APEC Energy Week
August 23-27, 1997, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

WHAT THE YOUTH DELEGATES ACCOMPLISHED

Youth Report: APEC Energy Week -- Canadian Core Delegate Team

Youth Report: APEC Energy Week -- Electronic Source Book Team

 

Youth Report: APEC Energy Week
Canadian Core Delegate Team

1.0. INTRODUCTION

Further to the recommendations of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders in the Philippines in 1996, youth were invited to participate in this year's APEC activities. This consideration was given in recognition of the role that youth will play in APEC member economies now and in the years to come. Eight young people from across Canada were assembled to form the APEC Energy Week Canadian -- Youth Core Team. The team's objective was to voice the concerns of Canadian youth regarding the energy sector within the Asia-Pacific region.

The main goals we identified as the Core Team were to encourage environmental sustainability and opportunities for youth in the Asia-Pacific region.

The strategies in fulfilling these goals are a reflection of the concerns of young Canadians. They were supplemented by the various APEC Energy Week Round Table discussions and fora.

 

2.0. GOALS AND STRATEGIES

2.1. Environmental Sustainability

From a youth perspective, we are focusing on the long-term implications of today's policies. We believe that working towards the first goal of environmental sustainability will foster rather than constrain energy-sector growth. As such, we suggest the following strategies:

*Promote technical education

*Consider all energy technologies

*Improve energy supply security through diversification in energy technologies

 

2.1.1. Technical Education

APEC member economies are encouraged to promote technical education to increase awareness of the different energy sources, their implications, and feasibility. This education should include: the general public, who are affected by the technology; engineers and technologists, who are applying the technology; youth, who will be applying the technology; and business leaders, who lead investment in the technology.

Increasing technical awareness would accomplish two things: firstly, reducing resistance to alternatives resulting from the uncertainty associated with change and secondly, reducing prejudice against individual energy technologies.

 

2.1.2. Energy Technologies

APEC member economies are also encouraged to promote the consideration of all energy technologies and recognize that what works in one environment will not necessarily work in another. In many areas of the Asia-Pacific region, the best solutions may involve small-scale, localized projects such as mini-hydro, biomass-based options, or waste-energy projects.

 

2.1.3. Supply Security Through Diversification

Finally, APEC member economies are encouraged to improve energy supply security through diversification of energy technologies. Consideration of multiple energy technologies is not enough to guarantee diversity within both the APEC region and its individual member economies. Developing a balance of energy generation technologies is one possible approach to diversification.

 

2.2. OPPORTUNITIES FOR APEC YOUTH

Our second goal is to foster and promote opportunities for youth of the Asia-Pacific economic region. Industry and government leaders must prepare youth with the necessary skills and training now to meet future challenges in the energy sector. By taking advantage of opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, youth can acquire the essential skills they need. They will also be in a better position to facilitate trade with APEC member economies. The three major strategies are:

*International student exchange

*International youth internship programs

*Research and development opportunities.

 

2.2.1. International Student Exchange

APEC member economies, and in particular their respective post secondary institutions, are encouraged to strengthen international student exchange programs. Through these programs, young people have an excellent opportunity to study, develop foreign language skills, enhance their understanding of host cultures, and broaden their horizons. Where language barriers are an issue, we recommend that language and cross-cultural training be offered to youth prior to their exchange.

Youth are in a special position to appreciate and accept the cultural diversity of APEC member economies. Exposure to other cultures will allow for more successful personal interactions, including business relationships.

 

2.2.2. International Work Internship Programs

APEC member economies are encouraged to foster international work internship programs. Such programs would ease the process of finding a job and adjusting to new environments while providing language and cross-cultural training for youth. In addition, these programs would provide a young person within the Asia Pacific region opportunities to form business contacts and business acumen outside of their domestic economy. An ability to function in foreign business environments would ultimately improve prospects for trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

2.2.3. Research and Development

APEC member economies are encouraged to promote collaborative research and development. We recommend that inter-economy partnerships be formed amongst the educational, research, industrial and governmental institutions. Linkages between these institutions would further the development of programs such as faculty exchange, joint research and think-tanks.

The benefits of collaborative research and development for youth are twofold: firstly, youth would gain exposure to new ideas through visiting faculty, and secondly, APEC member economies would generate more employment opportunities when enhanced by technology transfer. Such technology transfer also reinforces the trade relationships between APEC member economies.

 

3.0. CONCLUSION

In summary, to achieve environmental sustainability, the strategies recommended are to promote technical education, to consider all viable energy technologies and to improve energy supply security through diversification of energy technology.

The strategies to promote opportunities for APEC youth are to strengthen international student exchange, to foster work internship programs, and to further collaborative research and development.

APEC must be commended for its willingness to provide young people with an opportunity to voice their energy-related concerns and issues. The inclusion of young people from the Asia Pacific region in international fora is essential for the future prosperity of this flourishing region. We encourage continuation of the initiative to include youth in future APEC fora. Inclusion of youth in APEC activities is beneficial because it will strengthen relationships and linkages in the world economy as we move into the future together.

 

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Youth Report: APEC Energy Week
Electronic Source Book Team

During Canada's year as Chair of APEC, young people are participating in the five Canadian hosted APEC Ministerial Meetings, as well as the Human Resource Development Working Group (HRDWG) Meeting. In designating 1997 as Canada's Year of Asia-Pacific (CYAP), Prime Minister Chrétien identified youth as a priority for involvement in APEC activities.

Canadian Youth Core and Observer Teams were established to participate in the events of APEC Energy Week, held in Edmonton, Alberta from August 23 - 27, 1997. The Core Team, which was comprised of eight youth from across Canada, studying and / or working in energy-related fields, presented an Energy and Youth report to APEC Energy Ministers.

Twelve University of Regina engineering students made up the Youth Observer Team. This team was tasked with developing a framework for a Canadian chapter on energy opportunities for APEC youth to be fed into the APEC HRDWG Youth Initiative Electronic Source Book. The Electronic Source Book on study, work, and exchange opportunities for APEC youth, will be hosted on the APEC Secretariat home page and was be presented at the HRD Ministerial Meeting to be held in Seoul, Korea in September 1997.

The short-term objective of the University of Regina students is to create a Canadian chapter on employment, volunteer, and study opportunities in the energy sector for Canadian and other APEC youth. The Canadian energy chapter will be designed to assist youth with their research on energy-related prospects within the APEC region. A deadline of October 31, 1997 has been set for the completion of this chapter for the Electronic Source Book. It is anticipated that the HRDWG Youth Initiative Electronic Source Book, enhanced with the energy chapter, will be presented at the APEC Leaders' Meeting, in Vancouver, B.C., in November 1997.

The University of Regina students recommend that youth in the other APEC member economies continue to develop the energy section of the Electronic Source Book.

 

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Speech: APEC Energy Week -- Canadian Youth Core Team
Presented by Gaylene Kennedy
August 26, 1997

In recognition of the role that youth will play in APEC member economies now and in the years to come, eight young people from across Canada were assembled to form the APEC Energy Week Youth Core Team. It has been a wonderful, exciting experience and we are grateful for the opportunity. Our objective was to voice the concerns of Canadian youth regarding the energy sector within the Asia-Pacific region.

The main goals identified were to encourage environmental sustainability and opportunities for youth in the Asia-Pacific region.

We present these goals and the following strategies for their achievement as a reflection of the concerns of young Canadians. They have been supplemented by the various APEC Energy Week Round table discussions and fora.

From a youth perspective, we are focusing on the long-term implications of today's policies. We believe that working towards the first goal of environmental sustainability will foster rather than constrain energy-sector growth. As such, we suggest the following strategies:

*Promote technical education;

*Consider all energy technologies; and,

*Improve energy supply security through diversification in energy technologies.

APEC member economies are encouraged to promote technical education to increase awareness of the different energy sources, their implications, and practicality. This education should include: the general public, who are affected by the technology; engineers and technologists, who are applying the technology; youth, who will be applying the technology; and business leaders, who lead investment in the technology.

Increasing technical awareness may accomplish two things: firstly, it may reduce resistance to alternatives resulting from the uncertainty associated with change and secondly, it may reduce prejudice against individual energy technologies.

APEC member economies are also encouraged to promote the consideration of all energy technologies and recognize that what works in one environment will not necessarily work in another. In many areas of the APEC region, the best solutions may involve small-scale, localized projects such as mini-hydro, biomass-based options, or waste-energy projects.

Finally, APEC member economies are encouraged to improve energy supply security through diversification of energy technologies. Consideration of multiple energy technologies is not enough to guarantee diversity within APEC and its individual member economies. Development of a balance of energy generation technologies is one possible approach to diversification.

Our second goal is to foster and promote opportunities for youth of the Asia-Pacific economic region. Industry and government leaders must prepare youth with the necessary skills and training now to meet future challenges. By taking advantage of opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, youth can acquire the essential skills they need. They will also be in a better position to facilitate trade with APEC member economies. The three major strategies identified towards achieving this goal are:

*International student exchange;

*International youth internship programs; and

*Research and development opportunities.

APEC member economies, and in particular, the post secondary institutions within the economies are encouraged to strengthen international student exchange programs. Through international student exchange, young people have an excellent opportunity to study, develop foreign language skills, enhance their understanding of host cultures, and broaden their horizons. Where language barriers are an issue, we recommend that language and cross-cultural training be offered to youth prior to their exchange.

Youth are in a special position to appreciate and accept the cultural diversity of APEC member economies. Exposure to other cultures will enable youth to develop more successful personal interactions, including business relationships.

APEC member economies are encouraged to foster international youth internship programs. For youth who wish to gain international work experience, international youth internship programs may ease the process of finding a job and adjusting to new environments while providing language and cross-culture training for youth who wish to gain international work experience. In addition, these programs would provide a young person within the Asia Pacific region opportunities to form business contacts and business acumen outside of their domestic economy. This understanding of an ability to function in foreign business environments, may ultimately improve prospects for trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

Finally, APEC member economies are encouraged to promote research and development opportunities. Collaborative research and development by educational institutions, industry, and government facilitates a deeper understanding of technologies in use. Linkages between APEC member economies may result in programs such as research, think-tanks, and faculty exchanges.

The benefits of collaborative research and development for youth are twofold: firstly, youth would gain with the exposure to new ideas and visiting faculty, and secondly, APEC member economies, enhanced by technology transfer, would continue to generate employment opportunities for APEC youth. On a larger scale, the opportunity for technology transfer may assist in achieving sustainable development.

In summary, to encourage the first goal of environmental sustainability, the strategies recommended are to promote technical education, to consider all viable energy options and to improve energy supply security through diversification of energy technology.

The strategies encouraging the second goal of opportunities for APEC youth are to strengthen international student exchange, foster work internship programs, and promote research and development opportunities.

APEC is to be commended for its willingness to provide young people with an opportunity to voice their energy-related concerns and issues. The inclusion of young people from the Asia Pacific region in international fora is essential for the future prosperity of this region. We encourage continuation of the initiative to include youth in future APEC fora. This will benefit both youth and industry since it will strengthen relationships and linkages in the world economy as we move into the future together.