The High-Level Dialogue on Energy is the first global gathering on energy under the auspices of the UN General Assembly since the UN Conference on New and Renewable Sources of Energy in 1981. The Dialogue, to be convened at summit level by the UN Secretary-General in September 2021, seeks to promote the implementation of the energy-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change, as well as to accelerate ambition towards the achievement of SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy).

The High-Level Dialogue is structured around five themes: energy access; energy transition; enabling SDGs through inclusive, just energy transitions; innovation, technology and data; and finance and investment.

A series of multi-stakeholder Technical Working Groups were established for each theme to bring together technical experts to prepare a Thematic Report with substantive recommendations for Ministerial-level Thematic Forums. The Ministerial Forums will take the recommendations from the Working Groups as input and will be organized according to the five themes. The Forums will, in turn, provide inputs to the High-level Dialogue.

The lead organizations for the Technical Working Groups are as follows:

• Working Group on Energy Access: UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Office for Least Developed, Landlocked and Small Island Developing States (UN OHRLLS), and World Bank;
• Working Group on Energy Transition: International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and UN Environment Programme (UNEP);
• Working Group on Enabling SDGs through Inclusive, Just Energy Transitions: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA), and World Health Organization (WHO);
• Working Group on Innovation, Technology and Data: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); and
• Working Group on Finance and Investment: European Investment Bank (EIB), International Energy Agency (IEA), and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

UN-Energy, in collaboration with relevant international organizations and multi-stakeholders, is providing technical support for the substantive tracks during the preparatory meetings.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin is producing summaries of each session of the Technical Working Groups. The first of three sessions for each Technical Working Group took place between 22 February 2021 and 2 March 2021, according to the following schedule:

• 22 February – First meeting of Technical Working Group on Energy Transition
• 24 February – First meeting of Technical Working Group on Energy Access
• 25 February – First meeting of Technical Working Group on Enabling SDGs through Inclusive, Just Energy Transitions
• 26 February – First meeting of Technical Working Group on Finance and Investment
• 2 March – First meeting of Technical Working Group on Innovation, Technology and Data

Based on the first session, zero draft reports were developed and distributed for each Technical Working Group. The drafts were discussed during second meetings of each Technical Working Group between 13-20 April 2021, according to the following schedule: 

• 13 April – Second meeting of Technical Working Group on Innovation, Technology and Data
• 14 April – Second meeting of Technical Working Group on Finance and Investment
• 15 April – Second meeting of Technical Working Group on Energy Transition
• 19 April – Second meeting of Technical Working Group on Energy Access
• 20 April – Second meeting of Technical Working Group on Enabling SDGs through Inclusive, Just Energy Transitions

The third sessions for each Technical Working Group are taking place between 12-26 May, as follows:

• 12 May – Third meeting of Technical Working Group on Energy Access
• 19 May – Third meeting of Technical Working Group on Enabling SDGs through Inclusive, Just Energy Transitions
• 20 May – Third meeting of Technical Working Group on Energy Transition
• 25 May – Third meeting of Technical Working Group on Finance and Investment
• 26 May – Third meeting of Technical Working Group on Innovation, Technology and Data

An online stakeholder thematic debate took place on 3 June 2021.