Acquisition of an adequate supply of economical and clean energy is a pressing global need to which space-based energy can contribute. New supplies of non-polluting energy from renewable sources are vital if the world economy is to be sustained and those in the Developing Countries are to have a prosperous future. The energy of the sun is the primary source of such non-polluting energy and there are advantages to capturing this energy first in space rather than on Earth. Acquisition of space-based energy is intrinsically an international matter for several reasons: the global nature of the need for energy; the distribution of the enabling technology among several countries; the need for significant financing; and the fact that responsibility for allocating key resources is an international matter. Approaches to acquiring space-based energy as presented around 1980 were not implemented because of perceived shortcomings in the technology of that era. However, the key technologies have advanced greatly since 1980. It is now timely to activate international cooperation to enable further this energy option for the future. This paper describes the important roles of government, industry and professional societies and provides recommendations for action by these entities.