Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) energy ministers on Tuesday signed a declaration at a meeting in Australia's northern city of Darwin confirming the 21 members' commitment to improve energy efficiency.

The ministers agreed to achieve oil security by facilitating investment and trade in oil markets, enhancing emergency preparedness, improving oil data sharing and promoting energy efficient transport and alternative transport fuels.

They also strengthen the need of cooperation on improving energy efficiency, cleaner and more efficient energy technology and attraction of additional energy investment and facilitation of cross-border energy trade.

But the declaration does not set specific regional targets on reducing emissions or include a regional carbon trading emissions scheme.

Earlier, Australian and U.S. officials have said an Asia Pacific carbon trading system wouldn't be on APEC agenda.

Meanwhile, APEC energy ministers have signaled they will be increasingly turning to nuclear power in the years to come, with Indonesia and Vietnam both saying they will be building nuclear power plants.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, who hosted the meeting, said Tuesday that many countries which were opposed to nuclear power five years ago now support it.

"Nuclear today has not been controversial at all, a number of economies who traditionally have been opposed to nuclear energy are now investigating its potential as part of their future clean energy mix," he was quoted as saying.

Source: Xinhua