[1][2] According to the CEM’s institutional framework, adopted in 2016, the organization orients its actions around the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The forum operates through two interrelated features The CEM work programme spans the clean energy spectrum (power, transport, buildings, industry, and creating an enabling policy environment), with topics ranging from scaling up of electric mobility to appliance efficiency, and variable renewable integration to clean hydrogen deployment.

[4][5] CEM engagement is coordinated by an independent multilateral Secretariat[5] housed at the International Energy Agency in Paris since 2016.

[6] The CEM is a partnership of the world's leading economies working together to accelerate the implementation of clean energy technologies.

The CEM pairs political engagement among energy ministers at an annual Ministerial meeting with year-round technical initiatives and campaigns.

Member countries propose, work on, and share leadership of CEM initiatives and campaigns that help them achieve their own national clean energy objectives.

[11] In addition to the sustained, long term collaborative efforts in the form of CEM initiatives, the platform also offers a set of Campaigns which are aimed to raise the level of ambition of global deployment targets of key clean energy solutions.

Campaigns are short duration, lasting 2-3 years to garner the necessary political momentum on specific topics.

Gender equality and issues of just transition also feature as CEM initiatives under the Empowering Society work stream.