Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen visited India, Korea and Japan from July 20 to 28, meeting with government and industry leaders to strengthen Australia’s international climate and energy cooperation.
Minister Bowen attended the 8th Mission Innovation and 14th Clean Energy Ministerial, G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial, and G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial meetings, highlighting Australia’s ambitions to become a renewable energy superpower and the importance of global cooperation on clean energy transformation and emissions reduction.
At these events, Australia announced new partnerships and initiatives including $50 million funding to develop clean energy supply chains in the Indo-Pacific, joining the new International Hydrogen Trade Forum, awarding $12.4 million to the International Clean Innovation Researcher Networks and announcing the Australian and United Kingdom (UK) governments joint funding call to speed up green hydrogen projects.
Minister Bowen then travelled to Korea and Japan to strengthen ministerial and industry connections, pushing Australia’s role as a clean energy exporter and an important partner for the global clean energy transition.
During his visit, Minister Bowen met with G20 Energy and Climate Ministers to call for greater ambition in clean energy and climate outcomes, including the need to focus on the rapid increase in the deployment of renewables and the economic opportunities available to all countries in the clean energy transition.
Minister Bowen also met with G20 Environment Ministers at the Ministerial on 28 July. Australia reiterated its commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and called for swift action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Australia also endorsed the Chennai High Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy and recognised the important role of First Nations knowledge in protecting the environment.
On the trip, Minister Bowen said strengthening international ties was essential to fighting climate change and reaping the benefits of a clean energy transformation.
Image: G20 Official photo stream.
Image: CEM-14/MI-8 India 2023 official photographers.
