Environment

“This meeting provided me with knowledge about bridging the gap between Asia and Europe with regard to experiences in the implementation of renewable energy technologies. What I observed is that there are potentials for co-operation between Asia and Europe provided that there is an understanding about the context of the challenges faced by each region.” - Maria Retnarestri, Indonesia

OVERVIEW

The third roundtable of the Asia-Europe Environment Forum saw the participation of 45 prominent Asian and European experts on renewable energies and 20 Stockholm-based observers. Krister Nilsson, State Secretary of the Swedish Ministry of the Environment, officially opened the roundtable and indicated the significance of renewable energy in Sweden, which has the second highest renewable usage for national electricity consumption in Europe.

The roundtable dovetailed the International Conference for Renewable Energies held in Bonn, Germany a few months earlier and reiterated the declaration that renewable energy should play a major role in the energy economy of the 21st century, a development with important implications for co-operation and renewable energy investment between Asia and Europe.

The event also saw the launch of the publication titled "Reinforcing Asia-Europe Co-operation On Climate Change," which contains proceedings of the Asia-Europe Environment Forum's 2nd roundtable held in Jeju, Korea.

KEY ATTENDEES

Dr. Emil Salim, former Chairman of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Preparatory Council

Prof. Michael Grubb, Policy Director, The Carbon Trust, UK

KEY SPEAKERS

Mr. Krister Nilsson, State Secretary of the Swedish Ministry of the Environment