About the Asia Pacific Partnership
The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) was an international organisation that operated over a five-year period between 2006 and 2011.
The Australian Government was instrumental in establishing the partnership, which brought together Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United States of America (US) to address the challenges of climate change, energy security and air pollution in a way that encourages economic development and reduces poverty.
The APP represented approximately half of the world's emissions, energy use, GDP and population. It was an important initiative that engaged the key greenhouse gas emitting countries in the Asia Pacific region.
With its focus on the development, deployment and transfer of cleaner, more efficient technologies, the APP was unprecedented in the way business, government and researchers agreed to work together.
The APP created the first instance where industry was afforded an opportunity as equal partners in global climate change discussions.
The APP Partners established eight public-private sector Task Forces covering:
- Aluminium—chaired by Australia, co-chaired by United States of America
- Buildings and Appliances - chaired by Republic of Korea, co-chaired by United States of America
- Cement—chaired by Japan, co-chaired by Canada
- Cleaner Fossil Energy—chaired by Australia, co-chaired by China
- Coal Mining—chaired by United States of America, co-chaired by India
- Power Generation and Transmission—chaired by United States of America, co-chaired by China
- Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation—chaired by Canada, co-chaired by Australia
- Steel—chaired by Japan, co-chaired by India.
The APP Task Forces held their last meetings during 2010 and 2011, with their Policy and Implementation Committee holding its final session 5 April 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand. A number of individual projects now continue and will transition to other forums.
Achievements
In the five years of its operation, the APP enhanced partnerships between the public and private sectors, promoted best practices and technologies across a range of key sectors, and deepened cooperation among its seven partner countries. The APP achieved considerable success and benefited all partners, and became a model of public-private partnerships to drive the development of clean technologies.
Australia and other APP partner countries remain committed to current and ongoing APP projects that will continue and transition to new international forums.
Funding
The Australian Government committed $100 million in funding over the five years which provided support for 54 projects across the Task Forces. This substantial commitment helped to drive the APP in the early years and built a momentum that would result in the APP undertaking over 180 projects across all APP partner countries.
How is RET involved?
Policy responsibility for the APP was shared between the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
More information
For more information about the Asia Pacific Partnership, go to the Asia Pacific Partnership website.