During the 'by invitation-only' gathering of the Pacific Energy Forum held in Seattle, Washington, USA on 23-24 April 2014, ERIA was invited as one of the members of a distinguished panel of experts in Session 3 on "Fueling Sustained Growth: Strengthening Energy Markets for Economic Development".

Representing ERIA was Dr. Han Phoumin, ERIA Energy Economist, who first introduced ERIA's important works that have contributed and are contributing to the deepening of economic integration, narrowing of development gaps and promotion of sustainable development in ASEAN and East Asia. .Dr. Han then exchanged and shared his views, along with his co-panelists from ADB and Harvard University, on healthy energy markets and the fundamental issues to promote market integration between Asia and North America. He concluded his analysis and views with the following messages: 1) for ASEAN and East Asia, energy cooperation with the world, especially with the United States and Canada, has great potentials for capturing many opportunities and advantages. Thus, the role of Energy Market Integration between EAS and North America becomes even more important in the future given the recent development of unconventional resources that has led to the prospect of abundant energy supplies; (2) ERIA's studies have proved that Energy Market Integration plays a vital role in energy security, increased investment and opportunities, and brings countries to cooperate in order to achieve sustained growth as the region becomes more integrated; (3) the green technology and low carbon emitting technology will stay at the heart of the future sustained growth. Thus promoting energy market integration in both soft and hard infrastructures is fundamental to allow markets to interact and integrate; and (4) the EAS countries and North America must find ways and develop a framework, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), to make this market integration happen as a win-win framework for fueling sustained growth.

Dr. Han's analysis and views on the topic will be published and made available at the website of the National Bureau for Asia Research. The Forum was attended by a high-powered audience consisting of key stakeholders in the field. Session 3, in particular, was opened and introduced by distinguished members of the US Congress, namely, Congressman Norm Dicks, Van Ness Feldman LLP, the National Bureau of Asian Research, and Congressman Adam Smith, U.S. House of Representatives (WA-9), and was moderated by Jeffrey Kupfer from the Asia Society.