The Global Energy Challenge - A Corporate View

The historical Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015 by as many as 196 States, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping the global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. In October 2016, after a very swift process, the accord cleared the final threshold of 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions required for it to enter into force. Both developed and developing countries shall commit to ambitious emissions reductions, while the UNFCCC defines the rules of implementation and establishes a viable plan to provide financial support to developing countries to support climate action. International scientific, technological and financial co-operation is viewed as an element of crucial importance.

How are global corporations, institutional players and first-tier research institutions reacting to the new, global challenges in the energy sector? At this event, global stakeholders presented their visions and strategies, which then were challenged by ETH faculty members and researchers. This was followed by an open panel discussion, where the audience also had the possibility to challenge the panelists.     

Presentations were given by distinguished speakers from ABB, GE Power Services, Siemens Building Technologies, Shell and Swiss Re, including a presentation by the Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Dr. Laszlo Varro. The welcome speech was given by ETH President, Prof. Lino Guzzella and the Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Benoît Revaz  joined the panel discussion.