KU Affairs

Khalifa University Hosts Region’s First-Ever IAEE Middle East Symposium in Abu Dhabi

December 18, 2019

Khalifa University of Science and Technology hosted the region’s first-ever IAEE Middle East Symposium in Abu Dhabi to assess the impacts of economic diversification, new technologies and climate concerns on the Middle East energy outlook.

Organized by the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) on 16 December 2019, the event was attended by key academic, government, and industry stakeholders. More than 150 regional and international delegates were at the event to provide a unique opportunity for dialogue and networking among energy professionals from all energy sectors. The event was brought to Abu Dhabi with the support of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KA-CARE), global energy leader ENGIE, as well as the Energy Industries Council, the UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry, and the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau.

Discussions focused on the main drivers, uncertainties, and potential disruptors in global oil and natural gas demand, impacts of climate change concerns and new technologies within the future energy landscape, the region’s accelerated deployment of renewable energy and nuclear power, and the potential implications of geopolitical issues facing the region.

HE Matar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary, UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry, opened with the ministerial keynote, while Christophe Bonnery, President, IAEE, delivered the opening remarks. Dr. Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice-President, Research and Development, and Professor of Practice, Khalifa University, and Symposium Chair, provided an opening address and welcomed the delegates.

Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “We are delighted to partner with the International Association for Energy Economics to bring the region’s first-ever IAEE Middle East Symposium to Abu Dhabi. Participating delegates will surely gain insights into the region’s energy challenges, opportunities, and advances. Energy being the vital sector in this region, we believe the fast-changing energy sector will inspire fresh perspectives from the global experts at this knowledge exchange forum.”

The plenary session on ‘The Future of Hydrocarbons: Changing Demand and Subsequent Impacts’ was presided over by Marianne Kah, Advisory Board Member and Adjunct Senior Research Scholar, Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy. The second plenary session on ‘Shaping the Future Energy Landscape: The Role of Climate Concerns and Technology Innovation’ was led by Yukari Niwa Yamashita, Board Member and Director, The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ).

The first post-lunch plenary session titled ‘Energy Diversification: Renewables and Nuclear in the Middle East’ was led by Adnan Shihab-Eldin, Director General, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). Adam Sieminski, President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), led the discussions for the plenary titled ‘Geopolitics: Issues Facing the Region Today and Tomorrow’.

Clarence Michael
News Writer
18 December 2019