Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF)

ICEF2024 Program

How to Live within the Planetary Boundaries
through Green Innovation

How to Live within the Planetary Boundaries
through Green Innovation

Wednesday, October 9

Opening Session

9:30 - 10:00

Opening Session

Opening Remarks by
Mr. TANAKA Nobuo

(Chair of ICEF Steering Committee)

Opening Remarks by <br /> Mr. TANAKA Nobuo
Profile

Back to list

Keynote Session

9:30 - 10:00

Keynote

Speaker
Johan Fredrik Rockström

Johan Fredrik Rockström

Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Professor, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science at Potsdam University
Professor, Water Systems and Global Sustainability at the University of Stockholm

Profile

Back to list

Plenary Session 1

10:05 - 11:35

Planetary Boundaries and the Energy Transition

Global environmental change has advanced significantly, with the global average temperature escalating over the years, culminating in the highest recorded level in 2023. The concept of planetary boundaries, established by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, comprises nine boundaries. These boundaries regulate the stability and resilience of Earth's systems and can instigate substantial environmental alterations that threaten our known way of life. In 2023, six of these nine boundaries were acknowledged to have been transgressed.
The urgency to act is paramount to comprehend the meaning of sustainability within a finite Earth system. The implications of the intricate and diverse global supply chain sectors, along with cross-sectoral interactions resulting in the depletion of natural resources on a global scale, require elucidation. It has been posited that material and energy flows might traverse organizational, administrative, and geographical boundaries, thereby instigating the transfer of environmental problems, the propagation of detrimental practices, governance issues, and, in certain circumstances, cross-border conflicts.
In light of the most recent updates on planetary boundaries, this session aims to evaluate the current condition of the planet, identify existing challenges, and deliberate on the requisite policies and innovations to construct a sustainable future.

Moderator
Sally M. Benson

Sally M. Benson

ICEF Steering Committee;
Professor, Energy Science and
Engineering, Stanford University;
Deputy Director for Energy and Chief
Strategist for the Energy Transition,
White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy

Profile
TANAKA Nobuo

TANAKA Nobuo

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc

Profile
Hoesung Lee

Hoesung Lee

ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Chair of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Profile
Speaker
Johan Fredrik Rockström

Johan Fredrik Rockström

Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Professor, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science at Potsdam University
Professor, Water Systems and Global Sustainability at the University of Stockholm

Profile
KAWAMOTO Tohru

KAWAMOTO Tohru

Principal Researcher, AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)

Profile
ISHII Naoko

ISHII Naoko

Special Presidential Envoy, The University of Tokyo;
Director, Center for Global Commons;
Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives

Profile

Back to list

Special Sessions

13:45 - 14:45

Special Dialogue on Net-Zero and Circularity

Various paths to global green innovation have been shared through different perspectives, including state-of-the-art technologies, policies, and international cooperation. Decarbonization targets have been declared by numerous countries and companies, and they are stepping up their efforts to achieve a greener transition. In order to achieve these goals, it is essential to examine whether progress is being made towards decarbonization in reality and identify any difficulties that may exist.
Due to the global trend of tightening environmental regulations and the security of resources and energy, governments and companies need to enhance their management of the entire life cycle of products through supply/value chains, as well as their own production activities. To minimize the environmental impact of resource use, it's important to switch to an economic system that conserves and preserves products, materials, and resources for as long as possible, while minimizing waste generation.
The aim of this session is to gain a deeper understanding of the reality of green transition, emphasizing circularity or less wasteful economy, and supply/value chain.

Speaker
Vaclav Smil

Vaclav Smil

ICEF Steering Committee;
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba

Profile
TANAKA Nobuo

TANAKA Nobuo

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc

Profile
Ismail Serageldin

Ismail Serageldin

ICEF Steering Committee;
Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC);
Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria;
Former VP of the World Bank

Profile
SAKANO Akira

SAKANO Akira

ICEF Steering Committee;
Representative Director, Zero Waste Japan;
Co-Founder, Green innovation;
Director & CSO, ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd.

Profile

Back to list

Technology Session 1

15:00 - 16:00

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Solar Radiation Management (SRM)

To achieve carbon neutrality, the development and introduction of decarbonization technologies are becoming more important.
As an effective technology for carbon neutrality, various countries are investing in carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and geotechnologists are considering the possibility of adopting SRM (Solar Radiation Management). CDR includes various technologies, from afforestation and reforestation, soil carbon storage, biomass carbonization, BECCS (capture and storage of CO2 emitted during biomass energy use), DACCS (direct capture and storage of CO2 in the atmosphere), weathering promotion, carbon storage by biochar application, to carbon fixation by seaweed and seagrasses. In addition, the search for methods and technologies for SRM, such as solar radiation management by stratospheric injection of aerosols, is progressing, and while researchers are verifying its effectiveness, startups are gradually emerging. On the other hand, there is a possibility of conflicts of interest with biodiversity for some technologies, and there is also an aspect that the diffusion of some technologies is not progressing due to issues such as introduction costs.
In this session, we will discuss the perspectives of current geoengineering technologies centering on CDR and SRM, solutions for promoting their introduction, and the international framework.

Moderator
Nebojsa Nakicenovic

Nebojsa Nakicenovic

ICEF Steering Committee;
Vice Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) to the European Commission;
Honorary and Emeritus Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA);
Emeritus Professor of Energy Economics, Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)

Profile
KURODA Reiko

KURODA Reiko

ICEF Steering Committee;
Designated Professor, Frontier Research Institute,
Chubu University;
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo;
Member, G7 GEAC (Gender Equality Advisory Council) 2023

Profile
Speaker
YAMADA Hidetaka

YAMADA Hidetaka

Professor, Kanazawa University

Profile
Holly Jean Buck

Holly Jean Buck

Associate Professor, University at Buffalo

Profile

Back to list

Technology Session 2

16:15 - 17:15

Hydrogen Readiness

Many countries in the world are progressing towards a CO2 free social system by 2035 or 2040. In this situation, low-carbon hydrogen has the potential to play an important role in decarbonizing many sectors including heavy industry, heavy duty transportation and power. Extensive infrastructure will be required for that purpose, including pipelines, power plants and hydrogen storage facilities. In Germany and some other countries, there is a dialogue about whether gas power plants which receive state aid are “hydrogen ready,” with a need for clear definitions. More broadly, countries around the world are considering how to transition existing infrastructure to the use of low-carbon hydrogen and the types of technologies that will be needed as this industry scales. Now a days, Technological innovation projects to encourage the transition of infrastructure to hydrogen-ready is underway in all over the world. For instance, a Japanese company, a U.S. company, and a French company collaborated to develop pipeline technology. In addition, the Indian government supports pilot projects in areas such as steel, long-range heavy-duty mobility, shipping, and energy storage, where fossil fuels and fossil-based feedstocks are replaced with green hydrogen. The session will discuss the potential of the low-carbon hydrogen to realize net zero society and its challenges to achieve hydrogen ready.

Moderator
David Sandalow

David Sandalow

ICEF Steering Committee;
Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University;
Co-Director, Energy and
Environment Concentration,
School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Profile
Georg Erdmann

Georg Erdmann

ICEF Steering Committee;
Retired Chair of Energy Systems, Faculty of Process Engineering, Berlin University of Technology;
President of the Board, KSB Energie AG, Berlin

Profile
Speaker
SADAMORI Keisuke

SADAMORI Keisuke

Director, Energy Markets and Security，International Energy Agency (IEA)

Profile

Back to list

Technology Session 3

17:30 - 18:30

Food and Agriculture

At the COP28, for the first time ever, a leader’s level declaration (COP28 UAE Food Declaration) was issued focusing on the interactions of food systems and climate change. This declaration advocates for the promotion of innovation aimed at enhancing sustainable productivity with the objective of sustainable development and fortification of climate change response in the food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector as well as encouraging the requisite shifts in sustainable consumption and production that will be required to achieve such sustainable productivity. 159 countries endorsed this declaration, pledging support for food security that takes climate change into account.
Under the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations is providing support for climate change issues, such as droughts, floods, and storms, in 42 countries. However, solely in 2022, nearly 57 million people were plunged into a state of hunger due to climate impacts, indicating a global need for protection and support.
The food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector is often considered a sink for carbon dioxide. Conversely, it is also a significant source of GHG emissions. Numerous countries and private companies are increasingly motivated to find solutions to reduce and control these emissions.
Furthermore, the recent surge in crop prices has escalated concerns about global food security.
In this session, we will discuss the current issues of the food systems in the food, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector, and deliberate on measures to mitigate these issues, strategies for appropriate food security, and economic efficiency towards rapid transformation for sustainable development and climate change response in this sector.

Moderator
Adnan Z. Amin

Adnan Z. Amin

ICEF Steering Committee;
Senior Research Fellow, Belfer Center
for Science and International Affairs,
Harvard University’s Kennedy School
of Government;
Director General Emeritus, IRENA;
Senior Adviser to COP 28 President

Profile
Valli Moosa

Valli Moosa

ICEF Steering Committee;
Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission;
Former President, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

Profile
Speaker
Joko Tri Rubiyanto

Joko Tri Rubiyanto

Youth Policy Board - Asia Pacific, World Food Forum (WFF);
Food Project Consultant, RISE Foundation Indonesia

Profile

Back to list

Thursday, October 10

Plenary Session 2

9:00 - 10:30

Innovative Finance

The vision of a decarbonized society is a global aspiration, and its realization will necessitate substantial financial resources and finance plays a pivotal role in this context. Sustained financial backing for the energy industry and financing for climate change mitigation transition endeavors in emerging market and developing economies, which currently contribute to approximately two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions, are indispensable. Beyond public financing, innovative financing solutions that stimulate private sector investment are requisite.
The scale of investment required for this transformation is estimated to be around 2~5.7 trillion USD. Even with the introduction of new innovations, it is highly unlikely that the required annual amount will be reached. Emerging market and developing economies are also unlikely to generate the necessary resources from limited budgets if they are additionally burdened with excessive debt. Thus, climate financing mechanisms with new approaches are needed to meet the challenges of climate change with appropriate mitigation and to finance a portfolio of policies and projects that benefit the Global South in implementing decarbonization.
Besides addressing climate change, financial institutions are making strides in tackling natural capital issues such as biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection. It is imperative to establish governance structures and processes that acknowledge and report on the financial risks and opportunities posed by biodiversity.
This session will explore innovative financing methods for emerging markets, green innovation, and decarbonization, including strategies for financing and linking finance to innovation. We will also scrutinize the financial risks and opportunities engendered by biodiversity.

Moderator
Ismail Serageldin

Ismail Serageldin

ICEF Steering Committee;
Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC);
Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria;
Former VP of the World Bank

Profile
Changhua Wu

Changhua Wu

ICEF Steering Committee;
China / Asia Director,
Office of Jeremy Rifkin;
Chair, Governing Council,
Asia Pacific Water Forum

Profile
Jon D. Moore

Jon D. Moore

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chief Executive Officer, BloombergNEF

Profile
Speaker
Amir A. Dossal

Amir A. Dossal

President and CEO, Global Partnerships Forum;
Founding Commissioner, Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development;
Former Distinguished Fellow, World Economic Forum Centre for Health and Healthcare

Profile
KONISHI Satoshi

KONISHI Satoshi

CEO, Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd.;
Professor, School of Energy Science, Kyoto University;
Chairman, Japan Fusion Energy Council

Profile

Back to list

Special Sessions

10:45 - 11:45

ICEF Roadmap Project：Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation 2.0

The ICEF 2023 Roadmap “Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation” attracted considerable interest from governments, media and experts around the world. In 2024, artificial intelligence continues to be a very hot topic.
The ICEF 2024 Roadmap is a 2.0 version of the 2023 Roadmap, covering new topics we did not have a chance to cover last year including aviation, buildings, CCUS and nuclear power. It will also update topics covered last year including greenhouse gas emissions monitoring, the power sector, manufacturing, materials innovation, the food system and road transport.
In this session, co-authors of the “Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap 2.0" will present their draft roadmap and explore key questions related to the use of AI for decarbonization in the years ahead.

Moderator
David Sandalow

David Sandalow

ICEF Steering Committee;
Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University;
Co-Director, Energy and Environment Concentration, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Profile

Back to list

Technology Session 4

13:00 - 14:00

Future of Nuclear Energy

In recent years, as each country set ambitious GHG emission reduction targets, nuclear power has been getting more attention as a zero-emission base-load power source. In addition, as fossil fuels prices has soared globally since 2021, the contribution of nuclear power to energy security has also come to be recognized once again.
With nuclear power expected to expand in the future, each country is investing in so called “advanced reactors”. Furthermore, there is growing interest in using nuclear energy for non-electric applications, such as hydrogen production and heat utilization. On the other hand, in order to deploy nuclear reactors on a large scale, it is important to develop regulatory requirements which are not available for conventional reactors and measures to deal with radioactive waste.
In this session, we will discuss the approaches taken by businesses toward the commercialization of advanced reactors and various applications, and the challenges accompanying the deployment of them.

Moderator
Eija-Riitta Korhola

Eija-Riitta Korhola

ICEF Steering Committee;
Delegate of the Consultative
Commission for Industrial Change
European Economic and Social Committee

Profile
YAMAJI Kenji

YAMAJI Kenji

ICEF Steering Committee;
President, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE);
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

Profile
TANAKA Nobuo

TANAKA Nobuo

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc

Profile
Speaker
IWATA Natsumi

IWATA Natsumi

Professor, Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University

Profile
Jeff Waksman

Jeff Waksman

Program Manager, US Department of Defense

Profile
Jooho Whang

Jooho Whang

CEO, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power

Profile
Diane Melissa Jessica Cameron

Diane Melissa Jessica Cameron

Head of Division of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics, NEA (OECD)

Profile
SEKIGUCHI Mina

SEKIGUCHI Mina

Managing Partner, Resonancia LLC;
Non Executive Director, Penta Ocean Construction Company;
Auditor, Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Profile

Back to list

Technology Session 5

14:15 - 15:15

Sustainable Marine Transport

In 2018, CO2 emissions from the international shipping sector accounted for more than 2% of global emissions. It has been estimated that the demand for marine transport will increase due to the growth of the global economy. Therefore, maritime transport needs to take measures to reduce emissions.
Decarbonization in the maritime sector is separately carried out for domestic and international shipping. On domestic shipping measures are taken by each country, whereas on international shipping, similar to the international aviation sector, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is responsible for a consolidated agreement. Sustainable marine transport aims to increase the use of sustainable fuel, develop innovative technologies, and promote energy-efficient operations.
We will learn the latest sustainable marine technologies and policies from experts working on these issues and discuss the developments, policies, and investments that need to be accelerated to make marine transport sustainable. We will also discuss the adverse impact of banning Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), the present main fuel in maritime transport, on global warming.

Moderator
Georg Erdmann

Georg Erdmann

ICEF Steering Committee;
Retired Chair of Energy Systems, Faculty of Process Engineering, Berlin University of Technology;
President of the Board, KSB Energie AG, Berlin

Profile
Vikram Singh Mehta

Vikram Singh Mehta

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chairman, Center for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) Research Foundation

Profile
Speaker
ROKURODA Takahiro

ROKURODA Takahiro

General Manager, Next Generation Fuel Business Group, NYK LINE

Profile
Shu-Ling Chen

Shu-Ling Chen

Director, Centre for Maritime and Logistics Management, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania;
Associate Professor, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania

Profile
Selma Brynolf

Selma Brynolf

Researcher, Chalmers University of Technology

Profile

Back to list

Special Sessions

15:30 - 16:30

Young Innovators

Bringing together the wisdom, expertise, experience, and resources of intergenerational talent to lead and drive an accelerated transition is critical to successfully achieving carbon neutrality in 2050. Generation Z is 26% of the world's population or about 2 billion people. A survey by asset manager Amundi and the Business Times found that 82% of Gen Z and nearly 2/3 of young millennial investors have exposure to environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments. As part of the impetus to foster collaboration with young innovators who will be the leaders of these future transformations, ICEF will hold a dialogue session with young innovators.
The session will bring together some of the world's most inspiring young and mid-career innovators to engage in a dialogue with members of the ICEF Steering Committee, who have played an important role in driving innovation and the clean energy revolution. The dialogue will focus on the diversity, richness, depth, and impact of innovation led by a young generation of experts in a wide range of scientific fields, from technology to policy reform, from deciphering the relationship between food, water, energy, and climate change to the socio-economic synergies between the clean energy revolution and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Moderator
Valli Moosa

Valli Moosa

ICEF Steering Committee;
Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission;
Former President, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

Profile
SAKANO Akira

SAKANO Akira

ICEF Steering Committee;
Representative Director, Zero Waste Japan;
Co-Founder, Green innovation;
Director & CSO, ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd.

Profile

Back to list

Closing Session

16:45 - 18:15

Closing Session

Quick Comments
(Takeaways, Comment for ICEF 2025) from each SC Member

Announcement of the Roadmap by David Sandalow

(ICEF Steering Committee)

Announcement of the Roadmap by David Sandalow

Announcement of the Statement from the Steering Committee by YAMAJI Kenji

(ICEF Steering Committee)

Announcement of the Statement from the Steering Committee by YAMAJI Kenji

Final Thoughts on the Event by TANAKA Nobuo

(Chair of ICEF Steering Committee)

Final Thoughts on the Event by TANAKA Nobuo

Closing Remarks by SAITO Tamotsu

(Chairman of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO))

Closing Remarks by SAITO Tamotsu

Back to list

×
TANAKA Nobuo (Chair)
TANAKA Nobuo (Chair)
Position

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Executive Director Emeritus, The International Energy Agency (IEA)
Nobuo Tanaka is Chairman of the steering committee of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF), which was established by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014. As Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) from 2007 to 2011, he initiated a collective release of oil stocks in June 2011. He began his career in 1973 in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and has served in a number of high-ranking positions, including Director- General of the Multilateral Trade System Department. He was deeply engaged in bilateral trade issues with the US as Minister for Industry, Trade and Energy at the Embassy of Japan, Washington DC. He has also served twice as Director for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI) of the Parisbased international organization, OECD. As CEO of Tanaka Global Inc, he advises several Japanese and International companies.

Awards/Publications

Order of Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star, 瑞宝重光章 （2021）
Al Attiyah International Energy Award

×
Adnan Z. Amin
Adnan Z. Amin
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Director General Emeritus IRENA;
Senior Adviser to COP 28 President

Country / Region

Kenya

Career history

Adnan Z. Amin is an experienced international official and development economist specializing in sustainable development with over 20 years experience in senior positions at the United Nations. Mr. Amin is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. There, he specializes in the “Geopolitics of the Energy Transition”. He has been recently appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations as a member of his High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change in September 2020, and is also serving on several Advisory Boards both in the private sector and within academia. Mr. Amin has also been appointed to the position of Senior Political Advisor to the United Arab Emirates COP 28 Presidency.

Mr. Amin led a distinguished career serving the United Nations. He served as Head of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat, the UN Secretary-General’s policy coordination body comprising the Executive Heads of the UN System. Mr. Amin also led the Secretariat for the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence, which resulted in an ambitious reform programme implemented under the framework of “One UN” and “Delivering as One”. Mr. Amin was also the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) New York Office and led the Secretariat supporting the Intergovernmental review of International Environmental Governance established to review and streamline the proliferation of institutional frameworks within the United Nations. Mr. Amin also served as a Trustee and Member of the Board of Directors of the Cambridge, UK based World Conservation Monitoring Centre, considered one of the premier biodiversity information institutions in the world.

In 2011, Mr. Amin was elected and served as the first ever Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Elected for an initial four-years term, Mr. Amin was re-appointed unanimously by the Assembly for a second term in 2015. During his tenure, IRENA became the authoritative voice of renewable energy and a leading player in the global energy transition. The Agency’s membership increased three-fold and now accounts for over 160 State Members with 24 additional countries in the process of accession, a remarkable achievement in the annals of multilateralism. After his second term he was granted the honorary title of Director General Emeritus by the 2019 IRENA Assembly, in recognition of his leadership and outstanding service to the Agency.

Mr. Amin oversaw the development of IRENA’s operations and programmatic work, directing the growth of the Agency’s knowledge framework, country support and regional engagement. IRENA’s efforts played a key role in showcasing the centrality of renewables to powering sustainable economic growth, creating jobs while meeting climate and sustainable development objectives.

Mr. Amin also propelled IRENA on the global stage. Today, the Agency is a regular contributor to, and a sought-after partner for, global and multilateral Organizations such as the United Nations, G7 and G20, as well as international forums such as the Clean Energy Ministerial, the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue and The Suzhou International Forum on Energy Transitions, among others.

During his tenure, IRENA actively engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including parliamentarians, the private sector and civil society to create an inclusive global platform for cooperation. At his initiative, the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation was established in 2018, and delivered in 2019 a ground-breaking report which outlines the implications of a large-scale shift to renewable energy on the global energy system, economies and relations within and between countries.

After his tenure at IRENA, Mr. Amin has served on a number of important initiatives including:

  • Chair of the Global Council on SDG 7, an initiative by the UAE to advance the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.
  • Member of the OECD High Level Advisory Group on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Objectives of the Paris Agreement.
  • Distinguished Fellow of the Atlantic Council
  • Member of the Jury of the Zayed Sustainability Prize
  • Member of the Global Energy Prize International Award Committee
  • Member of the Stanford University Global Energy Council
  • Member of the Global Commission to end Energy Poverty-MIT/Rockefeller Foundation.
  • Awarded the title of Honorary Professor of Practice at the University of Sussex Business School, his alma mater.
  • Member of the International Advisory Panel on Energy of the Government of Singapore.
  • Senior Advisor to the United Arab Emirates Climate Envoy.

Mr. Amin also serves on a number of Advisory Boards within the private sector including Shell New Energy, Porsche Sustainability Advisory Board and Arctic Green Energy.

Awards/Publications

  • Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) a National Award bestowed by H.E. President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, December 2018
  • The First Order of Zayed II bestowed by the President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of United Arab Emirates, March 2019
  • Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, bestowed by the President of Italy, November 2020
  • Astana Medal bestowed by H.E. President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, September 2018.

Areas of expertise

Geopolitics of the Energy Transition

×
Sally M. Benson
Sally M. Benson
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Professor, Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University;
Deputy Director for Energy and Chief Strategist for the Energy Transition,
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

1977 to 2007: Various positions at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2007 to present: Professor at Stanford University

Awards/Publications

1996 DOE Certificate of Appreciation awarded for leading development of the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program Plan
2007 Contributed to the reports of the IPCC that received the Nobel Peace Prize for “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”
2009 Michel T. Halbouty Distinguished Lecture Award, Geological Society of America
2009 ARCS 2009 American Pacesetter Award
2011 Alberta Innovates Lecturer of 2011
2009 – 2011 Stanford Fellow
2012 Greenman Award, IEA Greenhouse Gas Program
2015 Honorary Doctorate Degree, Smith College, Massachusetts
2015 Roslyn Silver’27 Science Lectureship, Barnard College
2017 Distinguished CCS Lecture Tour, Peter Cook Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
2018 Columbia University Arthur D. Storke Lecturer
2019 Society of Petroleum Engineers International Award, Health, Safety, and Environment
2023 Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Areas of expertise

Energy transition, carbon capture and storage, energy systems analysis

×
Georg Erdmann
Georg Erdmann
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Retired Chair of Energy Systems, Faculty of Process Engineering, Berlin University of Technology;
President of the Board, KSB Energie AG, Berlin

Country / Region

Germany

Career history

1995-2018 Professor for Energy Systems at the Institute for Energy Technology, Berlin University of Technology
1982-1995 Post doc researcher and Assistant professor at the Center for Economic Research, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (ETHZ)
1993-1995 Delegate at the Paul Scherer Institute, Villigen (Switzerland) in the group of Prof. Dr. Alexander Wokaun.
1976-1982 Appointment as PhD researcher at the University Muenster/Germany

Areas of expertise

Energy Systems and Markets, Energy policy, Economics of innovations, evolutionary economics

×
Eija-Riitta Korhola
Eija-Riitta Korhola
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Delegate of the Consultative Commission for Industrial Change European Economic and Social Committee

Country / Region

Finland
Belgium

Career history

Development educator and publicist 1993-1996
Journalist 1996-1999
Columnist since 1992
Member of the European Parliament 1999-2014
Visiting Senior Fellow at Tsinghua University Brookings Public Policy department, Beijing 2015- 2016
Delegate of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change at European Economic and Social Committee 2016-

Awards/Publications

– Annual MEP Award of the European Parliament 2009 (Energy)
– Eija-Riitta Korhola (2014): The Rise and Fall of the Kyoto Protocol – Climate Change as a Political Process, Helsinki University
– Eija-Riitta Korhola: The joys and frustrations of an environmental law-maker, European View 2019
– K.Akimoto, J.Arima, M.Babiker, M.Caine, D.Hobbs, E.Korhola, A.Sieminski, N.Stehr, H.Tezuka,
M.Toyoda, M.Williams (2019) Finding a viable path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, KAPSARC – Prins, G., Cook, M., Green, C., Hulme, M., Korhola, A., Korhola, E-R., Pielke Jr, R., Rayner, S.,
Sawa, A., Sarewitz, D., Stehr, N., & von Storch, H. (2009). How to Get Climate Policy Back on
Course. LSE Mackinder Programme.

Areas of expertise

Emissions Trading, Energy transfer, Climate politics

×
KURODA Reiko
KURODA Reiko
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Designated Professor, Frontier Research Institute, Chubu University;
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo;
Member, G7 GEAC (Gender Equality Advisory Council) 2023

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

1975 Ph.D. in Chemistry, The University of Tokyo.
1975 – 81: Research Associate, Dept. Chemistry, King’s College, London, U.K.
1981 – 85: Research Fellow/Honorary Lecturer, Dept.Biophysics, ibid.
1985 – 86: Senior Staff Scientist, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, U.K. / Visiting Lecturer, King’s College London.
1986 – 92: Associate Professor, Dept. Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences/ Dept. Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
1992 – 2012 Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences/ Dept.
Biochemistry, Graduate School of Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
2003 – 07: Executive Advisor to the President, The University of Tokyo.
2007 – 11: Member of the Administrative Council, The University of Tokyo
2007 – 10: Head of the Science Interpreter Training Programme, The University of Tokyo (supported by JST).
2010- 12: Head of the Science Interpreter Training Programme, Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, The University of Tokyo
2012 – 2019 Professor, Research Inst. Science & Technology, Tokyo Univ. of Science.
2019 – current Designated Professor, Frontier Research Institute, Chubu University.
2017 – 2019 WINDS Ambassador,

Awards/Publications

Adjunctive and ex-Council Member of Science Council of Japan
Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, Sweden
TWAS (the World Academy of Science), Fellow
ISC（International Science Council), Fellow
INGSA-Asia（International Network for Science Advice）,Board member
The Club of Rome, Full ember
Saruhashi Prize (1993),
Nissan Science Prize (1994),
Molecular Chirality Award (2003),
Yamazaki-Teiichi Prize (2004),
Honorary Professor of University of Sichuan, China (2006);
Honorary Doctorate, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2009);
Prizes for Science and Technology, The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2009).
L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award 2013.
Mukai Prize (2014),
Prime Minister’s Commendation for Efforts toward the Formation of a Gender-Equal Society (2014).
Academia Prize, The Academic Society of Japan (2015)
340 peer-reviewed publications in Chemistry and Biology, including Nature, Scientific Reports,
Angewandte Chemie, Journal of American Chemical Society.

Areas of expertise

Chemistry/Molecular and Developmental Biology, Science Communication, Science Policy,
Gender Issues

×
Hoesung Lee
Hoesung Lee
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Country / Region

Korea

Career history

Hoesung Lee was the Chair of the IPCC elected in 2015 for its Sixth Assessment cycle completed in July 2023. He is chair of the Asian Development Bank President’s Advisory Board on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. He was an endowed chair professor at Korea University Graduate School of Energy and Environment. He was the founding president of the Korea Energy Economics Institute — a government agency for national energy policy development. He was a distinguished research fellow at the Korea Environment Institute, senior adviser to the Minister of Energy and Resources and the Minister of Environment, a senior fellow at the Korea Development Institute, and economist at Exxon Company USA. He served as the president of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE), a member of the International Advisory Board of the Battelle-Pacific Northwest National Lab, USA, the Board of Directors of Hyundai Corporation, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan, and the Global Green Growth Institute. He was Co-chair of the IPCC Working Group III (the socio-economic dimensions of climate change) of the Second Assessment which provided a scientific basis for the UNFCCC’s Kyoto Protocol. He served as Vice-chair of IPCC 2008-2015, and lead author and review editor for the various IPCC assessments. He was named to the 2019 TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World and the 2021 Bloomberg 50 List.

Awards/Publications

2020 IAEE Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession
National Merit Order of Dongbaek Medal 2023, Republic of Korea
Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Group I, II, III to the Sixth
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (eds)], IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 184 pp.

×
Vikram Singh Mehta
Vikram Singh Mehta
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chairman, Center for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) Research Foundation

Country / Region

India

Career history

Vikram Singh Mehta is currently Chairman of the Think Tank CSEP Research Foundation (Formerly Brookings Institution India Center). Vikram was Executive Chairman of the Think Tank, Brookings Institution India Center and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution from 2012 to 2020. Prior to that he was Chairman of the Shell Group of Companies in India (1994 – 2012); Chief executive of Shell Markets and Shell Chemicals, Egypt (1992-1993). And Advisor, Strategic Planning to the State owned company, Oil India (1984-1988). He started his career by joining the Indian Administrative Service in 1978. He resigned from the service in 1980. Vikram is an independent, non-executive, director of Larsen and Toubro ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra ltd, Colgate Palmolive India ltd, Apollo Tyres, Global Health ltd, Indigo Airlines and Jubilant Foods. He is also on the Board of Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company. Vikram is an independent, non-executive, director of Larsen and Toubro ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra ltd, Colgate Palmolive India ltd, Apollo Tyres, Global Health ltd, Indigo Airlines and Jubilant Foods. He is also on the Board of Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company.
Vikram is on the Global Advisory Board of Macro Advisory partners; and PMB Capital

Awards/Publications

Vikram was recipient of Asia House’s Businessmen of the year” award for 2010. He also received Asia Centre for Corporate Governance and Sustainability’s Award for “Best Independent Director “in India for 2016.”
Vikram is editor of the books “ The Next Stop: Natural Gas and India’s journey towards a Clean Energy Future “. And “ Anchoring Change : 75 years of Grassroots interventions that made a difference “ . Both books were published by Harper Collins .

×
Jon D. Moore
Jon D. Moore
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chief Executive Officer, BloombergNEF

Country / Region

United Kingdom

Career history

Jon is CEO of BloombergNEF taking on this role at the end of 2013. BloombergNEF (BNEF) is a strategic research provider covering global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. BNEF assesses pathways for the power, transport, industry, buildings and agriculture sectors to adapt to the energy transition, helping commodity traders, corporate strategists, finance and policy professionals navigate change.
Prior to 2008, Jon spent two decades in capital markets, the first at JPMorgan then Accenture, and the second decade as co-founder and CEO of a capital Markets management consulting firm, based in London and New York.

×
Valli Moosa
Valli Moosa
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission;
Former President, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

Country / Region

South Africa

Career history

Valli Moosa was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a veteran of the South African Freedom struggle. He worked closely with Nelson Mandela during the settlement talks and served as a negotiator for the ANC. He participated in the drafting of the South African Constitution. He served in President Mandela’s cabinet as Minister of Constitutional Development and in President Mbeki’s government as Environment Minister. He joined the corporate sector in 2004 and currently serves on the board of Sappi Ltd. He has served on the boards of Anglo Platinum, Eskom and Sanlam. Has served as a facilitator in the global climate change negotiation’s for a number of years. He previously served as President of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), Chairman of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and as the Chairman of WWF(SA). He is the Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Coordinating Commission, chaired by President Ramaphosa.

×
Nebojsa Nakicenovic
Nebojsa Nakicenovic
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Vice Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) to the European Commission;
Honorary and Emeritus Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA);
Emeritus Professor of Energy Economics, Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)

Country / Region

Austria
Serbia

Career history

Nebojsa Nakicenovic is the Deputy Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission, Distinguished Emeritus and Honorary Scholar, and was the Deputy Director General and Acting Director General of the International Institute for Applies Systems Analyses IIASA), and a tenured Professor of Energy Economics at Vienna Technology University.
Among other positions, he is the Director of The World In 2050 (www.TWI2050.org), Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, of International Science Council, and of the Luohan Academy, he is a Member of the Academia Europaea, the Montenegrin Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Earth League, the Earth Commission, the Multi-stakeholder Technical Group of Sustainable Development Goal 7, Scientific Advisory Boards of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, and Steering Committee of the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century. He serves on the Editorial Boards of ten peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Dr. Nakicenovic’s research interests include patterns of technological change including the evolution of energy, mobility, digital technologies, economic development, and climate change. Dr. Nakicenovic holds bachelor and master degrees in economics and computer science from Princeton University and the University of Vienna, where he also completed his Ph.D., and holds Honoris Causa Ph.D. degree in engineering from the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Awards/Publications

Google Scholar documents list of 838 publications by Dr. Nebojsa Nakicenovic with some 66 thousand citations.
Dr. Nakicenovic is a recipient of the Austrian Grand Decoration in Silver (Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst); with a number of scientists of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for the research contribution to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change); and with a number of scientists of the 2005 Sheikh Zayed (former UAE President) Environmental Award for the research contribution to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment under the personal leadership of Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General.
He is Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, of the International Science Council, and Luohan Academy, and Member of the Academia Europaea Academia Europaea, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the International Academy for Systems and Cybernetic Sciences (IASCYS)

Areas of expertise

Dynamics of technological change including the evolution of energy, mobility, digital technologies;
economic development, and climate and environmental change.

×
SAKANO Akira
SAKANO Akira
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Representative Director, Zero Waste Japan
Co-Founder, Green innovation
Director & CSO, ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd.

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

2015-2020: Chair of the Board of Directors, Zero Waste Academy, Japan – served to spread the zero waste community building concepts all over the world and showcased how a small town could be a model of change to the world.
Since 2020, founded Zero Waste Japan – delivers planning and implementation of zero waste policy and projects to local governments, communities and businesses in Japan and elsewhere.
Co-Founded Green innovation in 2021 to develop more than 1,000 “green innovators” to tackle climate change by 2030. Delivering “Green Innovator Academy” where educating students and young professionals to foster Green innovators to deliver Green transformation.
Joined ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd. in 2023 as Director & Chief Sustainability Officer to contribute in building circular economy from business field.
Global Shaper, World Economic Forum 2012 to 2020.
Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019.
World Economic Forum Future Council on Japan (2020).
World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community Foundations Board (2020-2021).
Master, Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies.

Awards/Publications

Nikkei Women of the Year 2022

Areas of expertise

Zero Waste and Circular Economy policy implementation
Community-based policy making
Cross-sectoral multi-stakeholder policy making

×
David Sandalow
David Sandalow
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University;
Co-Director, Energy and Environment Concentration, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

David Sandalow is the Inaugural Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) and Co- Director of the Energy and Environment Concentration at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He launched and directs CGEP’s U.S.-China Program and wrote the Guide to Chinese Climate Policy. Mr. Sandalow chairs the ICEF Innovation Roadmap Project, which has produced roadmaps on low-carbon ammonia, biomass carbon removal and storage (BiCRS), industrial decarbonization and direct air capture, among other topics. He and a team of co-authors are currently at work on an ICEF roadmap on artificial intelligence and climate mitigation. Mr. Sandalow has served in senior positions at the White House, State Department and U.S. Department of Energy.

Areas of expertise

energy and climate policy

×
Ismail Serageldin
Ismail Serageldin
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC);
Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria;
Former VP of the World Bank

Country / Region

Egypt

Career history

Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria, Former VP of the World Bank
Ismail Serageldin is the Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria, and was the Founding Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the New Library of Alexandria in Egypt (2001 – 2017).
Before that he was the Vice-President of the World Bank (1993-2000).
He has received many awards including the Order of the Rising Sun of Japan. He is a knight of the French Legion d’Honneur and a Commander of Arts and Letters of the French
Republic. He has lectured widely, published more than 100 books and 500 articles, and has received 40 honorary doctorates from all over the world.

×
Vaclav Smil
Vaclav Smil
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba

Country / Region

Canada

Career history

University professor
Author of 50 books
Consultant

Awards/Publications

Fellow of the Royal Society (Science Academy) of Canada
Member of the Order of Canada
50 books on energy, environment, history of technical advances, food and innovation
500 papers

Areas of expertise

interdisciplinary energy studies
history of energy development
biosphere and global biogeochemical cycles

×
Changhua Wu
Changhua Wu
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
China /Asia Director, Office of Jeremy Rifkin;
Chair, Governing Council, Asia Pacific Water Forum

Country / Region

United States of America
China

Career history

Positions Formerly Held:
Greater China Director and Chair of the China Board, The Climate Group
China CEO, ENSR
Director, China Studies, World Resources Institute
Editor, English Edition, China Environment News
Advisory Positions Formerly Held:
President and Chair, and co-founder, Professional Association for China’s Environment/PACE
Member, Global Future Council of Energy, World Economic Forum
Chair, Global Agenda Council on Climate Change, World Economic Forum
Member, Global Agenda Council of Global Governance for Sustainable Development, World
Economic Forum
Founder and Executive Secretary, the Climate Fund, All-China Returned Overseas Chinese
Philanthropy Fund
Founder and Executive Director, the Million Forest Fund, China Greening Foundation

Awards/Publications

Women Leader(s): 2019, Time – 15 global women leaders to fight climate change
Areas of expertise
A specialist and policy analyst of China’s sustainability
An advisor to governments and corporations on sustainability strategy and innovation
A strategist of public and private engagement for clean energy transformation and climate solutions
An advocate for policy change and practice leadership
A public voice for positive changes and innovation
A current affairs and policy commentator on China’s clean transition
A social entrepreneur and innovator for sustainability
An award winner for her contributions to China’s decarbonization

×
YAMAJI Kenji
YAMAJI Kenji
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
President, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE);
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Dr. Kenji Yamaji
President, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE);
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

Dr. Kenji Yamaji graduated from The University of Tokyo and was awarded a degree for Doctor of Engineering.
In 1977, he joined the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI). He was appointed Professor, in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Systems at the University of Tokyo in 1994 and Professor Emeritus in 2010. Dr. Yamaji was a Council Member of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ), a Research Supervisor of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). He served as President of the Japan Institute of Energy and the President of the Japan Society of Energy and Resources. Dr. Yamaji’s main academic field is Energy Systems Engineering. Within his field, he has published over 100 peer-reviewed academic papers, as well as published around 100 books, including many single-authored books. He also currently serves in many advisory bodies on energy and environmental policy for Japanese government. He has contributed to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as a lead author for the 3rd and 4th Assessment Reports of WG3.

×
Johan Fredrik Rockström
Johan Fredrik Rockström
Position

Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Professor, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science at Potsdam University
Professor, Water Systems and Global Sustainability at the University of Stockholm

Country / Region

Germany

Career history

Prof. Dr. Johan Rockström is the Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, and Professor for Earth System Science at Potsdam University.

He is an internationally recognized scientist on global sustainability issues, who led the development of the new Planetary Boundaries framework for human development, and he is a leading scientist on global water resources.

In addition to his research endeavors, Rockström provides scientific guidance and consults governments and business networks. He acts as an advisor for the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conferences (UNFCCC). Furthermore, he chairs or co-chairs the advisory board for the EAT Foundation, the Earth Commission, and the Earth League, is Chief Scientist of Conservation International.

×
SADAMORI Keisuke
SADAMORI Keisuke
Position

Director, Energy Markets and Security，International Energy Agency (IEA)

Country / Region

France

Career history

Keisuke Sadamori took up his duties as Director of the Office for Energy Markets and Security at the International Energy Agency in October 2012. Previously, he held the post of Deputy Director General for Policy Co-ordination at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in Japan. He had been involved with the IEA for a number of years as IEA Governing Board Representative for Japan and as Co-Chair of the Standing Group on Long Term Co-operation. Over the years, Mr Sadamori has served in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister of Japan and has co-ordinated numerous important projects, including work following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident in March 2011.

×
IWATA Natsumi
IWATA Natsumi
Position

Professor, Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Natsumi Iwata is a Professor at Institute of Laser Engineering (ILE), Osaka University. She received her PhD degree in Energy Science from Kyoto University in 2014. She was Associate Professor at Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Osaka University (2021-2024), and Specially Appointed Associate Professor (2019-2020), Associate Professor (2018), Specially Appointed Researcher (2017), and JSPS research fellow PD (2014-2016) at ILE Osaka University. Her research area of expertise is theory and simulation of high energy density plasma physics including high intensity laser-driven plasma heating and particle acceleration.

×
Jeff Waksman
Jeff Waksman
Position

Program Manager, US Department of Defense

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

Dr. Jeff Waksman is a Program Manager at the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) where he leads Project Pele (mobile nuclear reactor) and Project TRISO (encapsulated nuclear fuel). As part of this role, in addition to direct program management, he aids coordination on nuclear energy programs and related policy development across the interagency.

×
Ishii Naoko
Ishii Naoko
Position

Special Presidential Envoy, The University of Tokyo;
Director, Center for Global Commons;
Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Dr. Naoko Ishii is the special presidential envoy for Global Commons at the University of Tokyo and a Professor at UTokyo’s Institute for Future Initiatives. She is also the inaugural director of the Center for Global Commons (CGC), which is dedicated to achieving sustainable development within planetary boundaries, firmly believes that academia can play a pivotal role in mobilizing movements alongside policymakers, businesses, and civil society to ensure responsible stewardship of the global commons and a stable Earth system. Previously, Dr. Ishii led the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as CEO and chairperson (2012-2020), leading transformation of key economic systems for sustainability. Her career includes roles at Japan’s Ministry of Finance with last position as Deputy Vice Minister, as well as the World Bank and IMF. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo.

×
Jooho Whang
Jooho Whang
Position

CEO, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power

Country / Region

Republic of Korea

Career history

Chief Executive Officer of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (2022-Present)
Chairman of Advisory Board on Nuclear Power Plant Export, MOTIE (2020-2022)
President of Korean Nuclear Society (2016-2017)
Vice President of Kyung Hee University (2015-2017)
President of Korean Society for Nuclear Engineering (2013)
President of Korea Institute of Energy Research (2010-2013)
Chairman of Government-led Technical Expert Committee, National Science and Technology Council (2008-2013)
Member of National Energy Commission (2006-2011)
Professor of Department of Nuclear Engineering at Kyung Hee University (1991)
Appointment as Ph.D in Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, USA (1986)

×
Diane Melissa Jessica Cameron
Diane Melissa Jessica Cameron
Position

Head of Division of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics, NEA (OECD)

Country / Region

France

Career history

Diane Cameron leads an expert team of economists and scientists that supports energy policy and nuclear energy policy development by advancing authoritative assessments and analyses in the areas of nuclear economics, financing, and cost reduction, as well as nuclear technology, innovation, and the fuel cycle.
Previously Diane held various positions within the Government of Canada, including Director of Nuclear Energy, Deputy Director of Trade Controls, and foreign affairs negotiator. Prior to her public service, she worked in the private sector, in management consulting, engineering, operations and logistics.
A Canadian national, Diane holds a Masters Degree in Technology Policy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Diane also holds a Bachelor of Systems Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada.

×
Shu-Ling Chen
Shu-Ling Chen
Position

Director, Centre for Maritime and Logistics Management, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania;
Associate Professor, Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania

Country / Region

Australia

Career history

Associate Professor Chen joined Australian Maritime College as an academic in 2004. Prior to AMC, she worked in different sectors in Taiwan, including Customs, banking, and tertiary education. She holds a PhD in Port Management from Cardiff University UK and has great interest in the sustainable development of maritime sectors through research and education.
Her research expertise and publications are in port management from various aspects such as governance, climate change impacts and adaption strategy, social performance and digitalisation. She is co-editor of the book Climate Change and Adaptation Planning for Ports.
She currently undertakes research in maritime decarbonisation including port-focused hydrogen supply chains and hydrogen powering vessels. She is also involved in research projects in logistics and supply chain management for offshore wind and aquaculture sectors.

×
Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah
Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Attiyah
Position

Chairman, Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development;
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry

Country / Region

Qatar

Career history

H.E Al-Attiyah has dedicated over four decades of his life to public service, particularly within the energy sector and in the Government of Qatar. In 1992, H.E was appointed Minister of Energy and Industry, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of QatarEnergy. In 2011, H.E was appointed Chief of the Amiri Diwan, serving as Deputy Premier and becoming the President of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority.
H.E was elected Chairman of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. In 2012 H.E presided over the 18th Session of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP18).
Notable accolades include the Necklace of Independence from H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and prestigious awards from the Netherlands, Japan, France, and Lebanon. Furthermore, The Executive of the Year Award from Oil-Money, and the ROTA Lifetime Achievement Award.

×
KAWAMOTO Tohru
KAWAMOTO Tohru
Position

Principal Researcher, AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Education
March 1997:Ph.D in Science, Osaka University, Japan.
Research Experience
April 2022- Principal Researcher, AIST
April 2010- March 2022 Research Group Leader, AIST
October 2005-March 2010 Senior Researcher, AIST
April 2001-September 2004 Researcher, AIST
April 1997-March 2001 Researcher, Electrotechnical Laboratory, Japan.

×
Holly Jean Buck
Holly Jean Buck
Position

Associate Professor, University at Buffalo

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

Holly Jean Buck is an Associate Professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo, in New York. She is an environmental social scientist whose research focuses on public engagement and policy around emerging climate technologies. She has served on U.S. National Academies of Sciences committees to develop research agendas for ocean carbon dioxide removal and atmospheric methane removal, and has contributed expertise on carbon removal governance to several international assessments, including the UNEP Emissions Gap report (2023) and the IPCC AR6 WGIII report (2022). Within government, she served in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, leading community engagement with carbon management technologies. She holds a Ph.D. in Development Sociology from Cornell University.

×
Joko Tri Rubiyanto
Joko Tri Rubiyanto
Position

Youth Policy Board - Asia Pacific, World Food Forum (WFF);
Food Project Consultant, RISE Foundation Indonesia

Country / Region

Indonesia

Career history

Joko Tri Rubiyanto is a Youth Policy Board for the Asia and Pacific region of the World Food Forum, championing the pivotal role of youth in future food policies. He is pursuing a Master’s degree at Wageningen University and Research, specializing in Sustainable Food Chain, and is a Youth and Food System Consultant for the RISE Foundation Indonesia. There, he develops modules to foster awareness about healthy diets and food labeling among Indonesian adolescents. His passion for food innovations earned him the First Prize and Best Presenter award in the IUFoST World Students’ competition and a prestigious award from Cargill’s CEO.
Joko also contributed to innovation brokering modules for farmers in the Asia-Pacific region with CSIRO.
Driven by his belief that the future belongs to youth, Joko advocates for young voices in creating inclusive and forward-looking agri-food policies.

×
YAMADA Hidetaka
YAMADA Hidetaka
Position

Professor, Kanazawa University

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Hidetaka Yamada received the Dr. degree from Kyoto University. He has focused on studies for environmental loading reduction, especially based on physical chemistry. Since 2008, he has taken part in research and development projects on various CO2 capture technologies. His major research achievements include detailed elucidation of amine-CO2 chemistry and design of novel materials for CO2 capture. Since 2021, he has been conducting research activities at Kanazawa University.

Kansai Photon Science Institute (2006-08), Postdoctoral researcher/Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) (2008-14), Researcher/RITE (2014-21), Senior researcher/Nara Institute of Science and Technology (2015-21), Visiting associate professor/Kanazawa University (2021-24), Associate professor/Waseda University (2022-), Gest senior researcher/Kanazawa University (2024-), Professor.

×
Amir A. Dossal
Amir A. Dossal
Position

President and CEO, Global Partnerships Forum;
Founding Commissioner, Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development;
Former Distinguished Fellow, World Economic Forum Centre for Health and Healthcare

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

Amir Dossal is President and CEO of Global Partnerships Forum – a knowledge platform to build partnerships for the SDGs.
United Nations Service
Amir is a 25-year veteran of the United Nations and served as Executive Director of the UN Office for Partnerships until September 2010, which he established in 1998 to manage the 1 billion dollar gift by media mogul Ted Turner. During his tenure at the UN, Amir founded several new initiatives:
Management Policy Office
UN Fund for International Partnerships
UN Democracy Fund
Peacebuilding Support Office

Awards and Recognition
2010 Humanitarian Award, UNA New York
2010 Ambassador for Peace and Sport, Monaco
2015 Humanitarian Innovation Award
2016 Outstanding Achievement Award, ICAEW
2017 Ellis Island International Medal of Honor

Personal
Amir is a UK Chartered Accountant (FCA). He is married to Tas; they have one son, Zecki

×
KONISHI Satoshi
KONISHI Satoshi
Position

CEO, Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd.;
Professor, School of Energy Science, Kyoto University;
Chairman, Japan Fusion Energy Council

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Dr. Satoshi Konishi co-founded Kyoto Fusioneering in 2019, now serves as its CEO and spearheads scientific development to achieve commercialization of fusion energy. With over four decades in academics and RandD of fusion engineering, he contributed to fusion reactor technologies and engineering from pioneering tritium fuel recovery, system design, and separation methods to influencing policy in fusion energy development with over 250 publications and 40 patents under his belt.

×
SEKIGUCHI Mina
SEKIGUCHI Mina
Position

Managing Partner, Resonancia LLC;
Non Executive Director, Penta Ocean Construction Company;
Auditor, Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

After serving as the head of Energy and Infrastructure sector at KPMG Japan and Asia Pacific for more than 15 years, now Mina is a managing partner of her own firm called Resonancia LLC since June 2022, working as an independent energy consultant while serving as external director for several public and private companies. Mina has extensive knowledge and experience in energy and infrastructure sector, especially in investment and merger and aquisitions, and has rich and profound experience in providing advice to Japanese government, utilities, oil and gas companies, trading companies and funds on their investments within Japan as well as overseas. Mina also provided advice to Japanese utilities in changing their operation model to fit to the rapidly changing market.
Currently she supports energy related companies in formulating decarbonization strategies.

×
ROKURODA Takahiro
ROKURODA Takahiro
Position

General Manager, Next Generation Fuel Business Group, NYK LINE

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

April 1997-: Joined NYK LINE
April 2019-: Manager of Dry Bulk Marine Quality Control Group
April 2021-: Deputy General Manager of Green Business Group
April 2023-: Deputy General Manager of both the Green Business Group and Fuel Solution Group concurrently
April 2024-: General Manager of Next Generation Fuel Business Group

×
Selma Brynolf
Selma Brynolf
Position

Researcher, Chalmers University of Technology

Country / Region

Sweden

Career history

Dr Selma Brynolf is a researcher at the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences at Chalmers University of Technology at the unit of Maritime Environmental Sciences. Her research is within the area of energy and environmental systems analysis with emphasis on the transport sector and especially shipping. The focus is on future marine fuels, global energy systems modelling, sustainability assessment of fuels, environmental impact from a life cycle perspective, assessment of electrofuels (fuels produced from carbon dioxide and water with the help of electricity) and solutions for zero emission shipping including battery-electric and hybrid propulsion and fuel cells.

She received her PhD degree involving environmental assessment of present and potential future marine fuels in 2014 and her Docent in Energy and Environmental Systems Analysis in 2023 at Chalmers University of Technology.

This site uses cookiesAccept

Site Policy

TOP