Ministers from dozens of countries accounting for over 80% of the world economy today took part in the International Energy Agency’s first Clean Energy Transitions Summit, discussing how to bring about a sustainable and resilient recovery from the Covid-19 crisis and achieve a definitive peak in global carbon emissions.
Ministers participating in the Summit included those from the world’s largest energy consumers: Minister Zhang Jinhua of China, Secretary Dan Brouillette of the United States, Commissioner Kadri Simson of the European Union, Minister R.K. Singh of India, Minister Kajiyama Hiroshi of Japan, Minister Kwasi Kwarteng of the United Kingdom, Minister Bento Albuquerque of Brazil, Minister Seamus O’Regan of Canada, Minister Sergio Costa of Italy, Minister Gwede Mantashe of South Africa, Secretary Rocío Nahle of Mexico, Minister Arifin Tasrif of Indonesia, and Deputy Prime Minister Ribera of Spain.
Speakers also included United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, CEOs from across the energy sector, top investors, heads of regional development banks and other key international organisations, past and present COP Presidents – including Secretary of State Alok Sharma of the United Kingdom – and leaders from civil society.
Participants highlighted the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on their energy systems, underscoring the importance of finding ways to support clean energy transitions despite the current challenges. Key themes includes the need for greater innovation in areas such as hydrogen, the importance of inclusive and equitable recoveries, and how to make the electricity sector more resilient and sustainable.
"This Summit proves that international dialogue and collaboration can bring great value. It was an opportunity to inform, support and inspire each other. Now, it is time for all of us to get to work – building back our economies, bringing our citizens back to work, ensuring that 2019 was the definitive peak in emissions and building towards the resilient and sustainable energy systems of the future," said Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director who chaired the Summit. "What I see clearly is momentum – momentum behind sustainable recovery and momentum behind clean energy transitions."
