Foresight Analysis of Key Strategic Issues for Achieving Net Zero Emissions in APEC

This paper presents the outputs of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) strategic foresight project, focusing on net-zero emissions. The key foresight methodologies used are Delphi survey and the Future Triangle to identify critical issues across transportation, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and urban development sectors. The net-zero issues are categorized into five sub-groups: energy efficiency, renewable energy, green economy, carbon sinks, and offset policies. The key findings highlight the significant disparities in technological capabilities and varied timelines for achieving net-zero goals among APEC economies. The paper identifies that meeting growing regional electricity demand while simultaneously reducing fossil fuel dependency represents a critical challenge. Additionally, it recommends STI collaboration to establish standardized offset policies, aiding green trade and platforms, which are essential for achieving carbon emission reductions.