Energy Futures Discussed by Nobel Laureates and Experts

As global energy challenges impact us all, how can science and society contribute to solutions? At a unique discussion forum called the Nobel Week Dialogue, Nobel Laureates, prominent scientists and key thinkers will focus on “Exploring the Future of Energy”, including topics such as renewables, fossil fuels and climate change. The Nobel Week Dialogue seeks to deepen the dialogue between scientists and representatives of society and welcomes students, researchers and the general public to participate on 9 December 2013 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Some of the key topics to be discussed in a series of thought-provoking sessions and working groups include:

·  Overview of the current energy landscape and outlook

·  Global energy access

·  Solutions from science and society

·  Discussions about renewables, fossil fuels, climate change, nuclear power

·  Future energy scenarios

Participating Nobel Laureates include:

Steven Chu, Stanford University, Former US Secretary of Energy

David Gross, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics

Alan Heeger, UC Santa Barbara

Hartmut Michel, Max Planck Institute Frankfurt

Mario Molina, UC San Diego

Carlo Rubbia, CERN, European Organization for Nuclear Research

Steven Chu, 1997 Nobel Laureate in Physics and Former US Secretary of Energy says “The challenge of providing for a secure, sustainable, and socially responsible energy future is among the most pressing issues facing humanity. Meeting this challenge will require innovations in science and technology, policy, and business models from the global community. By bringing together a wealth of world-leading participants from across the science and society landscape, the upcoming Nobel Week Dialogue on Exploring the Future of Energy provides the perfect forum for taking stock of the current situation and looking ahead towards possible future scenarios.”

Richenda Van Leeuwen, Executive Director, Energy and Climate, for the Energy Access Initiative at the UN Foundation, says “From lighting a child’s education, to powering health care, and preserving the environment, access to energy cuts across all the Millennium Development Goals and is essential for supporting sustainable development. Today, some 1.2 billion people still have no access to even basic levels of electricity and more than 2.8 billion are without access to modern cooking technologies and fuels. We continue to need global leadership drawn from the worlds of technology, financing and policy – both at country and community levels – working together through the Nobel Week Dialogue and far beyond. Such partnerships will help address these urgent global issues, and make the global goal of achieving Sustainable Energy for All a reality by 2030.”

Fatih Birol, Chief Economist and Director of Global Energy Economics at the International Energy Agency, says "The global energy landscape is going through a period of considerable change, with increasing demand being met by innovative technologies that are revolutionizing energy supply, both of fossil fuels and low carbon sources. But these technologies have done little to arrest the growth in greenhouse gas emissions so far, pointing to the need for a redoubling of efforts, and a wider policy debate to tackle climate change in tandem with other key challenges: universal access to energy, energy security, economic development and energy affordability. The Nobel Week Dialogue on Exploring the Future of Energy, through bringing together the world’s most influential minds on the topic, provides an excellent opportunity for such a debate."

Confirmed panellists include Chris Llewellyn Smith, Director of Energy Research at Oxford University, Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, and Carl-Henric Svanberg, Chairman of BP and Volvo. For a complete list of panellists, see: http://www.nobelweekdialogue.org/panellists/

This free discussion forum takes place on Monday 9 December 2013 at the The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, Gothenburg, and is open to the general public and students. Västra Götaland is a leading region internationally when it comes to business investments in research and development. Sustainable development is a key focus for both Gothenburg and the Region Västra Götaland which makes Gothenburg an exciting location for this year's Nobel Week Dialogue. A live webcast of the discussions will also be accessible.

Registration is now open, please visit: www.nobelweekdialogue.org.

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Or Twitter: @NobelWeekDialog #NWD13 #energy

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Merci Olsson
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