Countries in the Asia-Pacific region plan to keep working to make their transportation systems more energy efficient while making efforts to reduce existing fossil fuel subsidies.

Those goals were among the topics discussed by energy and transportation ministers from 21 countries during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering taking place now through Sept. 26 in San Francisco. Meetings this week included the organization’s first-ever joint Transportation and Energy Ministerial Conference, hosted by US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and US Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

“To create jobs and lay the foundation for a prosperous future, we must grow our economies while staying mindful of 21st-century challenges like climate change and energy efficiency,” LaHood said. “Our roadways, runways, railways, waterways and transit systems all must move greater numbers of people and products while leaving a smaller environmental footprint.”

Recognizing that transportation accounts for a large share of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, the ministers directed their energy and transportation working groups to study ways that APEC members could make their transportation systems more energy-efficient. They also called for further efforts to phase out subsidies that promote the use of fossil fuels.

Among the other actions ministers called for:

• Developing energy-efficient transportation systems for livable, low-carbon communities – They called for the development of performance measures to evaluate how locating development near transit, expanding rail and bus service, and promoting bicycling and walking contribute to more energy-efficient transportation.
• Providing alternative fuels for transportation – This includes promoting biofuels, natural gas vehicles and electric vehicles to reduce the use of oil in transportation.
• Making freight transportation more energy-efficient – This includes encouraging shippers to switch from energy-intensive transportation modes, such as trucks, to more efficient rail and maritime transportation.

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