APERC Senior Researcher Dr Alexander Ermakov was invited to speak at the 15th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development, held in Xi’an, China, on 3–6 November 2026.

Jointly organized by the five United Nations Regional Commissions, the Forum gathered global energy experts to address practical pathways to low-carbon energy solutions and strategies to accelerate the energy transition amid shifting geopolitical, trade and technological factors. Key topics included energy security and efficiency, natural gas as a transitional fuel, methane emissions mitigation, renewable energy, digitalization, critical minerals, and resilient energy planning.

Dr Ermakov was a panelist in the “Business-to-Government Dialogue on Gas, Energy Security and Transition”. Drawing on APERC research, he discussed the global and Asian long-term gas outlooks and explored the implications of growing electricity demand from data centers for gas-fired generation. He also examined the impact of the Middle East crisis on Asian gas markets, highlighting the importance of LNG supply diversification, flexible procurement, strategic reserves and regional cooperation for strengthening energy security.

He also participated in sessions on mitigating methane emissions in the fossil fuel sector and other energy transition-related topics, exchanging perspectives with policymakers, industry representatives and international experts.

APERC thanks the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) for the invitation and the opportunity to contribute to these important discussions.