APEC Non-Binding Principles for Promoting Energy Security Synergy

Introduction

Energy security is the cornerstone of economic growth and social development, and a fundamental condition for the reliable functioning of modern economies and societies. Energy security is not only a priority of APEC energy ministers, but also one of the top concerns for APEC economic leaders. As early as 2001, APEC leaders endorsed the APEC Energy Security Initiative (ESI). In 2025, APEC Leaders via the Gyeongju Declaration, decided to intensify our cooperation and coordination to effectively respond to global challenges including energy, food security, the environment, and extreme weather events and natural disasters, to build a more resilient Asia-Pacific.

We recognize conventional, and zero and low emission energy sources and technologies provide a foundation for energy security, and strong and sustainable economic growth, and that each economy will choose an energy system mix consistent with its domestic priorities.

We note that the world is experiencing a significant energy crisis, causing supply tightness, price volatility and rising uncertainty, that affects the availability and affordability of essential energy products. We recognize the importance of resilient, secure and uninterrupted energy flows, and stable, transparent and competitive energy markets to global economic stability and energy security.

As a significant market, the Asia-Pacific region is notably affected by fluctuations in the energy market and trade flows. In this pressing time, we recognize it is both urgent and necessary to promote energy security cooperation in APEC to respond to this short-term shock and long-term challenges.

The APEC Non-binding Principles for Promoting Energy Security Synergy build upon not only EWG’s long-standing efforts under the Energy Resilience Task Force (ERTF), Oil and Gas Security Initiative (OGSI), and the APEC Energy Security Initiative (ESI), which has evolved from a primary focus on oil supply and security and emergency response to encompass broader dimensions of energy security, but also recent outcomes of APEC Energy Ministerial Meetings, reaffirming the importance of ensuring energy security and resilience across the Asia-Pacific region.

In this regard, this document seeks to reinforce and advance the existing APEC energy security consensus, guided by the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040, while supporting the APEC 2026 energy-sector theme, “Forge an Innovative and Synergistic Asia-Pacific Energy Community for All.” By promoting energy security synergy among member economies, on a voluntary and non-binding basis, in line with our respective domestic circumstances and priorities, while supporting constructive international cooperation, the principles aim to address both immediate and pressing challenges and emerging long-term risks, thereby strengthening regional energy security and resilience, with contributions from all APEC economies and for the benefit of all APEC economies.

Objectives

The primary goal of this document is to support APEC economies in strengthening regional energy security through voluntary and synergistic collaboration, while respecting each economy’s right to determine its own energy mix and development path:

1. To expand energy supply alongside efforts to strengthen demand-side management to meet demand growth, including through energy efficiency and flexibility measures, ensuring reliable, secure, and affordable energy access for all our people across the Asia-Pacific.

2. To enhance energy security, strengthen energy infrastructure, support domestically determined energy goals, and facilitate investment across sectors and diverse energy sources.

3. To encourage synergistic cooperation among APEC economies and relevant APEC fora to address energy security challenges.

Principles

The following non-binding principles are recommended to promote effective and synergistic cooperation actions on shared energy security objectives:

1. Promote cooperative and synergistic participation: Welcome efforts from all member economies to promote energy security cooperation, and include stakeholders when facilitating public-private collaboration on professional research, resource mobilization and project implementation, to achieve mutually reinforcing outcomes and advance energy security as a foundation for sustained economic prosperity across the region.

2. Consider comprehensive energy security: Take all segments of the energy system and security risks into consideration, including securing resilient, secure and diversified energy supply chains, as well as ensuring the physical and cyber security of energy infrastructure, while recognizing the importance of value addition and local processing.

3. Leverage the existing framework: Recognize the importance of utilizing existing mechanisms within the EWG and cross-fora collaborations to improve the research network, data-collection, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building related to energy supply chains, in accordance with applicable domestic regulations, security requirements, intellectual property protections, and data governance frameworks. Encourage the voluntary sharing of best practices and experiences in areas that may strengthen preparedness for short-term supply disruptions. Welcome cooperation with relevant international and regional organizations to improve information-sharing and capacity-building across the Asia-Pacific.

4. Cooperate on emergency response: Recognize the benefits of voluntary and mutually agreed emergency cooperation among APEC economies that complements existing mechanisms to support emergency energy supplies, backup power, timely restoration of critical energy infrastructure, including power plants, electrical grids, submarine power cables and pipelines, and other technically feasible and commercially viable measures that promote market stability during supply disruptions. Encourage voluntary cooperation on topics such as energy risk assessment and timely non-sensitive information sharing to facilitate economies’ preparedness, timely alerts, and evidence-based decision-making.

5. Enhance energy diversification: Recognize the importance of diversification of energy supply, trade and import sources, as well as the critical role of all available technologies, in facilitating this diversification process and ensuring overall security. For some economies, this can include natural gas and LNG. For those member economies that are advancing the integration of zero and low emission energy sources as part of secure energy systems, collaborations are welcome on increasing low carbon sources and promoting energy efficiency, in line with APEC energy goals. Explore cooperation on natural resources development, electrification, power grids modernization, and expansion of other logistics networks, so as to strengthen energy security through diversification, promote resilient, secure and market-based energy systems, and advance sustainable economic growth.

6. Improve infrastructure interconnectivity: Recognize the importance of the interconnectivity of energy infrastructure where feasible and beneficial, taking into account cybersecurity, operational technology security, supply chain integrity, domestic security considerations, and critical infrastructure protection requirements. Continue support for facilitating energy transmission and trade including through electrical grids, submarine power cables, pipelines, and other cross-border energy infrastructure on mutually agreed terms. Enhance cooperation on technical standards and exchange of best practices on regulatory frameworks, to promote interoperability of equipment and interconnected infrastructure.

7. Refine market mechanisms: Recognize the importance of market mechanisms and instruments, where appropriate, such as power market design, standards, certification schemes and other relevant market-based instruments. Facilitate energy flows with enhanced connections between producers and consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, while continuously improving governance capability and regulatory effectiveness, where appropriate. Support voluntary exchange of information and experience on energy planning and regulatory frameworks to facilitate investments aligned with energy security objectives.

8. Adopt technology-driven innovation: Recognize the importance of digital and emerging technologies for improving the operational efficiency and resilience of the energy system. Encourage the development and deployment of technologies for providing access to energy and to accelerate energy system modernization and innovation through various pathways, taking into account different domestic circumstances and priorities.

9. Enhance disaster resilience of energy systems: Recognize the importance of deploying disaster resilient infrastructure and technologies to prepare energy systems for extreme weather events and natural disasters. Prepare the energy system through the whole process of design, construction, emergency response and post-event recovery, to ensure continuity of energy supply.