Online Event of Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting to be Held

July 10, 2020

Online event for global utilization of hydrogen

On October 14, 2020, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) will jointly hold a special event concerning the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting online. The meeting will be held online from the viewpoint of preventing expansion of the novel coronavirus disease. It will provide an opportunity for participants to share efforts for producing and utilizing hydrogen in member countries, aiming to continue to maintain and expand the global momentum for building a hydrogen-based society. Participants will strive to further strengthen international collaboration.

Outline and purpose

Hydrogen contributes to diversifying the structures of energy supply and also has the potential to become a dynamo to achieve dramatic low carbonization in society. These expectations for hydrogen as a key technology to energy transitions and decarbonization have been attracting great attention worldwide.

The Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting was held for the first time in Japan in 2018 as an opportunity for member countries to encourage countries worldwide to promote global-level utilization of hydrogen and to further consolidate collaboration among member countries in a harmonious manner. At the first meeting, member countries released the Tokyo Statement under which they shared the importance of international collaboration, including harmonization of regulations and standards and promotion of international joint research.

Moreover, the second meeting in 2019 brought together over 600 participants from 35 countries and regions, far beyond the number in 2018, and member countries released the “Global Action Agenda,” as action guidelines for these countries’ efforts for hydrogen and fuel cells, which defines specific actions to achieve the Tokyo Statement.

The 2020 meeting will be held as a special online event in light of current expansion of the novel coronavirus disease. Aiming to continue to maintain and expand the global momentum for achieving a hydrogen-based society, the 2020 meeting will be held as an opportunity for sharing member countries’ efforts for building a hydrogen-based society and participants will strive to further strengthen international collaboration.

Date, venue and other information

Date: October 14 (Wed.), 2020
Program: Online speeches by ministers of member countries, representatives of private companies, etc.
Organizers: METI and NEDO

*Note: The secretariat will release information on how to make prior registration for attending the event on its website at a later date.