Clean Energy Ministerial

The CEM is a partnership of the world's leading economies working together to accelerate the implementation of clean energy technologies. It supports a broad range of clean energy policy and technology activities that together improve energy efficiency, expand clean energy supply, support energy systems transformation, and enhance human capacity. The CEM pairs political engagement among energy ministers at an annual Ministerial meeting with year-round technical initiatives and campaigns.[2]

The annual Ministerial meetings are hosted by one or more CEM members, with the hosting role rotating annually among the membership based on voluntary expressions of interest. Members volunteering to host a Ministerial meeting also host a Preparatory Meeting for the preceding Ministerial Meeting. The meetings are thereafter organised by the host in coordination with the CEM's Steering Committee and Secretariat in alignment with the objectives of the CEM.

The year-round technical work of the CEM is bottom-up, voluntary, and collaborative. Member countries propose, work on, and share leadership of those CEM initiatives and campaigns that help them achieve their own national clean energy objectives. They also target active cooperation and partnerships with the private sector, international institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders key to the deployment of innovative clean energy solutions.[2] The underlying coordination support and analytical work of these initiatives and campaigns are undertaken by one or more operating agents appointed by the leading member governments shaping the work.

The CEM formally launched in 2010, and the United States hosted its first meeting (CEM1). The United Arab Emirates hosted CEM2 in 2011, the United Kingdom CEM3 in 2012, India CEM4 in 2013, Korea CEM5 in 2014, Mexico CEM6 in June 2015, the United States CEM7 in 2016, China CEM8 in 2017, followed by the European Commission, together with four Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland) hosting CEM9 in 2018 and Canada the 10th Ministerial meeting (CEM10) in 2019.[2][11] The 11th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM11) will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September, 2020.[12][13] Chile is scheduled to host CEM12 in 2021.

Since 2016, the Mission Innovation, a technology R&D ministerial forum, is co-located back to back with the CEM meetings.

CEM Initiatives are the sustained collaborative efforts established and led by CEM Members to advance clean energy policy and technology. A minimum of three members are required to participate in the work of the Initiatives may take a wide variety of forms, based on the interests of Members. While CEM initiatives are led by CEM members, participation in initiatives is open to any country. Participation across all CEM initiatives are voluntary and commitments are non-binding for participating members. Initiatives primarily target governmental participation, but may include private sector participation.[14]

Past initiatives include the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and Efficient District Heating and Cooling (DHC) Working Group, the Cool Roofs and Pavements Working Group, the Sectoral Working Group, the Bioenergy Working Group, Carbon Capture Use and Storage, and Sustainable Development of Hydropower. The Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership (Global LEAP) which worked to facilitate access to affordable, clean, and quality-assured off-grid energy solutions. The Global Sustainable Cities Network (GSCN) which aimed to provide a platform for sustainable city initiatives throughout the world.