1. BACKGROUND

The Energy Working Group (EWG) is one of APEC’s Working Groups established in 1990 to develop a program of energy cooperation in the APEC region.

2. OBJECTIVE

Energy is integral to sustainable economic development and essential to the economic growth of the APEC region. Efficient, affordable, reliable and environmentally sustainable energy supply and use underpins economic development, productivity improvement, and enhancement of living standards.

The EWG serves as a forum for member economies to facilitate energy trade and investment and to strengthen the region's energy security to contribute to economic growth, social well-being, and sustainability in the region.

3. PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION

The EWG’s activities accord with the Seoul and Bogor Declarations, the Osaka Action Agenda, the Manila Action Plan, the APEC Energy Vision Post 2020, the Putrajaya Vision 2040, the Aotearoa Plan of Action, APEC Leaders’ Declarations, APEC Ministerial Statements, and directions from APEC Energy Ministers.

The EWG responds to the directions of APEC Leaders and Ministers and ensures that its projects adhere to APEC priorities.  APEC Energy Ministers normally meet every two years and provide the EWG with specific policy guidance for future activities. The EWG also receives guidance from APEC SOM.

The activities of the EWG are based on the principles of mutual respect and equality, mutual benefit and assistance, constructive and genuine partnership and consensus building.

EWG activities aim to promote the three E’s (economic growth, energy security and environmental sustainability) and, more broadly, the contribution of energy to the economic, social and environmental enhancement of the APEC community.

4. STRUCTURE OF THE EWG

The EWG work program is delivered through:

• Four Expert Groups: Expert Group on Energy Data and Analysis (EGEDA);
  Expert Group on Clean Fossil Energy (EGCFE);
  Expert Group on Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EGEEC); and
  Expert Group on New & Renewable Energy Technologies (EGNRET)
• One Task Force:
  Energy Resiliency Task Force (ER-TF)
• Two Research Centers
  Asia-Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC); and
  APEC Sustainable Energy Center (APSEC)
• EWG projects and activities.

5. SCOPE OF EWG ACTIVITY

The EWG contributes to the facilitation of energy trade and investment and regional energy security through:

• considering regional energy policy implications and responding to wide-reaching energy related issues;
• open discussion of member economies energy policies and planning priorities, including consideration and pursuit of energy policies and technologies that reduce or remove market distortions; diversify the energy mix; mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of energy production and use; decrease inefficient consumption and production; and enhance energy security within the APEC region;
• information exchange, including energy statistics and supply/demand outlook data, and the dissemination of that information to the wider APEC region;
• cooperative activities, including projects, conferences, seminars, workshops, dialogues, training programs, and engagement with other APEC and international energy fora, as relevant.
• APEC policy recommendations to energy-related goals and commitments affirmed by our economic leaders, such as to reduce aggregate energy intensity by 45 percent by 2035, double renewable energy in the regional energy mix from 2010 levels by 2030, and pursue and encourage efforts to triple renewable energy capacity globally through existing targets and policies as well as demonstrate similar ambition with respect to other zero and low emissions technologies including abatement and removal technologies in line with domestic circumstances by 2030
•  Boost APEC Cooperation on sustainable urban development and support community-based low carbon development in the region.
• Work towards improving resiliency of energy infrastructure to natural disasters and climate change.
• Strengthen cross-fora collaboration to promote a sustainable energy system in the region towards global energy transition.  
  

6. Sub-Fund for Energy Efficiency, Low-Carbon and Energy Resiliency Measures

Since 2009 an APEC Sub-Fund for Energy Efficiency, Low-Carbon and Energy Resiliency Measures has been maintained with contributions from the government of Japan. This sub-fund continues to support a wide range of energy-related technical capacity-building projects supporting cooperation between APEC members. The general procedures for applying for APEC project funding are available here.

Last page update: April 2026

Current Activities

EWG 71

The 71st Energy Working Group (EWG71) meeting was held in Nanchang, People’s Republic of China, from 18 to 19 March 2026. The meeting brought together representatives from 17 APEC economies and was convened as part of a broader “Energy Week” hosted by China. Among other matters, EWG members discussed the following:

1. Reports from EWG Subsidiary Bodies
   The four Expert Groups, one Task Force, and two Research Centres provided updates on their recent activities. In addition, APERC, APSEC, and the Energy Resilience Task Force (ER TF) organized dedicated workshops prior to the Plenary Meeting to promote synergies and enable more in-depth exchanges with member economies.

2. Notable Energy Developments since EWG70
   Seventeen economies reported on notable energy developments since EWG70 in August 2025. These updates covered a broad range of areas, including clean energy deployment, emissions reduction measures, renewable energy systems, energy efficiency, electricity sector developments, energy security, artificial intelligence applications, and relevant policy and regulatory initiatives.

3. Ministers’ Instructions and Progress toward APEC Energy Goals
   APERC reported on progress toward the APEC energy goals, noting that the region remains on track to achieve the energy intensity reduction target for 2035 based on the latest available data. These updates informed EWG’s discussions on both ongoing monitoring and future directions for regional energy cooperation.

4. Deliverables of the 2026 Host Year
   As the APEC 2026 host economy, China outlined its proposed deliverables for the 16th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting (EMM16), to be held in Beijing in September 2026. China introduced a set of Concept Notes envisaged as potential ministerial deliverables. These proposals were presented and explained in detail during a Policy Dialogue Workshop held on 17 March 2026. China took note of suggestions from member economies and indicated that discussions will continue toward EMM16.