity
of concerned stakeholders in developing sustainable energy
development strategies by which energy services can be expanded
and improved with a minimum impact on environmental quality.
We propose to take appropriate steps to strengthen the policies,
planning and management of the strategic energy sector, including
its integration with economic, social and environmental policies.
We shall promote effective partnership of all stakeholders
through, inter alia, the strengthening of public awareness
and the creation of an enabling environment for investment.
6. In realizing our commitments, we identify the following
priority areas that need attention at the national, regional
and international level.
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