MANILA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Energy ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and development partners wrapped up their meeting on Thursday, agreeing to further strengthen their cooperation to ensure regional energy security, sustainability and resiliency.
In a joint statement issued at the end of the 35th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting, the ASEAN ministers endorsed measures to meet the region's fast-rising energy demand.
After discussing the ASEAN and global energy outlook, Philippine Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who chaired the meeting, said they agreed to support the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016 to 2025 as a guide to sustain energy supply in the region.
ASEAN energy demand continues to surpass global growth, mainly driven by its targeted economic growth of 5.4 percent per year into 2025. The total energy supply is expected to increase by a factor of 2.3 times over the period of 2015 to 2040.
"This is to reiterate the ASEAN member states and development partners' recognition of sustained cooperation to ensure the security of energy supply and promote a low carbon energy sector," Cusi told a news conference.
Also, the ASEAN ministers agreed to attain ASEAN aspiration target of 23 percent renewable energy share in the region-wide energy mix by 2025.
"We have a long way to go, so we have devised a renewable energy outlook as a guide to narrow the gap on renewable energy initiatives in the region," Cusi said.
Cusi also bared that ASEAN and its partners were united in forging a sustainable renewable energy cooperation together with the active participation of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Cusi said ASEAN also agreed to work towards achieving by 2020 the ASEAN's energy intensity reduction target by 20 percent based on 2005 levels.
"The energy ministers emphasized the need to foster innovative solutions and encourage countries to continue information sharing, best practices, capacity building, better business models and other alternative and emerging efficient energy technologies," Cusi said.
