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New Atlanticist

Mar 24, 2020

The implications of the coronavirus crisis on the global energy sector and the environment

By Jennifer T. Gordon

The current drop in oil demand—caused, in large part, by severe reductions in travel due to the coronavirus—combined with the Saudi-Russia oil price war has simultaneously, if temporarily, lowered greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). However, the drop in GHG emissions is likely to be unsustainable in the long term, and the currently low cost of oil has raised questions about the future of clean energy deployment and climate action.

Coronavirus Energy & Environment

Event Recap

Dec 19, 2018

Turkey’s renewable investment outlook: renewable energy and new technologies

By David Livingston

On December 19th, the Atlantic Council IN TURKEY and the World Energy Council Turkey convened a high-level event on the outlook for renewable energy investment in Turkey. The half-day event, which featured a diverse set of international experts and energy sector leaders, was focused on taking stock of Turkey’s experience to-date in deploying renewable energy, […]

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions

EnergySource

Jun 25, 2018

Geothermal: A “cool” heating resource

By Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir

This piece is the second in a series examining geothermal potential in Iceland and elsewhere and the contribution geothermal resources can make to energy security and diversification, as well as sustainability and emissions reductions. You can read the first piece in the series here. The first piece in this series focused on the development and […]

Renewables & Advanced Energy

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center. From 2013 to 2017, Ms. Árnadóttir was the minister of industry and commerce in Iceland, a position that included a wide portfolio such as energy, industry, tourism, innovation, film industry, design, and commerce. Ms. Árnadóttir was an elected member of Parliament for the Independence Party from 2007 to 2016 and chairman of the party’s Parliamentary group from 2010 to 2012. She held positions in several standing committees in the Parliament, including: Committee on Economics and Taxation (2007-09), Committee on Industry (2007-09), Committee on Foreign Affairs (2007-13), and Committee on Business and Commerce (2010). Ms. Árnadóttir was a member of the Icelandic Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 2007 to 2013 and served as chairman from 2007 to 2009.

Before she was elected to Parliament, Ms. Árnadóttir served as the political adviser to the minister of finance (1998-2005), the minister for foreign affairs (2005-06), and the prime minister (2006-07). She worked for the Trade Council of Iceland from 1995 to 1998, both in New York as vice commercial counsellor and later as commercial counsellor, and in Reykjavík as project manager. Ms. Árnadóttir served as the executive director of the Icelandic American Chamber of Commerce from 1996 to 1997.

Ms. Árnadóttir graduated from the University of Iceland in 1991 with a BA degree in political science, and an MSFS degree from Georgetown University in 1994. She was invited to attend the Georgetown Leadership Seminar in 2007.Other professional responsibilities include a membership on the Icelandic Public Sector Wage Negotiation Committee (1999-2005), an alternate member of the board of directors of the Nordic Investment Bank (2002-06), and a member of the board of Iceland Naturally (2005-07) and Iceland Naturally Europe (2006-07). Ms. Árnadóttir was a vice chairman of the board of directors of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformist from 2011 to 2015.Ms. Árnadóttir is married to Guðjón Ingi Guðjónsson; she has two sons and two stepdaughters.