As the coronavirus pandemic looms large across the world, economies face major challenges as consumer demand declines, employee payroll is cut, capital shrinks, and billions of people remain in government-imposed quarantine. Economic downturn, cheap oil and gas prices, and global supply chain disruptions will likely have major consequences for clean energy development and climate action in the wake of a prolonged global shutdown.

Will upcoming stimulus relief packages serve to benefit clean energy advancement and “green collar” job creation, or will energy remain largely on the sidelines, as it was in the recent US stimulus package? Will coal see an early demise as it battles cheap gas prices and dropping energy demand? Will governments and companies scale back climate goals in the face of a recession? Much remains unknown, and the future of clean energy development and global climate progress hangs in the balance. Tune in as our lineup of expert panelists discusses this critical issue and prognosticates on the future.

Event coverage

In the wake of a pandemic: Coronavirus impacts on clean energy and climate action

Amid the haze of uncertainty wrought from coronavirus and oil market fallout, clean energy actors will not take a backseat as the world evolves. As the status quo dissolves before a global crisis, and fossil energy markets grow increasingly volatile, renewables and clean tech have an opportunity to chart a new path forward amid the recovery.

Agenda

A conversation with

Adnan Amin
Former Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency
Distinguished Fellow, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

Rachel Kyte
Former CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All
Dean, The Fletcher School
Tufts University

Rich Powell
Executive Director
ClearPath Foundation

Ethan Zindler
Head of Americas
BloombergNEF

Moderated by

Julia Pyper
Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council;
Senior Editor
Greentech Media

Relevant experts

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The Climate and Advanced Energy Program works to understand, explain, and shape the search for power and prosperity in a decarbonizing world.