While addressing a dialogue on the role of governments and businesses in promoting resource efficiency and sustainable economic growth, the PM said climate change is affecting both developed and developing countries, with the latter being hardest hit by climate change’s impacts.
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the dialogue
“We have to work collectively to understand other political challenges, and social inclusion and environmental issues,” she said.
She shared that her government spends 500 billion USD on supporting the development of renewable energy to replace fuel energy.
She also suggested focus be placed on supporting policies and recommendations to ensure sustainable use of renewable energy.
Sharing the NZ Prime Minister’s viewpoint, John Hellmann, Vice President of Brower Group Asia, told a Vietnam News Agency reporter on the sidelines of the event that “it is important for businesses and governments to come together and think about ways that we can bring back affluence of manufacturing facilities and also ways which can be much more energy efficient.”
Talking about sustainable growth in APEC, the businessman said APEC region is a global hub of the economic growth for the 21st century.
Asia-Pacific is going to continue to be a place for the US and European investors to come, added he.
“We need to have inclusive growth, free trade policies, polices on gender, movement of people, ideas along with protection of intellectual property rights to ensure that we do have sustainable growth in the 21 century,” according to Hellman.
Meanwhile, Peyton Roth from US Furman University, said as one of the goals of APEC 2017 is to promote sustainable and inclusive growth, so battling climate change by reducing carbon and clean up the environment is a necessary step to promote sustainable and inclusive growth throughout the region.
Roth, who is a delegate to the APEC Voices of the Future 2017 attending the CEO Summit, said the future leaders of APEC should focus on reducing the impacts on the environment.
“I think our economies have a wonder shared future and we are taking steps towards promoting sustainable growth,” he said.
The APEC CEO Summit was an important event during the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week, which is taking place from November 6-11.
Established in 1989, APEC comprises Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.
It represents 39 percent of the world population, 57 percent of the world GDP and 47 percent of the total trade.
Source: VNA