World Energy Council: Energy leaders “concerned” about pace of energy transition, countdown to 26th World Energy Congress begins

(WO) – The countdown to the 26th World Energy Congress, to be held in Rotterdam from April 24-25 2024, has begun as the World Energy Council launches event registration and simultaneously releases the results of its latest Pulse Survey.

Reflecting the views of more than 700 leaders of the global energy community, the survey shows that two thirds continue to be concerned by the pace of energy transitions, nearly double who expressed similar concerns in the Council’s April 2022 study.

Leaders are particularly concerned that insufficient action is being driven from the bottom up, with 35% of respondents stating that individuals and communities should be empowered to lead transformations. 43% see challenges around 'affordability and modern energy access’ as the most concerning aspects of ensuring a fair energy system.

The results of the survey come as the Council opens registration for the Congress, the world’s most prestigious and well-established global energy event. Under the theme of ‘Redesigning Energy for People and Planet,” the event will bring together 7,000 energy leaders and 18,000 total attendees from across the wider energy ecosystem to discuss and identify solutions to fix an energy system that is fundamentally broken and which no longer meets the needs of societies that it was originally designed to serve.

The first confirmed speakers will include, Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group; Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies; Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam ;Phyllis Omido, Founder of the Centre for Justice, Governance and Environmental Action; John Elkington, Author and Founder & Chief Pollinator at Volans; Kim Yin Wong, Group President & CEO of Sembcorp.

The World Energy Congress will be the first major point of reflection in the wake of COP28, hosted by the UAE in December 2023. The event will provide an early opportunity for delegates to consider takeaways from Dubai and map out the transition trajectory amid the backdrop of today’s less predictable, more turbulent, and rapidly shifting world.

In total, 18,000 attendees will convene in Rotterdam for four days of energy-defining and impact-focused conversations, roundtables, and peer-to-peer networking, while simultaneously showcasing the latest technologies driving forward the energy transition. Registration for delegate passes is now open with tickets to provide access to all sessions and exhibitions during the Congress.

Dr. Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General, and CEO, World Energy Council, said, “The results of our Pulse Survey show a fundamental and increasing concern across all energy interests that our energy system is no longer fit for purpose. Leaders believe that we are moving too slowly, creating a system which is failing to deliver the most basic requirement of access to affordable energy, and that we risk disenfranchising individuals and communities from the energy transition. As a society, we must come together to discuss these critical challenges and build consensus about how we create a system which truly puts people and planet at its heart.

“By deploying its bottom-up approach of connecting communities, innovators, civil society, businesses, and governments, the World Energy Council will convene at the 26th World Energy Congress, as an inclusive forum which includes energy users, who are often overlooked in the global-level conversations surrounding the transition. The solutions to the energy crisis will come by ensuring that diverse communities and people are at the center of the debate”.