Langkawi, Malaysia – The 17^th ASEAN Forum on Coal (AFOC) was held at Langkawi, Malaysia from 2-4 April 2019, and attended by AFOC focal points from 7 ASEAN Member States (AMS) namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand as well as representatives of ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), Japan Coal Energy Center (JCOAL) and World Coal Association (WCA).

During the meeting, the AFOC focal points disseminated the technical workshop and addressed issues related to coal with regard to the ASEAN Plan of Action on Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025. Whereby the APAEC is an energy blueprint, in which the impacts of the outcomes are focused on four dimensions – energy security, affordability, accessibility, and sustainability.

ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT) is an international cooperation project between ACE and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), under the Norwegian-ASEAN Regional Integration Programme (NARIP).

One of the objectives of the project is to assess the impacts of the APAEC outcomes, and hence the research team represented by Mr. Muhammad Rizki Kresnawan has taken this 17^th AFOC meeting as an opportunity to share the coherent approach through this project in developing the Phase II of the APAEC.

The findings of the project will provide inputs and recommendations in improving the Phase I of the APAEC, in terms of Outcome-based Strategies (OBS) and Action Plans (AP) of the Programme Area 3, Coal and Clean Coal Technology (CCT), and the synergy of climate-energy policy.

The 17^th ASEAN Forum on Coal (AFOC) in Langkawi, Malaysia

The meeting acknowledged the findings and recommendations on the feasibility study on coal upgrading by using coal upgrading palm oil (CUPO) technology by Indonesia as well as high efficiency, low emission (HELE) coal combustion technology who has presented by JCOAL.

These disseminations will be important for AMS to enhance their coal quality that needs to be utilized. Other than that, it is also acknowledged the feasibility study on the business and financing model on coal report by Vietnam, which will be circulated to AFOC Focal Points by the ACE.

During the 17^th AFOC meeting, the AFOC focal points have shown their supports to the ACCEPT project. Baseline data on GHGs emission has been recognized as one of the crucial aspects to be established as part of the regional strategies in shaping the climate-related energy policies.