Brussels, 21/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - Facilitating the trade in energy, sharing best practice in offshore exploration and hydraulic fracturing for schist gas, improving nuclear safety standards and making progress on the energy efficiency of appliances and equipment: aware of the weaknesses in individual energy strategies, the countries of the G8 remain committed to working together on more sustainable energy use and surer supply.
“We recognise the importance of meeting our energy needs from a wide variety of sources ranging from traditional fuels to renewables to other clean technologies. As we each implement our own individual energy strategies, we embrace the pursuit of an appropriate mix from all of the above in an environmentally safe, sustainable, secure, and affordable manner”, states the declaration by the leaders of the G8 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom and United States) issued after their meeting in Camp David on 18-19 May. Also recognised is “the importance of pursuing and promoting sustainable energy and low carbon policies in order to tackle the global challenge of climate change”.
To facilitate the trade of energy around the world, the G8 pledges to take “further steps to remove obstacles to the evolution of global energy infrastructure” and to reduce barriers and refrain from discriminatory measures that impede market access. In pursuit of energy security, the G8 countries also say they are committed to establishing and sharing best practice on energy production, including exploration in frontier areas and the use of technologies, such as deep water drilling and hydraulic fracturing. More than a year on from the Fukushima accident, the G8 countries say that they continue to strongly support initiatives to carry out comprehensive risk and safety assessments of existing nuclear installations and to strengthen the implementation of relevant conventions to aim for high levels of nuclear safety. They promise to advance appliance and equipment efficiency, including through comparable and transparent testing procedures, and to promote industrial and building efficiency through energy management systems.
In an appended statement on global oil markets, the countries of the G8 say they “stand ready to call upon the International Energy Agency to take appropriate action to ensure that the market is fully and timely supplied”. (EH/transl.rt)