Energy ministers from 18 East Asian nations on September 26 issued a joint statement on the importance of fostering regional cooperation to improve energy security and access as their nations are forecast to consume 70 percent of the world’s energy by 2035.

The statement was issued at the seventh East Asian energy ministers’ meeting in Bali, Indonesia. A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Le Duong Quang attended the event.

The ministers called for all necessary steps to improve energy efficiency, promote the use of renewable energy and develop necessary infrastructure in a transparent manner.

They hailed the 2013-2014 energy efficiency and conservation (EE & C) programme and Japan’s proposal on smart energy which, according to them, is crucial to improve energy efficiency in the future.

Participants shared the view that it is necessary to further study the potential of renewable energy and the bio-fuel market in the region as well as encourage their use in transport and other fields.

To push forward regional energy security, they appealed for the sharing of medium-and long-term prospects of energy supply-demand in the region, especially among the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), the International Energy Agency, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and concerned sides.

On the occasion, a new study on the sustainable fuel market in the region was launched. The ERIA was also assigned to report the outcomes of its studies and cooperation schemes to the future ASEAN and East Asian States energy cooperation forums.

According to ministers, low-carbon technology is extremely important. They exchanged their views on market mechanisms, technology transfer, and public-private partnership in the field.

The meeting lauded Japan’s proposal to hold an energy summit next year, with the participation of the private sector.

The eighth meeting will be held in Laos next year.-VNA