Phnom Penh, 16 September 2022: Collaboration and cooperation is the key to accelerate energy transition efforts amongst East Asian Summit (EAS) countries. This was the gist of the speech delivered by H. E. Suy Sem, Cambodia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, during the 16th East Asia Summit—Energy Ministers Meeting (EAS EMM) on 16 September 2022 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The hybrid meeting, organised by Cambodia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy, was chaired by the minister. He expressed his appreciation for the continuous cooperation of EAS countries, including on global energy. Such cooperation, he said, will further raise awareness and improve capacity building to tackle global issues.

Joining online, Prof Hidetoshi Nishimura, President of the Economic Resource Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), presented ERIA’s Energy Policy Research, which includes a collaborative project, ASEAN Carbon Neutrality Scenarios, by ERIA and the Institute of Energy Economics Japan. He reported the success of the 5th East Asia Energy Forum, held on 12 September 2022 in Phnom Penh, which resulted in Phnom Penh Reflections by Minister Sem and Prof Nishimura.

The meeting acknowledged ERIA for its EAS Energy Saving Potential and Outlook, whose findings include the generation of low-carbon energy transition and carbon-neutral scenarios and the implications for energy and technology choices in EAS countries across the power and final energy consumption sectors.

On the Biofuels for Transport and Other Purposes work stream, the meeting noted ERIA’s publication, Analysis of EAS Future Mobility Fuel Scenario, Considering the Sustainable Use of Biofuels and Other Alternative Vehicle Fuels. The participants looked forward to the findings and implications of evaluating well-to-wheel carbon dioxide emissions when using biofuels in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam; assessment of mineral demand and related emissions that underpin mobility electrification; and the analysis of mobility scenarios for EAS countries that are considering synergies between biofuel use and electric vehicle output.

On the promotion of innovative technologies and low-carbon societies, the meeting announced the progress of the capacity-building activities and knowledge-sharing conferences to promote carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) and carbon recycling. The meeting disclosed the organisation of the 2nd Asia CCUS Network Forum in 30 September 2022.

The meeting acknowledged ERIA’s contributions to energy policy research activities in the EAS region through the implementation of the rolling 3-year Roadmap on EAS Mid-Term Energy Policy Research for 2021–2023, including the voluntary scenario analyses on the ASEAN Carbon Neutrality Scenario conducted with the Institute of Energy Economics Japan. The meeting welcomed the successful convening of the 5th East Asia Energy Forum on 12 September 2022 as organised by ERIA and Cambodia and the Phnom Penh Reflections, which focus on ASEAN’s challenges on carbon neutrality and energy security.

ERIA participated in the EAS Energy Cooperation Task Force on 14 September 2022 and chaired by H.E. Victor Jona, Cambodia’s Secretary of State, Ministry of Mines and Energy. In the hybrid meeting, the Chair of the EAS Energy Cooperation Task Force reported on the progress and accomplishments of EAS energy cooperation in 2021–2022 and future work plans of the biofuels for transport and other purposes work stream led by the Philippines and India; the energy efficiency and conservation work stream led by Japan and Thailand; and the renewable and alternative power generation work stream led by Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of Korea. The task force chair also reported on the progress of other initiatives led by Japan and ERIA on new energy and environment system, promotion of natural gas, promotion of carbon recycling, and promotion of Asia CCUS Network.

The 17th EAS Energy Ministerial Meeting and associated meetings in 2023 will be hosted by Indonesia.