Reporting from APEC

A guest post from our former PCR colleague, Pete Demarco:

In case you missed it, 21 world leaders and a host of corporate executives gathered in Sydney this past weekend for the 18th meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC (or OPEC). Although the group’s primary mission is to push along regional trade liberalization and facilitation, “behind the border” issues are getting increasing attention.

This year, climate change dominated the agenda. This year’s end product, the Sydney Declaration, reflects the institutional design of APEC. APEC is a consensus-based organization, and the “aspirational” but toothless Sydney Declaration has all the diplomatese one would expect from a consensus document. That being said, it’s at least a step in the right direction when Kyoto abstainers America and Australia can join China in agreeing, at least in principle, to a 25% emissions reduction by 2030.