APEC Energy Working Group (EWG)
[ Last Updated 17 January 2006 ]
Energy Working Group (EWG)
Background
The principal body in APEC handling energy matters is the Energy Working Group (EWG) , launched in 1990. Australia is the Lead Shepherd, with the Secretariat located in the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources in Canberra. The Secretariat does an excellent job, devoting substantial resources to the exercise.
The EWG has five expert groups, which meet on a regular basis and have their own programmes of activities. These cover energy data and outlook, clean fossil energy, energy efficiency and conservation, technology co-operation, and minerals and energy exploration and development.
The inaugural APEC Energy Ministers' meeting took place on 28 and 29 August 1996 in Sydney and Ministers have met five times since, the most recent meeting (Energy Ministers' Meeting 6 or EMM6) being held in the Philippines in June 2004. Ministers are due to meet again (EMM7) in Korea in October 2005. The EWG meets twice a year, and the expert groups also normally each meet twice a year. With ad hoc groups, seminars, etc. there are up to 30 energy-related events each year under the umbrella of the EWG.
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