The Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation

Day 1 – Friday, January 10

TimeSession
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.WELCOME RECEPTION (Supported by SGS and SICPA)

Welcome remarks by:
Carrie Kolasky, Senior Vice President, Development, Atlantic Council
Eric Besson, Chairman, SICPA Morocca and West Africa

Book presentation by:
Nick Cochrane-Dyet, Special Adviser, BP

Day 2 – Saturday, January 11

TimeSession
9:15 – 10:15 a.m.OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE FOURTH GLOBAL ENERGY FORUM

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

Remarks by:
Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council
GEN. James L. Jones, Jr., USMC (Ret.), Executive Chairman Emeritus, Atlantic Council
H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, United Arab Emirates and Chief Executive Officer, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry, United Arab Emirates
H.E. Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
10:15 – 10:30 a.m.SETTING THE SCENE: ENERGY SECURITY, ENERGY ACCESS, AND CLEAN AIR: MEETING THE CHALLENGES

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

In years ahead, the world will need to contend with a series of deep disparities between reality and promise for the future of energy and climate. National governments and the United Nations call for universal energy access, but almost one billion people remain off the grid. Paris signatories pledge to meet climate goals, cut air pollution, and develop clean energy, but the majority of the world, particularly South Asia, remains tethered to unabated fossil fuels, with 2019 witnessing record high carbon emissions and new coal investment. And private and public sector actors seek to stabilise oil and gas markets, but geopolitical risk, from tanker seizures to oilfield airstrikes to the threat of war in the Middle East, continues to threaten global energy security. At this critical juncture, what choices can government and business leaders make to build a cleaner and more secure energy system going forward?

Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.SETTING THE 2020 ENERGY AGENDA

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

In 2019, the energy sector reckoned with mounting waves of uncertainty. Geopolitical risk reemerged in energy markets, affecting oil production, critical mineral value chains, and global energy security writ large. At the same time, new, but fervent voices called for global climate action, demanding that oil and gas companies, energy producers, and governments overhaul the traditional energy landscape. And in tandem, energy demand continued to rise in the rapidly developing world, OPEC and oil markets worked to respond to the shale revolution and economic uncertainty, and global natural gas trade reshaped energy alliances. As these challenges evolve, old systems must reconcile with new trends. How will these developments shape the 2020 energy agenda and who are the key actors that will determine our shared energy future?

H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry, United Arab Emirates
The Hon. Dr. Tawfiq-e Elahi Chowdhury, Energy Adviser to the Honorable Prime Minister, People’s Republic of Bangladesh 
Majid Jafar, Chief Executive Officer, Crescent Petroleum
Michael Sen, Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Energy

Moderated by: Hadley Gamble, Reporter and Anchor, CNBC
11:30 -11:50 a.m.COFFEE BREAK
11:50-12:00 p.m.FINANCIAL INNOVATION PRESENTATION: OIL & GAS COMPANY VENTURE FUNDS

Photos | YouTube

Corporate venture capital has always been an overlooked source of financing for innovative technologies, but it has never been more important for oil and gas companies than it is now as they move to reduce their carbon footprint. As these firms deploy increasingly large amounts of venture capital in advanced energy startups, low-carbon tech, and extraction efficiency, they are poised to not only reform their existing sector, but to disrupt it from within. Where are fossil fuel companies finding the most attractive investments for their venture dollars, and will 2020 bring continuity or change in the role that oil and gas venture capital plays in financing tomorrow’s technologies?

Majid Mufti, Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.THE ROLE OF THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

Many oil and gas companies have recognized the urgent need to decarbonize the energy system to avoid the potential catastrophic impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Initial industry efforts to play a role in the energy transition—including efforts to reduce methane emissions, investments to decarbonize hydrocarbons including in carbon capture and hydrogen technology, and diversification efforts including investments in renewables and even nuclear—show sincerity and promise. Yet the urgent need for more oil and gas production for the foreseeable future suggests that a comprehensive framework for the oil and gas industry to support a low-carbon future while simultaneously ensuring the world has enough energy to meet development and economic growth goals has yet to be fully developed. What role can the oil and gas industry play lead the way to an energy-rich, globally prosperous, low-carbon future?

Conversation with:
Musabbeh Al-Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer, Petroleum and Petrochemicals, Mubadala Investment Company

Panel Discussion:

Dr. Barbara Burger, President, Technology Ventures, Chevron Corporation
Anatol Feygin, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Cheniere Energy Inc.
Robert Johnston, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council and Managing Director, Global Energy and Natural Resources and Executive Advisor, Eurasia Group

Moderated by: John Defterios, Business Emerging Markets Editor and Anchor, CNN International
1:00 – 2:15 p.m.NETWORKING LUNCH

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2:30 – 3:30 p.m.BREAKOUT SESSIONS

REPORT LAUNCH 1 – ENERGY SECTOR DIVERSIFICATION: MEETING DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES IN THE MENA REGION

Photos | Report

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is projected to experience significant demographic growth by 2050, growth which will have to be met with commensurate economic expansion and job opportunities, or the region will risk an increase in political instability. To meet this challenge, countries in the region must diversify their economies beyond the energy sector and expand their energy sector beyond hydrocarbons. What are the key trends that MENA countries will have to contend with, what is already being done, and what further steps should be taken?

Fahad Alturki, Vice President of Research, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center
Nicole Goldin, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Global Business & Economics Program, Atlantic Council
Chadi Salloum, Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Karen Young, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute

Moderated by: Bina Hussein, Associate Director, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council


REPORT LAUNCH 2 – TRANSFORMING THE POWER SECTOR IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Photos | Report 1 | Report 2

As the South and Southeast Asian region faces increasing energy demand due to both population and economic growth, countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh must meet that demand while facing and overcoming critical environmental and energy security challenges. How are these countries seeking to diversify their energy mixes and establish more local and decarbonized power systems, and what are the key opportunities for future government and foreign investment?

Samantha Carl-Yoder, Director, International Affairs and Marketing, Tellurian Inc.
Aman Ghalib, Chief Executive Officer, DABS
Kartikeya Singh, Deputy Program Director, SED Fund
Thomas Spencer, Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute

Moderated by: Dr. Robert Ichord, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council


REPORT LAUNCH 3 – GRID INTEGRATION: EFFICIENCIES, VULNERABILITIES, AND INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Photos | Report

In order to meet growing global demand for electricity, power networks and markets are evolving and becoming increasingly interconnected. At the same time, the cost of renewable sources of energy has declined, offering an opportunity to decarbonize the electricity sector. Renewables, which force markets and transmission systems to contend with variability and intermittent generation, benefit from larger, varied and more flexible grids, spurring transmission build-out and grid modernization worldwide. South and Southeast Asia have already had some success with interconnections, and China’s vision and Belt and Road Initiative loom large in the region, but there are geopolitical concerns to contend with. Could a US model manage these concerns? What is the state for regional power markets in Asia and investment in regional grid infrastructure, and what responses are we already seeing emerging to trends?

Eng. Ahmed Al-Ebrahim, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority
Eric Williams, Research Fellow, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Institute
Monali Zeya Hazra, Regional Energy Manager and Program Management Specialist, Clean Energy & Environment Office, US Agency for International Development
Matthew Zais, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, US Department of Energy

Moderated by: Phillip Cornell, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council


BREAKOUT SESSION – THE FUTURE OF NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES

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As oil demand shifts across geographies, national oil companies (NOCs) will see to capture new markets in burgeoning energy demand centers, and in turn, form new geopolitical relationships. Moving forward, NOCs will look to rapidly developing world in both Asia and Latin America to grow their market footprint, expand their geo-economic networks, and push to the forefront of emerging energy trends. How will these companies compete in a world of shifting demand and evolving alliances? How will they capitalize on and cope with tectonic movement in global oil demand?

Mele Kyari, Group General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, President Commissioner, PT Pertamina

Moderated by: Eithne Treanor, Managing Director, E. Treanor Media
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.FINANCE INNOVATION PRESENTATION: MOBILE POWER GENERATION IN AFGHANISTAN

Photos | YouTube

In a country where decades of conflict have stunted development, halted investment projects, and damaged infrastructure, the decade ahead presents a unique opportunity to rebuild Afghanistan’s energy system and provide for the country’s economic recovery. An important part of this vision is the deployment of mobile power solutions coupled with a secure fuel supply, which can bring new power generation resources and energy reliability to underserved communities across Afghanistan. The deployment of mobile power generation units, however, will rely not only on new technologies but also novel financial models, in order to unlock sustainable value in ensuring firm energy access to all parts of the country.

Kamal Gawri, Chief Financial Officer, Bayat Power
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.DELIVERING ENERGY ACCESS AND MEETING DEMAND IN SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

As the South and Southeast Asian regions witness unprecedented economic and population growth, energy demand continues to rise. While cheap coal is projected to remain the primary source of energy across the region in the near term, growing concern over climate change, and, more immediately, air pollution, is pushing public and private sector leaders to invest in low-carbon energy solutions such as renewables and LNG. In meeting energy demand, how will South and Southeast Asia balance economic growth with the need to address urgent environmental and climatic concerns? Will coal remain king in the region, or will alternative, cleaner sources of supply unseat solid fuel?

Mohamed Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer, Masdar
The Hon. Dr. Tawfiq-e Elahi Chowdhury, Energy Adviser to the Honorable Prime Minister, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Alisa Newman-Hood, Senior Vice President, Excelerate Energy
Paddy Padmanathan, President and CEO, ACWA Power

Moderated by: Amb. Paula Dobriansky, Senior Fellow, Future of Diplomacy Project, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government; Former Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.PATHWAYS TO NET ZERO

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 1.5 degree report and the pathbreaking net-zero goal set by the European Union have put pressure on sectors and businesses to articulate credible avenues to net-zero emissions by mid-century. Given investment cycles of two to three decades, these targets and goals imply dramatic changes in decision-making today, rather than abstract trade-offs tomorrow. How are different energy players conceiving the pathway to net-zero for major economies, and what role are they positioning themselves to play in this transition?

Shaikh Nawaf Al-Sabah, Chief Executive Officer, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company
Ahmed Ali Attiga, Chief Executive Officer, APICORP
Meg Gentle, President and CEO, Tellurian, Inc.
Adam Sieminski, President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center

Moderated by: David Livingston, Deputy Director, Climate and Advanced Energy, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
6:00 – 6:30 p.m.TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE US-UAE 123 AGREEMENT

Photos | YouTube

In 2009, the United Arab Emirates and the United States signed a Section 123 agreement for peaceful civilian nuclear energy cooperation. Ten years later, this bilateral arrangement serves as a positive example of commercial nuclear power collaboration, and an effective means to support clean energy development and nonproliferation abroad. Pursuant to this agreement, the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the first of its kind in the Arab world, is scheduled to come online this year and provide reliable, low-carbon energy to millions of people. What lessons can be drawn from the US-UAE civilian nuclear cooperation experience, and how can those lessons be applied to similar bilateral engagements in the future?

H.E. Mohamed Al Hammadi, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Daniel Poneman, President and CEO, Centrus Energy Corp.

Moderated by: Dr. Jennifer Gordon, Deputy Director, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.NETWORKING RECEPTION

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9:30 – 10:30 p.m.NIGHT OWL: THE GRETA EFFECT: GLOBAL RESPONSES TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS (off-the-record)

Over the past year, Swedish sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg has galvanized a global protest movement to fight climate change; she has inspired millions of young people to strike around the world, demanding that national leaders do more to mitigate the effects of global warming. However, the plans that Greta and like-minded activists advocate for, such as the Green New Deal in the United States, raise serious feasibility concerns and questions regarding the tradeoffs that must be made to achieve these goals. How can the “Greta Effect” be reconciled with the political and economic reality currently facing the global energy system?

Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
Amit Bhandari, Fellow, Energy & Environment Studies Programme, Gateway House
David Hobbs, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
Daniel Litvin, Founder and Managing Director, Critical Resource

Moderated by: Julia Pyper, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council and Senior Editor, Greentech Media

Day 3 – Sunday, January 12

TimeSession
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.AFRICA’S ENERGY FUTURES

Photos | YouTube

Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines, Industry, and Energy, Republic of Equatorial Guinea

Moderated by: Eithne Treanor, Managing Director, E. Treanor Media
9:00 – 10:10 a.m.ENERGY SECURITY AND GEOPOLITICS: ARE RISK AND UNCERTAINTY THE NEW NORMAL?

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

From tank seizures to pipeline politics to oilfield airstrikes, geopolitics played a dramatic role in global energy markets in 2019 and shows no sign of slowing down in 2020. With tensions reaching a boiling point in the world’s most important energy producing region and ongoing geoeconomic and geopolitical issues around the globe, how can countries manage energy security risk and use energy as a tool for stability, rather than conflict?

Helima Croft, Managing Director and Global Head of Commodity Strategy, Global Research, RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Amos Hochstein, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Tellurian Inc.
GEN James L. Jones, Jr., USMC (Ret.), Executive Chairman Emeritus, Atlantic Council
Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy, European Commission
Masakazu Toyoda, Chair and CEO, Institute of Energy Economics Japan

Moderated by: Andrew Sollinger, Publisher, Foreign Policy
10:10 – 10:10 a.m.SUSTAINABLE METALS AND MINERALS FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

As the global energy transition accelerates, demand for critical minerals will skyrocket. To manufacture the clean energy world of tomorrow millions of tons of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper must be extracted, processed, and incorporated into a number of green technologies. In order to ensure a truly just and green energy transition, issues regarding the sustainability of these materials from energy, labour, and water conservation perspectives should be addressed. And to insulate these nascent commodity markets from security risks and distortion, rules-based trade policies and transparent market practices should be established and enforced. What role will the critical mineral value chain, and, more importantly, sustainable mining, play in the construction of the clean energy world?

The Hon. Francis Fannon, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources, US Department of State

Moderated by: John Defterios, Business Emerging Markets Editor and Anchor, CNN International
10:30 – 11:00 a.m.COFFEE BREAK
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.THE GREAT GAS DEBATE: THE ROLE OF GAS IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

Over the past decade, the shale gas revolution has irrevocably altered the global energy landscape. As prices have continued to drop, natural gas has significantly displaced coal as a power source in the West and has increasing potential to do so in the developing world. Particularly in the United States, the shift from coal to gas has resulted in a substantial cut in carbon emissions, while global LNG exports have helped reinforce this trend around the world. However, while many originally viewed natural gas as the logical transition fuel in the movement to clean energy—offering reliable backup generation to intermittent renewables—a swelling community of climate activists now see natural gas as the next enemy in the fight against climate change. As demand for climate action and global decarbonization grows, will gas become the new coal? What role will gas ultimately play in the energy transition?

Fatima Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer, ADNOC LNG
Marco Alverà, Chief Executive Officer, Snam S.p.A.
Adnan Amin, Distinguished Fellow, Global Energy Centre, Atlantic Council
Tom Earl, Chief Commercial Officer, Venture Global LNG

Moderated by: Amb. Richard Morningstar, Founding Chairman, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.ENERGY INTERCONNECTIONS: A TOOL FOR STABILITY OR A VECTOR OF GEOPOLITICAL RISK?

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

In a growing and globalized world, energy interconnections, from power grids to pipelines, help meet rising energy demand but also serve as potential vectors of geopolitical risk. While there is a compelling logic for enlarged, interconnected energy grids to balance intermittent distributed resources, integration has been stymied across geographies by regional politics and cybersecurity concerns. Natural gas interconnectors, whether they be pipelines or LNG terminals, bring needed fuel to demand centres, but often end up as pressure points in international disputes. As the world looks to cross-border, integrated energy systems to meet rising demand and climate targets, effective interconnection policy frameworks and models are crucial to achieving national goals. What are the emerging visions for energy interconnection in the 21st century? Will interconnections ultimately serve to advance regional energy security, or catalyze conflict?

H.E. Dr. Matar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Energy and Industry of the United Arab Emirates
Thorsten Herdan, Director General, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany
Ramzi Mroueh, Managing Director, Origination, Cheniere Energy Inc.
Nandita Parshad, Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Zheng Baihua, Director-General of Development Bureau, Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization

Moderated by: Jennifer Gnana, Energy Correspondent, The National
1:00 – 2:15 p.m.NETWORKING LUNCH

Photos
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.BREAKOUT SESSIONS

REPORT LAUNCH 4 – REGIONAL MEGA-MERGERS: THE POLITICS OF CREATING SYNERGIES

Photos | Report

Over the past several years, a number of large-scale mergers across the GCC have helped reshape economies, increase efficiency, and improve transparency. From the Mubadala-IPIC merger to the Armco acquisition of SABIC, mergers play a crucial role in national economic diversification strategies. Going forward, what do these mergers mean for the companies involved and how will they affect the intricate relationship between the various private sector stakeholders and national governments?

Jean-François Seznec, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
Sara Vakhshouri, Founder & President, SVB Energy International
Dr. Ellen Wald, Senior Fellow, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council

Moderated by: Cornelia Meyer, Chairman and CEO, Meyer Resources

REPORT LAUNCH 5 – THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER: FINANCING & INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION

Photos | Report

The United States and its allies in civil nuclear cooperation have struggled in recent years to compete against state-owned nuclear enterprise exports, especially from Russia and China. Since nuclear energy agreements establish decades’ long relationships between the vendor and purchasing countries, and since the United States and its allies wish to export their high safety and nonproliferation standards along with nuclear energy technologies, it is vital that the United States regains its position of global leadership on nuclear energy exports. As Russia and China seek out third-party countries with demand for nuclear energy—especially for advanced technologies and small modular reactors—can the United States and its allies determine how to cooperate on co-financing agreements and become greater than the sum of their parts?

Jeffrey Merrifield, Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
David Scott, Director, ENEC and TerraPower; Adviser, General Atomics
Nobuo Tanaka, Chairman, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Rumina Velshi, President and CEO, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Moderated by: Dr. Jennifer Gordon, Deputy Director, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council

REPORT LAUNCH 6 – ENERGY INTERCONNECTIONS IN EUROPE UNDER A DECARBONIZATION AGENDA

Photos | Report

The European Union’s efforts to achieve a carbon-neutral economy present a unique and timely opportunity to strengthen European energy security. What is the EU currently doing to meet its decarbonization goals, address the role of natural gas in Europe’s low-carbon future, and explain the potential for new gas sources, alternative gas routes, and clean energy technologies to reduce carbon emis­sions? And how can this be done while simultaneously increasing European energy security and opportunities for transatlantic cooperation?

Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy, European Commission
Maria Rita Galli, Executive Vice President, Business Development and Asset Management, Snam S.p.A.
H.E. Niculae Havrilet, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment, Romania
Aida Sitdikova, Director Energy, Eurasia, Sustainable Infrastructure Group, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Andrea Waldman Lockwood, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa, Middle East, Europe, and Eurasia, US Department of Energy

Moderated by: Amb. Richard Morningstar, Founding Chairman, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council
3:30 – 3:35 p.m.EDELMAN’S TRUST BAROMETER: ESG AS THE NEW INVESTMENT DRIVER

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Today, environmental, social, and governance concerns increasingly shape the relationship between companies and the investment community. Many investors believe firms need to address the needs of all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and that to establish trust across all audiences, companies must incorporate and adhere to robust ESG standards. Will ESG issues continue to play an outsized role in trust building, and, if so, what impact will the ESG revolution have on the future of corporate investment? This presentation offers an in-depth look into the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Institutional Investors, which identifies the pivotal issues shaping today’s investment criteria and details how companies can build trust with the investment community.

Ed Williams, President and CEO, Edelman EMEA
3:35 – 4:35 p.m.FINANCING THE UPSTREAM IN AN ESG WORLD

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In an era of growing environmental and social consciousness, many shareholders and citizens now expect more than dividends; they demand responsible investment. In developing new upstream energy projects, investors and corporations are under increasing pressure to adhere to strong ESG standards at the risk of losing public trust or facing popular backlash. In a push for transparency, financiers and energy companies are expected to disclose how their investments address climate change, as well as other pervasive environmental, social, and governance concerns, with such issues now representing an endogenous investment risk. In what ways will ESG affect the future of upstream energy finance, and how will such conditions impact future project development.

Jason Bloom, Senior Director, Global ETF Strategy and Research, Invesco
Jason Bordoff, Founding Director, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University
Jonathan Finer, Senior Vice President, Political Risk and Public Policy / Environmental, Social and Governance, Warburg Pincus LLC
Chris Midgley, Head of Analytics, S&P Global Platts
Greg Sharenow, Portfolio Manager, Real Assets, PIMCO

Moderated by: Eithne Treanor, Managing Director, E. Treanor Media
4:35 – 4:45 p.m.PETRO DOLLAR. PETROYUAN. PETRO RUPEE?

Photos | YouTube

While the US Petro Dollar currently dominates the global oil exchange, “major movers” in the petroleum market, like China, have recently sought to challenge the dollar’s dominant position in creating their own petrocurrencies. In 2018, the Chinese government launched the Petro Yuan and began purchasing oil from Russia in domestic currency with relative success. As this movement gains momentum, could other strong energy demand centers, such as India, follow in China’s footsteps? Could India become the next global player to challenge the Petro Dollar, through the creation of a Petro Rupee? If so, what obstacles and opportunities would such a development present for regional and global oil markets?

Amit Bhandari, Fellow, Energy & Environment Studies Programme, Gateway House
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.TRADE WARS AND THEIR IMPACT ON ENERGY ACCESS AND ENERGY TRANSITION

Photos | YouTube

Over the past several years, a rising wave of protectionism has slowed global economic growth, delayed capital investment, and disrupted international trade flows. From solar panels to LNG to rare earth metals, energy value chains are increasingly at the center of global trade frictions. As trade wars proliferate, what impact will they have on the cost of key energy resources and green development, including in regions where energy access is a limiting factor for economic growth? And if these disputes between major powers indeed redraw the contours of the energy trade map, how will companies, consumers, and other state actors respond?

Yongsung Cho, President, Korea Energy Economics Institute
Arunabha Ghosh, Founder and CEO, Council on Energy, Environment, and Water
Carole Nakhle, Founder and CEO, Crystol Energy
Michael Train, President, Emerson
Han Wenke, Senior Research Fellow, Energy Research Institute, National Development and Reform Commission of China

Moderated by: Bart Oosterveld, Senior Fellow, Global Business and Economics Program, Atlantic Council
5:45 -6:45 p.m.US ELECTION 2020: WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE?

Transcript | Photos | YouTube

As the US presidential election in November 2020 draws nearer, the energy policy platforms—including do­mestic energy, climate change, foreign, and trade policies—from the Democratic candidates, as well as the energy policies of a potential second Trump Administration, have become increasingly clear. The competing visions of a Republican and a Democratic administration could hardly be more disparate, and industry and external stakeholders should prepare for a volatile outlook regardless of the outcome in November 2020—so what are the salient energy policies under the two scenarios and how will they address the deep and entrenched energy challenges that face the United States?

Carlos Curbelo, Former US Representative (R-FL)
Avi Garbow, Environmental Advocate, Patagonia
David Goldwyn, Chairman, Energy Advisory Group, Atlantic Council
Michael Steele, Former Chair of the Republican National Committee

Moderated by: Hadley Gamble, Reporter and Anchor, CNBC

Closing remarks by:
Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council

Photos | YouTube
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.CLOSING NETWORKING RECEPTION

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