5th IEF-EU Energy and Climate Day
Thursday 25 February 2021, Virtual Event
Highlights Video
New Energy and Climate Solidarity
A sustainable and inclusive recovery to achieve energy access and climate goals
The Secretary General of the International Energy Forum Joseph McMonigle and the Ambassador of the European Union to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman Patrick Simonnet, hosted HE Frans Timmermans, First Executive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the European Green Deal and Climate Action, and HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to strengthen engagement on a sustainable and inclusive recovery and achieve energy security, affordable access, and climate goals. They were joined by Ministers, including the G20 Presidency of Italy, CEOs, and thought leaders from world regions. Policy and industry dialogue sessions were livestreamed to the public on multiple platforms.
International policy and market developments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic create new opportunities for collaboration to achieve development and climate goals. The European Union has stepped up its ambition to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, The United States has re-joined the Paris Agreement and shall introduce new energy and climate policies. The Middle East and North Africa region continue to set global price records in the deployment of renewable energy to diversify domestic sources of supply. This will improve regional energy trade and strengthen energy security and sustainability through oil and gas, renewables, as well as new decarbonised energy exports such as hydrogen to meet growing demand in which Asia leads the world.
The endorsement by the G20 of the Circular Carbon Economy in 2020 and the various Net-Zero emission strategies governments and industries have announced create consensus among the world largest producer and consumers on the need to scale up investment in new holistic approaches to carbon management. These range from Carbon Capture Use and Storage to Hydrogen and Direct Air Capture and move beyond renewables technologies alone. Policy objectives and industry initiatives announced to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and return towards more sustainable and inclusive economic growth patterns require new energy and climate solidarity among producers and consumers to achieve shared goals. Decisions made over the next years on open and interconnected energy markets must accelerate orderly and inclusive transitions to achieve affordable energy access and climate goals in the interest of all.
The European Union's Energy and Climate ambitions lead the world in the pursuit of energy sector transformations and the achievement of climate goals. The European Green Deal is the EU’s roadmap for the green transition which will require policymaking to adopt a sustainable whole economy pathway, credible and consistent policy signals to partner countries, to businesses and investors, and aligned policies and regulations. Dialogue among policy and market stakeholders in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, the Americas, and Asia, strengthen international engagement. Sharing perspectives on recent energy and climate policy initiatives including net zero emissions and circular models can deepen understanding and help identify complementarities. These can boost clean energy sector investment and trade at scale, reinforce different policy and technology pathways, and help foster meaningful outcomes at various international energy and climate meetings scheduled this year:
- IEF17 International Energy Forum Ministerial and Business Leaders Meetings
- G20 Ministerial Meeting on the Climate Energy Nexus
- United Nations COP26 Climate Summit and High-Level Dialogue on Energy
The event was held on the Zoom platform with participation by personal invitation only. The event was also livestreamed to the public, replay the webinar.
Guest Speakers
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud
Minister of Energy, Saudi Arabia
H.E. Frans Timmermans
Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, European Commission
Ambassador Patrick Simonnet
Head of Delegation of the European Union to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman
HE Joseph McMonigle
Secretary General, IEF
H.E. Tinne Van der Straeten
Minister of Energy, Belgium
H.E. Tarek El-Molla
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Egypt
Mr Seifi Ghasemi
President and Chief Executive Officer, Air Products, United States
Mr Paddy Padmanathan
President and CEO, ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia
Dr Leila Benali
Former Chief Economist and Head of Strategy, Arab Petroleum Investment Corporation (APICORP)
Dr Noé van Hulst
Chair IPHE, International Hydrogen Advisor Gasunie, Hydrogen Advisor at International Energy Agency (IEA)
Mr Adam Sieminski
President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC)
Dr Adnan Shihab-Eldin
Director General, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, (KFAS)
Mr Agustin Delgado
Head of Innovation, Energy Policy & Quality, Iberdrola
Mr Frank Wouters
Director, EU GCC Clean Technology Network
