Energy transitions 2022

This session explores the outcomes of COP26 and the opportunities and challenges ahead for a rapid sustainable energy transition.

• Which elements of COP26 will accelerate the energy transition and how do we ensure action commensurate to the scale of the challenge ahead? What is missing?

• Have the ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ (NDCs) gone far enough and what progress is being made on long term strategies?

• What more needs to be done to restore the credibility of the Paris Agreement and strengthen trust between developing and developed nations to coordinate a just transition?

• What does the post-COP26 roadmap look like and who are the key actors and how do they need to be engaged?

• What do the recommendations for the UN IPCC Sixth Assessment Report mean for businesses and the energy sector going forward?

• What does the energy sector of the future look like?

• With NDC revisions expected ahead of COP27, can high and volatile oil and gas prices help accelerate near-term decarbonisation commitments?

Speakers

• H.E. Mariam Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates 
• Michael Grubb, Professor of Energy and Climate Change, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources 
• Alvin Jose, Principal Energy Specialist, Sustainable Energy for All 
• Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Energy
• Chair: Glada Lahn, Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House 

The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Government of the United Kingdom 

Chair: Antony Froggatt, Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House 

This session examines the economics of the energy transition and policy and financing strategies that will be required to accelerate and scale investment in low-carbon technologies and business models in advanced and emerging economies. 

• Which policy mechanisms and financial instruments are key to de-risking and incentivizing investments in sustainable energy transitions and how do they vary between jurisdictions?

• Are existing frameworks sufficient to define transition pathways and advance the alignment of finance and investment with the Paris Agreement? What more can be done?

• How can private finance be mobilized to support public-private partnership for energy systems investment?

• What will be the impact on oil and gas investment as low-carbon solutions begin to attract more substantial investment or will high oil prices spur a new era of oil and gas investment?

• How has COVID-19 impacted investment in low-carbon technologies and infrastructures and how can investment be enhanced through green recovery plans and policies?

• How can development assistance help leverage private sector finance to increase support to the poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries?

Speakers 

• Amal-Lee Amin, Director, Climate Change, CDC Group 
• Tim Gould, Chief Energy Economist, International Energy Agency
• Catherina Hillenbrand von der Leyen, Head of Research, Carbon Tracker 
• Julia Prescot, Partner, Chief Strategy Officer, Meridiam 
• Chair: Kirsty Hamilton OBE, Associate Fellow, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House

This session discusses the changing market dynamics and diversification of the clean energy mix with a specific focus on electrification, green hydrogen and negative emissions technologies and their implications for industry and beyond.

• Which recent technological innovations are most viable in the push to decarbonize key sectors such as transport, manufacturing and construction and which policy interventions will be required to deliver them at scale?

• What challenges face the widespread development of electrification projects and how can these be addressed?

• Which systemic shifts will be required to accommodate the large-scale adoption of hydrogen?

• Does green hydrogen support and complement traditional renewables such as wind and solar?

• Are digital technologies enabling greater market penetration of renewables?

• What is the role for negative emission technologies over the next 30 years?

• Is the energy transition becoming overly reliant on carbon dioxide removal mechanisms, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) and should their impacts be measured as reductions or removals?

• Are recent energy price rises accelerating a switch from fossil fuel-based supply side technologies towards their low carbon alternatives?

Speakers 

• Sverre Alvik, Director, Energy Transition Research Programme, DNV
• Mhairidh Evans, Principal Analyst, CCS and Emerging Technologies, Wood Mackenzie 
• Chris Stark, CEO, Committee on Climate Change 
• Jim Watson, Professor of Energy Policy, Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, UCL 
• Chair: Jennie Dodson, Head of Secretariat, Mission Innovation 

This session explores the growth of fossil fuel supply-side policies, as part of wider the measures required to co-ordinate an orderly phase out of fossil fuels, and explores their evolving role in climate and energy security.

• What are the key considerations for international coordination on fossil fuel phase out? How might the current crisis support or undermine supply-side action?
• Will producers voluntarily restrict and phase out their production over time, and which governance mechanisms will be instrumental to facilitating this?
• How do short- and long-term strategies of international oil companies compare to those of national oil companies? And what are the implications for market stability and prices, and for the speed of transition?
• How will the emissions-intensity of oil and gas production and the growth of carbon pricing regimes affect the resilience of different producers, and the concentration of oil and gas markets, over time?

• How might other considerations, including energy security and sustainable development priorities, shape emerging supply-side policy dialogues and mechanisms? What does collaboration between supply and demand side measures look like?

Speakers 

• Mohamed Adow, Founder & Director, Power Shift Africa 
• Tomas Anker Christensen, Climate Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark 
• Tzeporah Berman, Chair, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty 
• Michael Lazarus, Senior Scientist & Director, Stockholm Environment Institute, US Center
• Chair: Siân Bradley, Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House 

Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission

Chair: Tim Benton, Research Director, Emerging Risks; Director, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House

Håkan Agnevall, President & CEO, Wärtsilä

Chair: Daniel Quiggin, Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House

This session examines the social impacts of a green energy transition and how factors such as public awareness, education and reskilling, and consumer behaviour are enabling and accelerating the shift. 

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• What are the likely distributional impacts of the energy transition? Which regions will be hardest hit and which stand to benefit? 

• How is the energy transition reshaping job markets, what education and skills will be needed to support it and what is the role of governments and companies in preparing for it?

• How are the perceptions of climate risk among businesses, consumers and society driving change? To what extent are the social impacts of the transition part of the conversation?

• What is the outlook for global energy demand by 2030? Beyond long-term demand reduction and efficiency, which measures will play a crucial role in mitigating the worst impacts in a switch from fossil fuels?

• How can smart digital technologies and infrastructures support a sustainable transition?

• What do equitable, green cities look like?

Speakers 

• Peter Berkowitz, Director of Policy, Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
• Tahseen Jafry, Director, Centre for Climate Justice, Glasgow Caledonian University 
• Paul Nowak, Deputy General Secretary, TUC 
• Victor Van Vuuren, Director, Enterprises, International Labour Organization
• Chair: Bernice Lee, Research Director, Futures; Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for Sustainability; Chair, Chatham House Sustainability Accelerator Advisory Board

This session will bring together the outcomes of previous discussion to explore what the pathways to net-zero looks like in practice and the improvements required to align policy, investment, and technological development agendas. 

• Are we currently equipped for a green recovery and how can the imperative for global growth be balanced against the phase-out of fossil fuels? 

• With the widening gap between climate targets and the global carbon budget, how should policy and delivery mechanisms be enhanced to support the fulfilment of net-zero pledges?

• How can greater collaboration be fostered between key actors across developed and developing markets to deliver net-zero and how do we move beyond net-zero commitments to concerted action? 

• Are existing tools, policies, and frameworks sufficient to define transition pathways? For example, what are the relative roles of exchange-traded systems, carbon tax regimes, carbon pricing and voluntary carbon offsets? 

• Are recent energy price rises and potential supply disruptions likely to push reduced consumption of energy services up the net zero agenda?

Speakers 

• Håkan Agnevall, CEO and President, Wärtsilä

• Emily Grubert, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Carbon Management, the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, US Department of Energy 

• Duncan McLaren, Research Fellow, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University 

• Claire O’Neill, Co-Chair, Imperatives Advisory Board, World Business Council for Sustainable Development

• Chair: Daniel Quiggin, Senior Research Fellow, Environment and Society Programme, Chatham House