Dialogue Agenda
Preliminary Agenda – subject to last-minute changes
Filter Sessions
Some sessions may take place in parallel, at different venues.
Use the filter options to filter by Topic or Venue.
When using the filters, please note that suitable sessions could take place on both days. So take a look at both day views.
The colors in the schedule show you
where a session is taking place (venue).
- DAY 1, Tuesday 24 March 2020
- Geopolitics GeopoliticsGreen Economy Green EconomyThis session will set the scene with the official opening of the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue 2020 by the German Federal Government. Following the ministerial speeches, three young climate activists from around the world will present their views of the global climate crisis, and the President of the European Commission will present the European Green Deal. IEA and IRENA will then provide an outlook towards 2050.
Speakers
Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA) Francesco La Camera, Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Brianna Fruean, Youth Climate Activist Helena Gualinga, Indigenous activist from the community of Sarayaku Dr Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Germany Vanessa Nakate, Youth Climate ActivistGreen Economy Green EconomyIndustry IndustryThe energy transition is a millennium project with enormous benefits and opportunities for national economies as well as companies. Setting the course for the energy transition will create employment, guaranties low and stable energy prices and therefore offers attractive opportunities for companies with high energy demand. Through this structural transformation of the energy transition national economies create invincible locational advantages. National initiatives to support the private sector in Research and Development will additionally support a positive structural change. The session shall give an impression of the economic benefits for countries transitioning their energy production from conventional to renewable energies and present examples of companies supporting the transition of the energy system.
Speakers Prof Miranda Schreurs (Moderator), Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy, Technical University of Munich Bento Albuquerque, Minister of Mines and Energy, Brazil Prof Claudia Kemfert, Head of the department Energy, Transportation, Environment, German Institute of Economic Research (DIW Berlin) Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy and Member, Abu Dhabi Executive Council Sergey Morozov, Governor, Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia Dr Simone Peter, President, German Renewable Energy Federation Monica Mireles Serrano, Head of European Affairs, Ingka Group (IKEA)Green Economy Green EconomyInternational Cooperation International CooperationTrade TradeThere is a global agreement on reaching climate neutrality by 2050. To achieve this, the world needs a Global Green Deal with the transformation of the energy system at its heart. There is no middle way when it comes to combating emissions, and more than just energy is involved. One cannot argue with physics. How can we make economies and societies climate neutral? What are the implications for global trade? Which framework is needed to trigger a wide-ranging green stimulus? How will it change supply chains? How can we deliver on the different responsibilities and options of the global North and South? The transition to a green economy must be integrative, inclusive and holistic. What are the most promising concepts and what should be the next steps towards green transformation?
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure & Energy, African Union Commission Élisabeth Borne, Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, France David Hochschild, Chair of the California Energy Commission Dr Werner Hoyer, President, European Investment Bank (EIB) Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Energy and Climate, Denmark Michael Sen, CEO, Siemens energyGeopolitics GeopoliticsInternational Cooperation International CooperationTrade TradeThe energy transition requires regional cooperation among EU Member States and with third countries in order to tap into the full potential of renewable energy. The North Sea Offshore Grid is one key example of a regional cooperation scheme. In 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherland, Sweden, the United-Kingdom (joined by Norway a year later) to facilitate the efficient use of renewable energy and the building of new infrastructure for a North Sea Offshore Grid. In 2017, Morocco, Germany, France, Spain and Portugal signed a roadmap on sustainable electricity trade, in the presence of the European Commission, aimed at identifying the barriers to renewable electricity trade between the five countries across the Mediterranean Sea. The goal of this session will be to use these two examples to explore the role of regional cooperation schemes on renewable energy in view of reaching the 2030 renewable energy target.
Speakers Dr Dörte Fouquet (Moderator), Director, European Renewable Energy Federation Jalila Abdellaoui, Project Development Specialist, Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy Jane Amilhat, Deputy Head of Unit Networks & Regional Initiatives, European Commission Hessel de Jong, General Manager Europe for Offshore Wind, ShellGreen Economy Green EconomyLocal Action Local ActionThe Paris Agreement asks each country to set national emission reduction targets and to develop a set of domestic measures towards achieving its long-term goals. These are known as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). In order to implement the NDCs, the climate goals need to be “translated” into concrete policy approaches, rules and regulations, public budgets and investment plans – both at the sectoral and sub-national levels. Sub-national players such as states, regions and cities are key actors in driving forward the energy transition by shaping low-carbon lifestyles and economic practices, building resilient infrastructure and developing social systems for a carbon-neutral future. However, clear and determined leadership and strong support by national governments is crucial in order to unleash the full transformative potential of subnational actors. The aim of this session is to discuss how the Paris Agreement can be translated into programmes and concrete measures for implementation at the local level and to explore the role of national governments in supporting local actors.
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Leonore Gewessler, Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Austria Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director General for Energy, DG Energy, European Commission Charles Keter, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Kenya Dr Gerd Müller, Federal Minister for International Cooperation and Development, Germany Aziz Rabbah, Minister for Energy, MoroccoEnergy Efficiency Energy EfficiencyGreen Economy Green EconomyIndustry IndustryThe industrial sector is both a global economic powerhouse and a major emitter of greenhouse gas emissions: industry emits about 28 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, of which 90 percent are CO2 emissions. In order to accelerate the global energy transition, industrial sectors must be decarbonised. Key areas of transforming industries are heavy industries such as steel, cement and chemicals, where renewables can be put to direct use. Another area is the interplay with the grid, where the industrial sector has huge potential for flexibility through demand-side management (DSM).
Speakers Jennifer Porto (Moderator), Moderator Kathrine Fog, Head of Corporate Strategy & Analysis, Norsk Hydro Eva Masa Pinto, Climate Change, Environmental & Biodiversity Global Manager, CEMEX Prof Reinhilde Veugelers, Senior Fellow, Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory (Bruegel)Hydrogen HydrogenInternational Cooperation International CooperationRenewable Fuels Renewable FuelsIt may prove difficult to achieve the complete decarbonisation of various industrial sectors such as buildings, power or transport purely by means of electricity. One of the major advantages of hydrogen is that it is a versatile all-rounder for a host of applications. Renewable electricity can be used to produce hydrogen, which in turn can provide energy. Moreover, hydrogen produced from renewable electricity using electrolyser could facilitate the integration of high levels of variable renewable energy into the energy system, offering a flexible load and providing grid-balancing services. Hydrogen could therefore be the missing link in the energy transition. As key hydrogen technologies are maturing (fuel cell vehicles, syngas etc.), hydrogen from renewables can help tackle various critical energy challenges. In particular, it could offer ways to decarbonise a range of sectors where it is proving difficult to meaningfully reduce CO2 emissions. All these aspects require the implementation of a forward-looking legal, political and technical regulatory framework. This session will provide an overview of challenges and opportunities entailed in the large-scale application of hydrogen technologies.
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, Investor & CEO, H2GO Power Michèle Azalbert, CEO, Renewable hydrogen Business Unit, ENGIE Tina Bru, Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Norway João Pedro Matos Fernandes, Minister of Environment and Energy Transition, Portugal Juan Carlos Jobet, Energy Minister, Chile Claude Turmes, Minister for Energy & Minister for Spatial Planning, Luxembourg Joo Young-Joon, Deputy Minister for Energy and Resources, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, South KoreaDecentralisation DecentralisationDigitalisation DigitalisationMarket design is still very much determined and restricted by concerns regarding the security and quality of the energy supply. But how justified are these concerns in an age of ever-increasing digitalisation, despite the current limitations of existing grid and ICT infrastructure? And are these concerns rooted more in persistent and antediluvian patterns of thought inherited from the old centralist, hierarchical and exclusive energy world than founded on the actual limitations of grid and ICT infrastructure? In addition, this session will address the inherent risks of new technologies for the energy transition, for example, new monopolies and new (digital) barriers that might exclude small-scale stakeholders like prosumers from engaging in a profitable way in the energy markets of the future.
Speakers Fabian Reetz (Moderator), Stiftung Neue Verantwortung Maximiliane von Butler, Director Products & Sales Strategy, sonnen eServices Marion Labatut, Deputy director European Affairs, head of the Brussels office, EDF Kerstin Rock, Senior VP Operations, LO3 energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Minister of Energy of Lithuania Christelle Verstraeten, Senior Director European Policy, ChargePoint Hoang Quoc Vuong, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, VietnamHydrogen HydrogenRenewable Fuels Renewable FuelsTransport TransportAviation and shipping are two sectors that contribute tremendously to mobility, economic development and technological progress. At the same time, they pose major challenges to reducing emissions due to their structural reliance on oil-based fuels. Maritime transport emits around 940 million tonnes of CO2 annually, while one billion litres of kerosene are used worldwide in jet engines every single day. The energy transition presents both wide-ranging challenges and opportunities for the aviation and freight industries. As the demand for aviation and shipping is increasing worldwide, decarbonising these two strategic sectors will play a critical role in achieving climate objectives. This session will investigate barriers to energy efficiency in the shipping and aviation industries and reveal the potential for improvement. It will shed light on new approaches and promising technological solutions. The discussion will bring together policymakers and industry leaders, who together will examine and explain the steps needed to create the mobility sector of the future.
Speakers Jennifer Porto (Moderator), Moderator Wybcke Meier, CEO, TUI Cruises Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General, European Sea Ports Organisation Dr Sandra Bour Schaeffer, Head of Airbus Group Demonstrator & CEO of Airbus UpNext - DAY 2, Wednesday 25 March 2020
- Carbon Pricing Carbon PricingGreen Finance Green FinanceTrade TradePricing greenhouse gas emissions is a way to put a price tag on the costs of their negative externalities in order to reduce and remove market distortions. Tools range from voluntary compensation, via taxation and special levies and fees to different trading schemes, and their implementation varies geographically. A border-adjustment tax would help adjust prices across the variety of schemes to avoid carbon leakage and resulting market distortions. What impact do different CO2 pricing mechanisms and adjustment taxes have on global trade?
Speakers Dr Nicolette Bartlett, Global Director Climate Change, CDP Dr Kasturi Das, Professor of Economics, Institute of Management Technology Luisa Santos, Deputy Director General, BusinessEurope Dr Ankai Xu, Research Economist, WTODigitalisation DigitalisationGeopolitics GeopoliticsGrid GridInternational Cooperation International CooperationCooperation on transnational grid infrastructure can drive the global energy transition by opening up national energy markets for the export and import of cheap electricity produced by renewables. As a result of plummeting electricity prices due to renewables, renewables themselves will become increasingly attractive for markets that are currently still dominated by conventional power generation. In addition, transnational grid infrastructure can foster regional stability while curbing current geopolitical dependencies in energy. It can help to dissolve and prevent energy isolation and asymmetric energy dependencies alike. However, this comes with new vulnerabilities. As the energy transition promises a future free of carbon-related geopolitics, grid infrastructure is increasingly targeted by hybrid warfare interventions. Ranging from cyberattacks to complex and highly coordinated disinformation campaigns, such interventions aim to prevent any political consensus on the build-up of transnational grid infrastructure by influencing the opinion of entire populations.
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Antonella Battaglini, CEO, Renewables Grid Initiative Kristoffer Böttzauw, Director General, Danish Energy Agency Stefan Kapferer, CEO, 50 Hertz Mika Ohbayashi, Director, Renewable Energy Institute Prof Dr László Palkovics, Minister for Innovation and Technology of Hungary Kadri Simson, Commissioner Energy, European CommissionGeopolitics GeopoliticsIndustry IndustryThe global energy transformation driven by renewables will have significant implications on the geopolitical realities. To the extent that renewable energy reduces demand for oil and gas and increases energy independency of states, there will be significant geopolitical consequences: The energy transition is about to speed up through increased ambition to reduce C02 emissions by a number of states and regional entities. The European Union has committed itself in December 2019 to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and adopted the European Green Deal to pave the way for the road ahead. CO2 pricing schemes, coal exit plans and hydrogen strategies have considerably increased in numbers. At the same time, forward leaning energy transition policies were met by fierce opposition in some countries adding to polarization in societies and threatening governance on global commons. Rentier states that still rely on fossil fuel exports and do not adapt to the energy transition will risk losing their influence and facing socio-economic consequences in the transformation process. Therefore, a number of major oil-producing countries are setting targets to increase the proportion of renewables in their energy mix. The more fossil fuels will be replaced, R&D as well as critical resources e.g. for batteries will be a key success factor in the transition process and will become a new means of dependencies between states. The session will highlight how countries are adopting to these developments and what could be a new pattern for the world map of geopolitics.
Speakers Dr Kirsten Westphal (Moderator), Senior Associate, German Institute for International and Security Affairs Dr Nawal Al-Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency, United Arab Emirates Adnan Amin, Senior Fellow, Belfer Centre Harvard Kennedy School Kristine Berzina, Senior Fellow, The German Marshall Fund of the United States Keeyong Chung, Director General for Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Scientific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Korea Mechthild Wörsdörfer, Director of Sustainability, Technology & Outlooks, International Energy AgencyDecentralisation DecentralisationEnergy Efficiency Energy EfficiencyHeating HeatingRenewable Fuels Renewable FuelsThe EU is the largest consumer of renewable heat globally, followed by the US, Brazil and China. The heating sector plays a crucial role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. There is a lot of potential for phasing out fossil fuel and switching to renewable heating solutions. Technology solutions are based on electricity or green gases and vary depending on their application and geography.
Speakers Jennifer Porto (Moderator), Moderator Karoliina Auvinen, Senior Expert, Carbon-neutral Solutions, Finnish Environmental Institute SYKE Alix Chambris, Vice President Group Public Affairs and Sustainability, Viessmann Group Cesira Leigh, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Sunovate Lily Riahi, Advisor on Sustainable Cities, UNEPDecentralisation DecentralisationSocial Support Social SupportWhile the past year saw a growing number of demonstrations across the world in support of the energy transition, this process brings with it a number of challenges in the form of increased investments, energy costs and new infrastructure. Certain initiatives show inspiring ways to address these challenges while fighting energy poverty and favouring citizen empowerment. This session aims to explore these and showcase best practices that are applicable to various countries.
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Rana Adib, Executive Director, REN21 Damilola Ogunbiyi, Incoming CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, SE4ALL Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Cabinet Member and Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab EmiratesThe start-up energy transition session will bring together the winners of the Start-Up Energy Transition Award and experts in providing public and private funding, who will discuss available options and how to access funding. Meanwhile, start-ups will share their insights on the challenges they experienced while looking for and accessing funding. At the SET Tech Festival, start-ups from different countries and cultures are represented, reflecting different opportunities and challenges. This session will offer the chance to share experiences and information about all options and to get helpful inspiration from the winners.Energy Efficiency Energy EfficiencyGreen Finance Green FinanceBuildings account for more than 30% of global final energy consumption, and are thus some of the largest consumers of energy in the world. With future demographic increases forecast, this figure is set to rise. Currently, the main focus of building policies is often on new buildings. However, the potential lies, at least in the Northern hemisphere, in existing buildings. And this sector is in dire need of fresh money for investments in renovation. In a parallel set of events, there is growing discussion in international public banks, such as the European Investment Bank, on the need to help large-scale investors and pension funds diversify their portfolios. Insurance companies are in fact hit in two ways by climate change, firstly by more significant damages to insured properties and secondly by the loss of profitable dividends such as investments in the oil sector. Linking these two processes, what can be done to redirect global private investments to the building sector?
Speakers Jennifer Porto (Moderator), Moderator Tatiana Boostels, Senior Economist, European Investment Bank Christiana Hageneder, Head of the Programme for Energy Efficiency in Buildings Secretariat Marcene Mitchell, Global Head of Strategy and Business Developments, International Finance Corporation Martina Otto, Head of Secretariat, Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction Rada Rodriguez, Senior Vice President Alliances, Schneider ElectricGreen Economy Green EconomyGreen Finance Green FinanceGovernments and financial supervisors are increasingly recognising the importance of sustainable finance in achieving financial stability and meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. Green and innovative finance models and a shift away from carbon-intensive assets are a vital funding stream for investments. Green standards could help identify which projects are in line with the energy transition and to align investments accordingly.
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Gerard Reid, Co-founder and Partner, Alexa Capital Edna Schöne, Member Executive Board, Euler Hermes Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, Chief Executive, Green Finance Institute Woochong Um, Director General, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Asian Development Bank (ADB)Decentralisation DecentralisationGreen Economy Green EconomyThe closing session is organised as a fireside chat between two leading figures. Global challenges, risks and uncertainties are associated with the energy transition and closely linked to profound changes and innovations in multiple sectors. Different narratives and framings – regarding, for example, a bold transition or a status quo – compete against each other. Will the storytelling from fossil dependency to low carbon development renewables align? The objective of this one-on-one discussion is to make sense of opposing energy transition narratives and to provoke unconventional thinking on a meta level regarding the highly complex energy transition. This format aims to create a challenging and enlightening dialogue and set expectations for the future. Different modelling assumptions lead to different conclusions. Contrasting narratives about energy and sustainability in general may be useful for enriching points of view in the discussion on energy policies.
Speakers Dr Linda Davis (Moderator), Master of Ceremonies BETD 2020 Miguel Berger, Director-General, Economic Affairs and Sustainable Development, Federal Foreign Office, Germany Andreas Feicht, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany Dr Mattia Romani, Managing Director for Economics, Policy and Governance, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Add to Calendar 
+49 30 88 66 74 0 60
info(at)energydialogue.berlin
