Asean ministers focus on green energy, set goal for lowering emissions by 8% in 2015
The Asean Ministers on Energy meeting this week agreed to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 8 per cent in 2015 compared with this year.
Thailand’s Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon said after the four-day meeting in Cambodia, which concluded yesterday, that the Asean officials focused on the green energy concept, especially on coal-burning technology to support increasing demand for energy in the region.
The meeting also agreed to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 8 per cent in 2015. Asean countries succeeded in reducing such emissions by 4.97 per cent in 2010 compared with 2005.
Meanwhile, Thailand is trying to push Asean members to use alternative energy such as ethanol and biodiesel. This would enable Asean countries to have sustainable alternative energy, which would also reduce the cost of imports.
Arak said he also held meetings with Cambodia’s energy minister to discuss progress in the construction of the Strueng Nam hydropower plant at Koa Kong, which will be supplying power to the Electricity General Authority of Thailand. However, the plant may now have to set aside some electricity for Cambodia because of a power shortage in that country.
He said the bilateral meeting did not discuss the overlapping maritime area between Thailand and Cambodia as this comes under the purview of the Foreign Ministry.
