On 7 February 2019, the Energy Chair of the College of Europe organised its annual conference entitled “Decarbonising energy: Lessons from history and policies for the future” in the House of European History, to mark the launch of the new IBERDROLA Manuel Marín Chair for European Energy Policy.
The welcome address, which drew lessons from the history of energy transitions, was given by Prof. Dr. Dirk BUSCHLE, Chairholder of the Energy Policy Chair, and Eva CHAMIZO LLATAS, Director of the Brussels office of IBERDROLA.
Read the full transcript of the welcome address by the Chairholder.
A first panel discussed contemporary decarbonisation efforts in a historical perspective, with participants Dolf GIELEN, Director, Innovation and Technology Centre, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Mechtild WÖRSDÖRFER, Director for sustainability, technology and outlooks, International Energy Agency, Beatriz YORDI, Director for European & International Carbon Markets, European Commission, DG CLIMA, Andris PIEBALGS , Senior Fellow, Florence School of Regulation and Geneviève PONS, and was moderated by Prof. Dr. Dirk BUSCHLE.
This panel was followed by a conversation between Commissioner M. ARIAS CAÑETE and the Chairman and CEO of Iberdola, Ignacio S. GALÁN, moderated by K. SICHEL.
The President of the Administrative Council of the College of Europe, Mr. I. MENDEZ DE VIGO, was invited for a word on the life of Manuel Marín.
The students of the College of Europe afterwards met with the Chairman of Iberdrola and were invited to a reception in honour of Manuel Marín, the patron of their promotion and alumnus of the College after whom the Chair is named.
Further details of the conference are available on the website of the Energy Chair.
For more information, please contact thijs.vandenbussche@coleurope.eu
Photos
16.00 Registration
| Registrations took place in the Fables Room of the House of European History. |
16.15 Welcome address
| Lessons from the history of energy transitions: from the industrial revolution and the European Coal and Steel Community to the Paris Agreement. |
16.30 Contemporary decarbonisation efforts in a historical perspective (moderated by Dirk BUSCHLE)
| Dolf GIELEN | Director, Innovation and Technology Centre | International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) |
| Mechtild WÖRSDÖRFER | Director for sustainability, technology and outlooks | International Energy Agency |
| Beatriz YORDI | Director for European & International Carbon Markets | European Commission, Directorate-General for Climate Action |
| Andris PIEBALGS | Senior Fellow | Florence School of Regulation |
| Geneviève PONS | Director of the Brussels Office | Jacques Delors Institute |
17.45 Decarbonising Europe – A view on the future (moderated by Katrina SICHEL)
|
Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE |
Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy |
European Commission |
|
Ignacio S. GALÁN |
Chairman and CEO |
IBERDROLA |
18.30-20.00 Reception in honour of Manuel MARÍN
| The discussions were followed by a cocktail reception in honour of Manuel MARÍN. The College of Europe has honoured MARÍN's role in European history by appointing him the Patron of the Academic year 2018-2019, and giving his name to the Chair for European Energy Policy. One of his greatest achievements at the European level was the establishment of the Erasmus Programme in 1987, which has enabled millions of European students to spend part of their studies at European universities abroad. MARÍN, who passed away on 4 December 2017, presided the Iberdrola Spain Foundation since 2008, and played a key role in the EU’s history with the accession of Spain to the EU. |
The Energy Chair is kindly supported by IBERDROLA