ASEAN Member States (AMS) representatives from Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities, ASEAN Council on Petroleum, ASEAN Forum on Coal, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Sub-sector Network, Renewable Energy Sub-sector Network, Regional Energy Policy and Planning Sub-sector Network and Nuclear Energy Cooperation Sub-sector Network gathered in Singapore on 21 January 2019 for the first APAEC Drafting Committee (ADC) Meeting.  The meeting kicked off the development of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025 Phase II: 2021-2025.  ACE used this opportunity to introduce the Coherent Policy Approach proposed by the ASEAN Climate Change Energy Project (ACCEPT), which is a 3-year programme on energy and climate change funded by the Norwegian government.

APAEC is the regional blueprint for the energy sector in the framework of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) implementation.  Being the blueprint of the energy cooperation in the region, APAEC plays a vital role in setting a sustainable future of ASEAN energy landscape. Therefore, it is critical to develop the document with regional consensus in order to  have it translated into national policies and plans.

Upon the completion of the Mid-Term Review of the APAEC 2016-2025 Phase I: 2016-2020 that was endorsed by the 36^th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM, October 2017, Singapore), the ASEAN Energy Ministers tasked the Specialised Energy Bodies (SEBs) and Sub-sector Network (SSNs) to start the development of the APAEC Phase II, facilitated by the ASEAN Centre for Energy. The APAEC Phase II document itself is expected to be endorsed by the ASEAN Member States (AMS) during the 38^th AMEM in Vietnam, 2020.

Responding to the rapid change in the energy landscape and to mitigate climate change, the ASEAN representatives shared the same concern on the urgency to have an updated plan in facing various challenges, at national, regional and international levels.  To support this process, Beni Suryadi, Manager of the Policy Research and Analytics Programme of ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), representing the ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT) team presented the Coherent Policy Approach for the development of the APAEC Phase II.   In the meeting, Mr Suryadi shared that the Approach developed by ACCEPT will help ASEAN SEBs and SSNs in developing the APAEC Outcome-based Strategies for their respective Programme Areas. The measurement tool that is being developed by ACCEPT will facilitate the designing process of the APAEC Action Plans.

Furthermore, ACCEPT will engage one (1) national expert from each AMS to assist the data gathering and analysis for the Coherent Policy Approach.   The progress of the programme will be presented at the 2^nd ADC Meeting in May 2019 during 18^th Regional Energy Policy and Planning Sub-sector Network Annual Meeting in Singapore.  (MRK. Photo credit:  EMA)