The Commission was launched in January during the Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and its work is supported by the governments of Germany, Norway and the United Arab Emirates. The former President of Iceland, Olafur Grimsson will lead the Commission as Chair. Members of the Commission include prominent government and business leaders from the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, Germany, Brazil and Russia and other countries.
The line-up was announced on the second day of the annual Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD), hosted by the German Federal Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Economy and Energy. The Commission will meet for the first time during the BETD to establish a roadmap towards the development an authoritative report to be released during IRENA’s next Assembly taking place in Abu Dhabi, in January.
“This Commission represents a truly formidable body of global leaders who will bring rigour, critical thinking, and a broad range of perspectives to the table as we analyse the potential effects of a renewables-based energy system on national and global politics” said Commission Chair Olafur Grimsson. “As a result, this Commission’s work will be a robust assessment of the evolving geopolitics of energy as we move towards the post-carbon era.”
The Commissioners will bring professional perspectives from nations across the world and will reflect insights from traditional energy exporters, and net energy importers alike. Countries at various stages of renewable energy exploration and development are also represented in the Commission’s membership. The Commission will be supported by an expert panel of renowned academics.
“The shift to renewable energy is proving to be one of the most positively transformational trends of our age. Renewables offer a cost-effective pathway to poverty reduction, increased energy access and economic growth whilst reducing energy-related emissions” said Adnan Z. Amin, Director General of IRENA. “As we move towards a more decarbonised, decentralised and digitalised energy system, and scale-up renewables in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, countries will need to better understand the nature of the evolving geopolitical landscape, so as to ensure prosperity and peace.”
The full list of Commission members and expert panel members, includes:
Former President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson (Chair)
Former Vice President for Renewable Energy at Kind Abdullah City for Atomic & Renewable Energy, Saudi Arabia, Khalid M. Al-Sulaiman
Director-General of IRENA, Adnan Z. Amin
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Anatoly Chubais
Former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres
Former Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister of Germany, Joschka Fischer
Former Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy
Former Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Carlos Lopes
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, Murray McCully
Former Minister of Trade from Indonesia, Mari Pangestu
Former EU Commissioner for Energy and for Development, Andris Piebalgs
Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy and Executive Vice President, International Affairs, ENI, Lapo Pistelli
Former Secretary of State for Climate Change of Spain, Teresa Ribera
Former US Secretary of Energy, Bill Richardson
Former Minister of the Environment in Brazil, Izabella Teixeira
Former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Maria van der Hoeven
Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, Statoil, Eirik Wærness
Chief Executive and Founder of Envision Energy, Lei Zhang
Deputy Director-General for Energy and Climate Policy and Export Control at the German Federal Foreign office, Peter Fischer
Policy Director for Energy and Climate, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hans Olav Ibrekk
Assistant Under Secretary for Electricity and Future Energy, Ministry of Energy and Industry, HE Eng. Fatima AlFoora AlShamsi
For additional information:
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation
