Terms of Reference

Preface

The Terms of Reference of this Sub-fora is established in accordance with agreed APEC rules and principles.

The Expert Group on Energy Data and Analysis (EGEDA) is responsible for providing policy relevant energy information to APEC bodies and the wider community, through collecting energy data of the APEC region, managing the operation of the APEC energy database through its secretariat, implementing energy statistics training courses, and maintaining close cooperation with the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC) on its activities. The EGEDA reports to the EWG and endorsement decisions of the EGEDA will be subject to the EWG’s approval.

Background

In consideration of the importance of energy data collection for enhanced energy security and environmental sustainability in the APEC region, the 2nd APEC EWG Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia in March 1991 agreed to establish an expert group within APEC responsible for managing and reviewing the operation of the APEC energy database. It also agreed that the central data collection point would be set up at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan. Pursuant to this decision, the Energy Data Expert Group was established in 1991. The expert group set up the central data collection point at the Energy Data and Modelling Center, the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan.

The expert group developed the APEC energy database through the creation of an energy data collection network among member economies. It has published “APEC Energy Statistics” annually since 1993 and in 1995 it published “Historical APEC Energy Statistics 1980-92.” It has also developed an online data dissemination system.

Following the 12th APEC EWG meeting in Hong Kong, China in May 1996, the name of the expert group was changed to the “Energy Data and Outlook Expert Group” reflecting its new role of advising the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre in the execution of its outlook and research activities. It was further approved at the 18th APEC EWG Meeting in Wellington, New Zealand in November 1999, to change the name of the expert group to the current “Expert Group on Energy Data and Analysis.” This is to reflect the expanded research activities of APERC and the Group's role in overseeing these activities as well as responding to the EWG's increasing need for information and analysis in its policy-oriented discussions. At the 48th APEC EWG Meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in November 2014, the meeting agreed that APERC would leave from the EGEDA umbrella and report directly to APEC EWG. The EGEDA secretariat has been transferred from the Energy Data and Modelling Center to the Energy Statistics and Training Office, Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre since April 2015.

Goals

The goals of the expert group are as follows:

1. To support the improvement of energy policies and decision-making in APEC member economies and to enhance the efficiency of the regional energy market by improving the quality, availability and accessibility of energy data;

2. To train energy statisticians in APEC member economies; and

3. To maintain an online APEC energy database.

Objectives

The specific objectives are:

1. To improve the availability and consistency of energy data and to develop, manage and review the operation of an up-to-date and consistent APEC energy database, principally covering energy demand and supply data.

2. To continue to develop and maintain an APEC energy data collection and dissemination network.

3. To participate in international energy cooperation/collaboration activities on energy statistics with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) and other international energy organisations.

4. To implement energy statistics training courses for APEC member economies.

5. To track the APEC aspirational goals on reducing energy intensity by 45% in 2035 from 2005 levels and doubling the 2010 share of renewable energy in APEC energy mix by 2030 and other similar measurable goals that may be set by the energy ministers.

6. To report to and to advise the APEC EWG on each of the above activities.

Priorities

The expert group’s current priorities are to continue to collect and process energy statistics from the 21 APEC member economies and maintain a transparent open APEC energy database. To achieve these priorities, energy statistics training courses will be implemented to ensure that personnel in APEC member economies are well-trained in energy data collection, processing, validation and dissemination.

Membership and secretariat

1. The expert group is open to all the 21 APEC member economies.

2. The expert group has appointed as secretariat, the Energy Statistics and Training Office (ESTO) in Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC).

3. The secretariat collects, processes, and validates energy data of the APEC region and maintains the APEC energy database.

4. The secretariat publishes the “APEC Energy Statistics” and other agreed publications and distributes them to all member economies.

Leadership

1. The chair of the expert group is elected by the expert group. The chair's term is two years (1 January 2022-31 December 2023/1 January 2024-31 December 2025). However, the chair can be re-elected, whenever the expert group chooses to do so. As part of the transition, the chair that will be elected at the 32nd EGEDA meeting in October 2021, will continue as chair until 31 December 2023.

2. The vice-chair, who will assist the job of the chair, is nominated by the chair. This nomination should be approved by the group. If the chair is unable to complete his/her term, the vice-chair will become the chair for the remainder of the chair’s term. A new vice-chair will be nominated by the new chair and should be approved by the group. If the vice-chair is unable to fulfil the chair’s role, an interim chair will be nominated by member economies and selected by consensus to serve the remaining term.

Meeting arrangements

1. The expert group normally holds a meeting once a year. The chair is required to send a meeting agenda approximately two months prior to the meeting, and to distribute the documents for the meeting well in advance to allow members of the expert group to prepare for the discussion in the meeting in a sufficient manner.

2. The chair of the expert group reports and makes recommendations to APEC EWG on the activities of the expert group, including those of the secretariat.

3. The host of the expert group meeting is rotated among APEC member economies.

Engagement with other stakeholders

EGEDA would work with the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the academic community, and other APEC fora such as the Expert Group on New and Renewable Energy Technologies (EGNRET), the Expert Group on Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EGEE&C), Expert Group on Clean Fossil Energy (EGCFE). These international organisations and other APEC fora would be invited to participate in EGEDA meetings and the APEC workshop on energy statistics on a need basis.

Quorum

Quorum for EGEDA Meetings constitutes attendees from 11 economies. Recommendations can be made if quorum and consensus are reached. If the quorum is not reached, the meeting may continue, but recommendations must be put to the full membership for consideration. Should the EGEDA fail to meet quorum for two consecutive meetings, it shall be referred to Senior Officials for a decision on whether it should continue to exist.

Sunset clause

EGEDA has a term of four years starting from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025. At the expiration of this and any subsequent term, EGEDA and its ToR shall be reviewed and a recommendation on renewal put to EWG and Senior Officials for approval.