Australia Says ASEAN Nations Keen on New Climate Pact

Southeast Asian countries have expressed interest in joining a new U.S.-led partnership to cut greenhouse gas emissions by developing technology and economic incentives, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

The Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate between Australia, the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and India was unveiled at an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) forum in Laos last week.

“The ASEAN governments were asking me whether it would be possible for them to join this partnership in time,” Downer said on Australian television on Sunday.

…

“That’s going to require collaborative research. It’s also going to mean we’ll have to investigate price signals coming from energy.”

Downer said the work would probably be paid for jointly by governments and the private sector.

ENN