there is growing mutual economic interdependence among the countries of the Western Hemisphere;

energy and environmental issues are intrinsically linked and must be considered together when formulating policy on the broader issue of sustainable economic development for the Western Hemisphere as a whole;

when developing their respective energy infrastructures, countries in the Western Hemisphere must consider existing and emerging environmental constraints, and do so in a way that results in sustainable long-term economic growth;

the coordination of respective national energy and environmental policies of the governments of the Western Hemisphere could be substantially improved through regular consultation among these countries;

the development, production and consumption of energy can affect environmental quality, and the environmental consequences of energy-related activities are not confined within national boundaries, but are regional and global in scope;