APEC works to foster in the Asia-Pacific region economic resilience and sustainable growth that bring palpable benefits and greater well-being to all. In support, PSU research and analysis projects focus on structural reforms to improve socioeconomic resilience, inclusive human resource development, as well as the promotion of policies that support global efforts to address environmental challenges and the collective work for a sustainable planet.

The Policy Support Unit has produced the following projects and publications under the economic driver of Strong, Balanced, Secure, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth:

Environment and Sustainability

Using AI to Power Up Efficient and Resilient Energy Systems (Policy Brief No. 67), 2025

Driving the Future: Leveraging Regional Cooperation for Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chains (Policy Brief No. 62), 2024

Study on Non-Tariff Measures Affecting Trade in Goods Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2023

Policy Paths toward Low-emission Multimodal Transportation in APEC (Policy Brief No. 55), 2023

Policy Options for Decarbonising Transportation in APEC (Policy Brief No. 48), 2022

Charting New Pathways for APEC: A Sustainable Future Inspired by the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy (Policy Brief No. 50), 2022

Transitioning to a Sustainable Economy while Ensuring Inclusion (Policy Brief No. 54), 2022

The Compendium of Resources for the Facilitation of the Trade and Distribution of Legally Harvested Forest Products in the APEC Region, 2021

A Review of the APEC List of Environmental Goods (Policy Brief No. 41), 2021

Circular Economy: Don’t let Waste go to Waste (Policy Brief No. 30), 2020

Compendium of Policies and Preventive Measures to Reduce Land-based Marine Debris in APEC Economies, 2019

Recognising Sustainability in Tourism, 2019

Identifying Green, Sustainable and Innovative MSMEs in APEC (Policy Brief No. 19), 2018

Partnerships for the Sustainable Development of Cities in the APEC Region, 2017

Sector Study on Environmental Services: Environmental Damage Remediation Services, 2017

Sector Study on Environmental Services: Energy Efficiency Businesses, 2017

Sector Study on Environmental Services: Renewable Energy, 2017

Shaping the Future through an Asia-Pacific Partnership for Urbanization and Sustainable City Development, 2014

Regulatory Reform – Case Studies on Green Investments, 2013

Drivers of Regulatory Reform in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Policy Brief No. 7), 2013

A Snapshot of Current Trade Trends in Potential Environmental Goods and Services (Policy Brief No. 3), 2012

Study on Good Regulatory Practices for Goods and Services Necessary or Desirable for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, 2009

Preparedness, Impact and Response

2024 Update to Monitoring Pandemic Recovery Under the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR), 2024

Monitoring Pandemic Recovery Under the APEC Services Competitiveness Roadmap (ASCR), 2023

A Decade of Supply Chain Initiatives: Opportunities and Challenges in Post-COVID-19 Recovery (Policy Brief No. 42), 2022

Putrajaya Vision 2040, COVID-19 and Information Disorder (Policy Brief No. 51), 2022

Resiliency in a Post-Pandemic APEC: Approaches to Driving Growth in Digital Services (Policy Brief No. 47), 2022

Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Renewed Agenda for the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) (Policy Brief No. 45), 2022

COVID-19 and Cross-Border Mobility in the APEC Region: Addressing Uncertainties at the Border, November 2022

Passports, Tickets and Face Masks: COVID-19 and Cross-Border Mobility in the APEC Region

Promoting Trade in Vaccines and Related Supplies and Equipment (Policy Brief No. 40), 2021

APEC in the Epicentre of COVID-19 (Policy Brief No. 31), 2020

COVID-19, 4IR and the Future of Work (Policy Brief No. 34), 2020

Food Security Response Measures to COVID-19 (Policy Brief No.36), 2020

Supporting MSMEs’ Digitalization Amid COVID-19 (Policy Brief No. 35), 2020

Export Restrictions and Food Security in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Policy Brief No. 33), 2020

Promoting Trade in Medical Goods to Tackle COVID-19 Challenges (Policy Brief No. 32), 2020

Women, COVID-19 and the Future of Work (PSU Policy Brief No. 38), 2020

Security

Export Restrictions and Food Security in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Policy Brief No. 33), 2020

Food Security Response Measures to COVID-19 (Policy Brief No.36), 2020

Insights on the Regulatory Environment within APEC Economies and Its Impact on Trade in Services in Food Value Chains, 2019

Financing the Food Value Chain (Policy Brief No. 22), 2018

Services and the Food System (Policy Brief No. 21), 2018

Challenges to Achieving Food Security in APEC (Issues Paper No. 2), 2012

Food Security Policies in APEC, 2012

Improving Food Markets in APEC Economies: Can the Cost of Food be Lowered?, 2009

Inclusive Growth

APEC Economic Policy Report 2024: Structural Reform and Financial Inclusion, 2024

APEC Economic Policy Report 2023: Structural Reform and an Enabling Environment for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Businesses, 2023

Transitioning to a Sustainable Economy while Ensuring Inclusion (Policy Brief No. 54), 2022

Big Data for the Labor Market: Sources, Uses and Opportunities (Issues Paper No. 13), 2021

APEC Strategy for Strengthening Quality Growth (ASSQG): Final Assessment, 2020

Implementing Inclusion: APEC Case Studies on Inclusive Policies, 2020

APEC Financial Inclusion Capacity Building Package - Synthesis Report, 2019

APEC: Trekking the Road to Financial Inclusion (Policy Brief No. 24), 2018

Development and Integration of Remote Areas in the APEC Region, 2018

Tourist Arrivals and Inclusive Growth (Issues Paper No. 11), 2016

APEC and the Human Development Agenda (Policy Brief No. 14), 2016

Innovation, Competitiveness and the Role of Fiscal Policies (Issues Paper No. 7), 2014

MSME Sector

Enhancing MSME Data Interoperability in the APEC Region (Issues Paper No. 14), 2024

Overview of the SME Sector in the APEC Region: Key Issues on Market Access and Internationalization, 2020

Supporting MSMEs’ Digitalization Amid COVID-19 (Policy Brief No. 35), 2020

Globalization, Inclusion, and E-Commerce: APEC Agenda for SMEs (Policy Brief No. 20), 2018

Identifying Green, Sustainable and Innovative MSMEs in APEC (Policy Brief No. 19), 2018

Promoting E-commerce to Globalize MSMEs, 2017

Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC – Synthesis Report, 2017

Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC - Case Study on Mexico, 2017

Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC – Case Study on Australia, 2017

Supporting Industry Promotion Policies in APEC - Case Study on Viet Nam, 2017

Gender-related Constraints Faced by Women-owned SMEs (Policy Brief No. 15), 2016

Regulatory Reform: Case Studies on Improving the Business Environment for SMEs, 2015

SMEs, Competition Law and Economic Growth (Issues Paper No. 10), 2015

SME Internationalization and Measurement (Policy Brief No. 12), 2015

Integrating SMEs into Global Value Chains: Policy Principles and Best Practices (Issues Paper No. 6), 2014

SMEs in the APEC Region (Policy Brief No. 8), 2013

SMEs’ Participation in Global Production Chains, (Issues Paper No. 3), 2013

SME Market Access and Internationalization: Medium-term KPIs for the SMEWG Strategic Plan, 2010

Tourism

Recognising Sustainability in Tourism, 2019

Tourist Arrivals and Inclusive Growth (Issues Paper No. 11), 2016

Women

The APEC Women and the Economy Dashboard 2025, 2025

Empowering Tomorrow: APEC Women Entrepreneurs in Startups, 2025

Unpacking Issues in the Gig Economy: Policy Approaches to Empower Women in APEC (Policy Brief No. 56), 2024

The APEC Women and the Economy Dashboard 2023, 2023

Unpaid Care and Domestic Work: Counting the Costs (Policy Brief No. 43), 2022

The APEC Women and The Economy Dashboard, 2021

The Role of Women's Empowerment in Anti-Corruption (PSU Policy Brief No. 39), 2021

Women, COVID-19 and the Future of Work (PSU Policy Brief No. 38), 2020

APEC Economic Policy Report 2020: Structural Reform and Women’s Empowerment, 2020

The APEC Women and The Economy Dashboard, 2019

Structural Reform Measures to Improve Women’s Access to Labor Markets, Finance and Capital, 2019

The APEC Women and The Economy Dashboard, 2017

Gender-related Constraints Faced by Women-owned SMEs (Policy Brief No. 15), 2016

The APEC Women and The Economy Dashboard, 2015

Other Topics

Future-ready Growth in APEC: Unlocking New Drivers and Fortifying Resilience, 2026

APEC Economic Policy Report 2025: Structural Reform to Increase Participation in the Formal Economy, 2026

Addressing Demographic Change in the APEC Region (Policy Brief No. 66), 2025

Technologies for Preventing, Detecting and Combatting Corruption (Issues Paper No. 15), 2025

Addressing Informality: Transitioning to the Formal Economy (Policy Brief No. 57), 2024

Evaluation of SCE’s Progress Towards Achieving APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040, 2023

Stepping Outside the Shadows: Informality and Digitalisation (Policy Brief No. 44), 2022

The Role of Women's Empowerment in Anti-Corruption (PSU Policy Brief No. 39), 2021

Assessment of the APEC Leaders’ Growth Strategy, 2015