The majority of future global energy demand is expected to come from developing economies, as they must meet the needs of their populations, adapt to the worsening effects of climate change, and provide reliable power for businesses and communities. Yet the imperative to decarbonize the global energy system requires unprecedented social and economic transformations. How can we reconcile the growing energy demands of developing economies with the need to decarbonize the global energy system? This panel, moderated by Rob Fetter (Duke University), brings a global group of experts to discuss institutional and financial innovations to support expanded access to reliable and affordable energy while also reducing carbon intensity, how inclusive decision-making can support equity within as well as between countries, and how international efforts can best support the actual needs of developing nations.

After many years of implementation of the Atmospheric Decontamination Plan (PDA) in Chile, we now look back to the past and discuss the main lessons learned from these policies. For this purpose, two members of the Chilean Ministerial Regional Service of Environment (SEREMI del Ministerio de Medio Ambiente) are invited to discuss how their offices have worked to implement the Plan from their own reality: Rodrigo Fica from Region of Maule and Mario Delannays from Región of Biobío, offering different views about the nature of air pollution and potential venues for energy transitions. Additionally, Pilar Lapuente from UN Environment will share with us the organization and planning for district energy in the Chilean context. This activity will be moderated by Dr. Carlos Chávez (University of Talca, Chile).

Gender mainstreaming policies have been on the rise – in 2017, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced its regional Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access Policy. In 2019, Kenya’s Ministry of Energy launched its own Gender Policy. Similar policies have been adopted in international development organizations. These policies seek to integrate women into the energy transition, rather than treat them solely as a beneficiary of clean, affordable energy. This panel, moderated by Victoria Plutshack (Duke University), brings researchers, policymakers and practitioners together to discuss what these policies look like, the challenges they face in implementation, and where researchers can plug in to add value