Dr Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), stressed the importance of collective and collaborative action, including through knowledge sharing, capacity building and project development, during the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) 2^nd Ministerial Meeting. The Ministerial Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Rosan Roeslani, Minister of Investment, Indonesia, and H.E. Ken Saito, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan. H. E. Airlangga Hartarto, the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, provided opening remarks.

In the opening session, H.E. Airlangga Hartarto highlighted the importance of balancing the net zero emission target with economic growth, while H.E. Ken Saito commended the progress of AZEC so far, including the MoUs that have been signed as part of the initiative. The session is followed by the handover of recommendations from the AZEC Advocacy Group, whose meeting took place the day before.

Introducing the AZEC Action Plan, H.E. Ken Saito and H.E. Yagi Tetsuya, State Minister of Environment, Japan, briefed the Meeting on the sectoral initiatives, including the promotion of Zero Emission Power, creation of Sustainable Fuel Markets, and establishment of Next-Generation Industry. Importance transition finance including through proper carbon pricing was mentioned.

President of ERIA, Prof Tetsuya Watanabe, introduced the establishment of the Asia Zero Emission Center, which was officially launched on the same day. Key activities of the Centre would include a decarbonisation roadmap, sector-specific actions, e.g., power grid, future mobility, energy-efficient equipment, and market enablers, e.g., carbon market and green/transition finance.

The Ministers echoed the importance of AZEC including its sectoral initiatives and updated their own progress in pursuing net zero emissions. H.E. Rosan Roeslani reported on Indonesia’s roadmap for net zero emissions; H.E. Dato Seri Paduka ​Awang Haji Mohamad Azmi noted the importance of multiple pathways toward net zero emissions and shared Brunei’s own; H.E. Keo Rottanak encouraged collaborative efforts and highlighted decarbonisation of the industry sector.

H.E. Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli updated the meeting on the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and related activities and targets of Malaysia; H.E. Raphael Lotilla emphasised the realistic pathway of energy transition and the importance of transition finance; H.E. Prasert Sinsukprasert noted key technologies of net zero emissions, including hydrogen ammonia, BESS, SAF, and CCUS; H.E. Tan See Leng encouraged collaboration for energy transition, including through public-private partnership and interconnectivity.

Representing ACE, Dr Nuki congratulated the achievement of AZEC and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts, including with private sectors. He appreciated the establishment of the Centre, including as a platform for knowledge sharing and capacity building. He encouraged the alignment of AZEC sectoral initiatives (power, transport, industry) with ASEAN activities, including through the ASEAN Power Grid.

Photo 1. Dr Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of ACE, delivered a statement on behalf of ACE during the 2^nd AZEC Ministerial Meeting

Additional interventions were also provided by Keisuke Sadamori of IEA and Arsyad Rasjid, representing the AZEC Advisory Group. Arsyad reported the 8 joint recommendations from the Advisory Group, encouraged institutionalisation of the Group, and highlighted the principles of pro-green and pro-growth.

The meeting was closed with the adoption of outcome documents, mainly the AZEC 2^nd Ministerial Meeting Joint Statement, including the attached AZEC Sectoral Initiatives towards carbon neutrality/net-zero emissions and Terms of Reference of the “Asia Zero Emission Centre.”