U.S. – Australia Relations
U.S.-Australia Climate Partnership will Focus on Renewable Energy
Washington, D.C. — 27 April 2004
Joint statement issued April 26 (690)
The governments of the United States and Australia will strengthen their cooperation on renewable energy projects under the U.S.-Australia Climate Action Partnership (CAP), according to a joint statement issued by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky and Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage David Kemp April 26.
The enhanced cooperation is intended to help identify ways to meet future energy needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Officials of the two governments met in Washington on April 26 to review progress under the partnership agreement. The CAP, established in February 2002, was created to focus on practical approaches toward dealing with climate change. It involves the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Departments of State, Commerce and Energy, and their Australian counterparts.
Australian renewable energy industry representatives are planning missions to the United States in May and August this year, the joint statement said. These are expected to lead to the development of several new joint projects, adding to the 19 current projects CAP supports in areas such as technology development, energy efficiency, and climate change science.
Following is the U.S.-Australia joint statement, which was released by the State Department:
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U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
April 26, 2004
Statement by Richard Boucher, Spokesman
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND AUSTRALIA FOLLOWING THE FOURTH MEETING OF THE U.S.-AUSTRALIA CLIMATE ACTION PARTNERSHIP
Following is the text of a joint statement released by the U.S. and Australia following the fourth meeting of the U.S. -Australia Climate Action Partnership in Washington, D.C. on April 26, 2004. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky and senior State Department officials met with Australian Minister for Environment and Heritage David Kemp and senior Australian officials to discuss progress under the Partnership.
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Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage David Kemp and United States Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, met today in Washington to review developments under the United States-Australia Climate Action Partnership (CAP).
Minister Kemp and Under Secretary Dobriansky said they were pleased with the progress being made under the Partnership. The Partnership demonstrates the benefits of bilateral cooperation in achieving practical outcomes to address climate change.
The Climate Action Partnership has nineteen projects underway, covering technology development (including renewable energy, carbon sequestration, hydrogen and fuel cell technology, and clean coal technologies); energy efficiency; and climate change science.
The parties announced that they will enhance their cooperation on renewable energy under the Partnership, noting the important role renewable energy could play in meeting future energy needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Australian renewable energy industry representatives are planning missions to the United States in May and August this year, which are expected to lead to the development of additional joint projects.
At the meeting, the parties noted the importance of involving business in both project development and implementation. For example, Australia and the United States are collaborating on the three synthetic greenhouse gas projects being undertaken by the Australian private sector. One of these involves an Australian company that is developing a technology to convert surplus ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases into commercially useful plastics, such as high temperature and pressure gaskets used in engines.
They noted that giving waste products a commercial value provides industry with a further incentive to collect and return these substances rather than emitting them into the atmosphere.
Other projects involve testing new air conditioning technology in trucks and developing and testing the environmental and energy performance of innovative new commercial refrigeration technologies being developed in Australia.
Minister Kemp and Under Secretary Dobriansky agreed that the Partnership is an effective catalyst for practical joint action to address climate change. They noted that the partnership had also contributed to broader international efforts to address climate change, such as the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum and the International Partnership on the Hydrogen Economy and that they look forward to continued progress in this important bilateral partnership between the United States and Australia.
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Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:http://usinfo.state.gov
Original document from Washington Hyperfile [EPF205].
Last update Monday, 19 November 2007
