ASIA PACIFIC ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE APEC ENERGY OVERVIEW 2002 DECEMBER - 2002 Prepared By ASIA PACIFIC ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE (APERC) THE INSTITUTE OF ENERGY ECONOMICS, JAPAN Inui Bldg.-Kachidoki 16F, 1-13-1 Kachidoki, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0054, JAPAN Tel: +81 (3) 5144-8551 Fax: +81 (3) 5144-8555 Email:
[email protected] (administration) APERC Website: http://www.ieej.or.jp/aperc/ FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION SECRETARIAT 438 Alexandra Road #14-00 Alexandra Point Singapore 119958 Tel: (65) 276 1880 Fax: (65) 276 1775 E-mail:
[email protected] Website: http://www.apecsec.org.sg APEC ENERGY OVERVIEW FOREWORD The APEC region continues facing many challenges in providing for the energy needs of its growing economies. Energy transport infrastructure – which allows energy to be obtained from a variety of sources in a variety of forms – is increasingly recognised as vital to ensuring the security of energy supply and competition among energy suppliers. Reform of gas and electricity markets continues to be pursued as a means of enhancing productive efficiency and reducing energy prices to consumers. Energy efficiency measures are being promoted as a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial adjunct to supply-side options for providing energy services. As always, providing adequate supplies of oil, gas and electricity in an environmentally responsible manner and at reasonable cost is essential to sustainable economic growth in the region. Recognising the importance of information exchange on recent energy trends, the APEC Expert Group on Energy Data and Analysis (EGEDA) and the APEC Energy Working Group (EWG) endorsed the production of an annual APEC Energy Overview at their meetings in early 2000.