The conference starts with welcoming greetings and an introduction to this year's topic: Accelerating Transition. Keynote speakers include Vera Songwe from the United Nations, the Norwegian minister of Petroleum and Energy, Terje Aasland, Carri Lockhart from Equinor and NTNU's Anne Borg, who will talk about the need for urgency in the energy transition. Ruth Astrid Sæter is the Conference Moderator.

Vera Songwe,
United Nations

Terje Aasland,
OED

 
Anne Borg,
NTNU

 
Elisabeth Birkeland Kvalheim,
Equinor

The finance industry seems to be one of the new driving forces of accelerated transition. This may be explained by the fact that investors care, but also with expectations for future income. Are we seeing a shift in the international finance landscape?

This first Session will examine topics like international cooperation, taxonomy and sustainable investment and potential side-effects, finance and technology transfers to emerging economies, climate risk vs. market risk, and how can finance create positive traction?

After these speakers have presented, they will participate in a moderated panel discussion.

Martin Skancke,
PRI

 
Ulrica Fearn,
Equinor

Carine Smith Ihenacho,
NBIM

Harald F. Lund,
CICERO Shades of Green, 

Stine Lise Hattestad Bratsberg,
KPMG, 

 

This session discusses urgent actions needed to reach our climate
and energy targets. Urgent actions may focus on new industrial value chains and technologies and will include social reorganization. What kind of actions are needed to meet these goals? What sectors should be involved?

For these all-eccompassing challenges, speakers and panelists could have many topics to discuss. Like what COVID can teach us about rapid implementation of supply chains, markets and business models for negative emission technologies, social innovation as part of the acceleration, large scale circular economies, dematerialisation etc.

Probably, the IPCC report scheduled for March will influence most discussions at the conference.

Christian Rynning-Tønnesen,
Statkraft

Kathrine Fog,
Hydro

John Olav Giæver Tande,
SINTEF

Tilmann Vahle,
SYSTEMIQ

Niklas Johansson,
LKAB

The starting point of this session is the 1,5-degree scenario and it will focus on what do (regional) mitigation strategies mean for development locally and globally. With accelerated transition strategies follow the need for accelerated innovation. Transition strategies need to be resilient and feasible in terms of policy, acceptance, finance, and industry.  The cooperation between industry, local communities and government is key to utilizing regional opportunities and removing barriers in this process. What does this mean in practice in terms of the schemes supporting the transition both locally and globally?

Joanna Pessemier,
The European Commission

Valerie Karplus,
Carnegie Mellon Uni

Suzana Kahn Ribeiro,
COPPE/UFR

 
Peter D. Wood,
Shell

 
Hege Marie Norheim,
Executive Vice President, FREYR

Transition policies run the risk of moving faster than people’s capacity for change. How can transitions prevent/not reinforce injustices? What is the role of media and education in the current transition debate?

Media seems forced to compete for attention by polarizing, focusing on personalities before situations, exaggerating, and using other distortion-tools to succeed in a information-rich society. Then, how do you get everyone on board for an energy transition; Do we even want that, and is it possible? How do we adress those that aren't on board.

Speakers and panelists will discuss the feasibility for the transition and change of mindset, citizen engagement and trust in science, alignment of political objectives and democratic choice.

Edward Maibach,
George Mason University

Susan Clayton,
College of Wooster

Tomas M. Skjølsvold,
NTNU

Anders Bjartnes,
Klimastiftelsen

Professor and Director of NTNU Energy Transition Initiative, Asgeir Tomasgard and Conference Moderator Ruth Astrid Sæther end the conference.