Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, also known as AP6, is an international non-treaty agreement among Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the People's Republic of China, South Korea, and the United States announced July 28 2005 at an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum meeting and launched on January 12 2006 at the Partnership's inaugural Ministerial meeting in Sydney. Foreign, Environment and Energy Ministers from partner countries agreed to co-operate on development and transfer of technology which enables reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Ministers agreed a Charter, Communique and Work Plan that "outline a ground-breaking new model of private-public taskforcess to address climate change, energy security and air pollution."

Member countries account for around 50% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, GDP and population. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol (currently unratified by the United States), which imposes mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions, this agreement allows member countries to set their goals for reducing emissions individually, with no mandatory enforcement mechanism. This has led to criticism that the Partnership is worthless, by other governments, climate scientists and environmental groups. Proponents, on the other hand, argue that unrestricted economic growth and emission reductions can only be brought about through active engagement by all major polluters, which includes India and China, within the Kyoto Protocol framework neither India nor China are yet required to reduce emissions.