16th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM16)

The 16th Clean Energy Ministerial Meeting (CEM16) took place in Busan, Republic of Korea from 25 to 27 August 2025. The Ministerial Meeting was hosted by the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, supported by KEEI and KETEP, under the theme ‘Energising cooperation for a prosperous future’.

CEM16 was held during Busan’s “Energy Super Week” alongside the APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting and the World Climate Industry Expo 2025. This co-location offered a valuable opportunity for strengthening international cooperation and fostering public-private partnerships, enabling renewed multilateralism to accelerate global clean energy transitions efforts that leave no one behind.

CEM16 was a resounding success and the result of the combined efforts and dedication of all CEM members and the entire CEM community. With an impressive turnout of over 1,000 high-level policymakers, industry leaders, and key stakeholders from the Asia-Pacific and beyond, more than 50 technical and high-level side events – including numerous ministerial sessions and ministerial-CEO dialogues, over 40 strong outcomes and 2 new member-led initiatives underscored CEM’s role as a powerful platform for global collaboration, knowledge sharing and advancing strategic collaboration toward scalable clean energy solutions.

The key highlight at CEM16 was the delivery of impact from emblematic deliverables and Ministerial priorities that were agreed previously at CEM15 – a commendable win for multilateralism in a geopolitically-tense year.

• Future Fuels Action Plan: Ministers, CEOs, and senior leaders from the CEM community came together to take stock of progress and continue to build momentum on three priority pillars of the Action Plan, including the mobilisation of demand creation by translating low-carbon objectives into demand for Future Fuels; advancing approaches to lifestyle carbon accounting based on transparency and collaboration between suppliers and prospective buyers; as well as enabling markets and infrastructure in support of a global value chain through market mechanisms and infrastructure development.
  
• Action Agenda for Power System Solutions: CEM16 brought together ministers, CEOs, and industry leaders to recognize progress and chart the path ahead for power system transformation. In the last year, many CEM workstreams and partners have collaborated to advance both domestic priorities and COP and G20 priorities in power sector transformation, in particular noting an improvement in planning and investment certainty; supporting modernizing and expanding transmission and distribution grids; unlocking power system flexibility; deploying e-mobility infrastructure; strengthening energy supply chain resilience and sustainability; and advancing a just and inclusive transition.
  
• Enhanced Engagement with EMDEs: CEM16, for the first time, was home to an active and high-level presence from several non-member EMDEs including Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines. Their presence across the three days highlighted their trust in the CEM as a unique platform to advance clean energy transitions in Southeast Asia, as demonstrated by the partnership created between the CEM and ASEAN Presidencies. A high-level roundtable discussion on energizing such partnerships also showcased how collaborative efforts with philanthropic foundations, particularly ClimateWorks Foundation and Tara Climate Foundation, are helping to align international energy transition goals with domestic energy priorities and presented opportunities for leveraging such partnerships for continued impact.

Given the progress that the CEM platform enables for its community, CEM16 also saw noteworthy announcements from countries targeting momentum building through new initiatives including –

• The United States announced its leadership and intent to set up two new CEM Initiatives dedicated to enabling access to modern and clean cooking and geothermal energy.
  
• India noted the global need to focus attention on deploying efficient air conditioners at scale to tackle heat stress and optimize power demand, with an intent to pursue a potential CEM campaign partnering with other CEM member countries interested in this topic.
  
• Canada used the opportunity to initiate a dialogue on pursuing transport decarbonization efforts through CEM, recognizing ongoing efforts within CEM and outside on this important issue, and evaluating the need to align action.

CEM16 also saw the launch of a landmark Declaration on Sustainable Lifestyles and Fairness under the CEM Sustainable Lifestyles Campaign. Already endorsed by several CEM member countries and international organisations, this declaration cements a shared commitment to sustainable lifestyles and individual climate action as core drivers of the transition to clean energy.

Finally, CEM16 also featured the inaugural CEM Regulatory Forum, creating a rare opportunity for leaders from ministries and regulatory agencies to come together to shape a new set of regulatory policies that will aid in accelerating the energy transition. Hosted under the CEM Empowering Regulators Campaign, this meeting outlined pathways for policymakers and governments to empower regulators to advance decarbonisation.

In addition to the above, CEM16 delivered several outputs and marked progress in tangible outcomes including strengthened international collaboration and multilateral cooperation. This “Announcements and Outcomes” document highlights the wide range of deliverables and achievements brought to CEM16 by the CEM community, spanning geographies and various clean energy sectors.

Looking ahead, the CEM is excited to announce that the next Ministerial will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in October 2026 (exact dated to be confirmed). We expect that this meeting will be another significant culmination of progress that the CEM community will continue to drive over the coming months, building on strategic priorities in support of clean energy transitions.

We would like to thank the CEM Community once again for their invaluable contribution in making CEM16 Ministerial Meeting a monumental success and look forward to your continued involvement and support as we work together to address the pressing challenges of climate change and energy transition!