The 41st ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) was hosted by Indonesia on 24 August 2023, in Bali. The high-level meeting was attended by all 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS), as well as Timor Leste. The Joint Opening Ceremony was officiated by H.E. Minister Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia as the Chair of the meeting. In his opening address, the minister highlighted the key deliverable of Indonesia’s 2023 Chairmanship which seeks to address the region’s sustainable energy security through interconnectivity and emphasised that two-thirds of the region’s growing energy demand could be met by renewables.

At this high-level meeting, the ASEAN Ministers on Energy reaffirmed the shared commitment and collective responsibility of AMS to enhance the role of regional interconnectivity and integration in ensuring sustainable energy security in the region by adopting the ‘Joint Declaration of the 41^st AMEM on Sustainable Energy Security Through Interconnectivity’. This declaration emphasises pursuing the ASEAN region’s target to interconnect ASEAN countries through the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline (TAGP) towards 2045.

As formalized in the Joint Ministerial Statement, the meeting also welcomed the achievements made by the ASEAN member states under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II: 2021-2025, and the commitment to continue the implementation of the activities under APAEC Phase II. In accordance with this, the meeting noted the ongoing implementation of the ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project Phase 2 (ACCEPT II) supported by the Norway-ASEAN Regional Integration Programme.

The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) through ACCEPT II has supported the implementation of APAEC, Program Area No. 6, Regional Energy Policy and Planning, Outcome Based Strategy (OBS) 6, to promote information sharing on the energy-climate nexus since the commencement of the project in November 2022. Previously, the 48-month project was welcomed at the 40^th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting on 15 September 2022.

Among various activities conducted by ACCEPT II, two notable events that were highlighted in the meeting were the High-Level Policy Dialogue on ‘Sustainable Energy Financing and Mobilisation of Energy Investments to Ensure Energy Security and Achieve the Nationally Determined Contributions in ASEAN’ and the regional workshop on ‘Carbon Pricing Implementation in ASEAN’ that was held in Bali, Indonesia in July 2023. Through these activities, ACCEPT II aims to enhance ASEAN capacities towards low-carbon energy systems and a net zero future.

The Meeting also mentioned the anticipation of future projects and activities from ACCEPT II to advance the regional energy-climate nexus collaboration, including the implementation of Energy-Climate Nexus Study Tour to Norway on 4-11 November 2023.

Moving forward, ACCEPT II will continue to serve the ASEAN Member States in advancing knowledge, building capacity, and strengthening its regional structure, capacity, and collaboration on the energy-climate nexus, both at national and regional levels. The continued support from the Norwegian Government is crucial for the momentum of ACCEPT II projects in accelerating the energy transition in the region towards a net zero future.