His Excellency Ali Al-Naimi, former minister of petroleum and mineral resources, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will launch the Al-Attiyah Foundation’s inaugural Forum of Energy Elders in Doha on 9 May 2017 with the delivery of the event’s seminal Outlook to Year 2100 Lecture.
The Forum of Energy Elders is an initiative to harvest the collective wisdom of the 30 distinguished Alumni of the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Energy Awards, now commemorating their 5th anniversary.
The goal of the Al-Attiyah Foundation in launching the forum is to create a platform for the energy elders to present their vision to the world on how to tackle some of the most pressing energy issues facing industry and society over the coming decades.
HE Al-Naimi will tell the audience of 250 forum delegates in his first Middle East speech since retiring last year, “According to scientists, planet earth is 4.5 billion years old – all this time, the planet has run quite effectively – on solar power. It is the only reason we are all here today,” as per a preview of the inaugural Outlook to Year 2100 Lecture.
“It is constant, reliable, and free. Our energy quest today is to utilise solar and other renewable forms of energy. I have no doubt fossil fuels will retain a vital place, but all forms of energy will be required as we go forward.”
The Al-Attiyah International Energy Awards are given annually to individuals for their lifetime achievement in the advancement of global energy. The nominees in seven categories are selected by an international committee who choose candidates for an outstanding record of accomplishment over their long careers. Since 2013, the accolade has recognised many of the world’s most respected energy leaders from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the US, including HE Al-Naimi.
The energy elders will gather on 9 May for what the foundation hopes will be the first of many live knowledge-exchange forums, where they will brainstorm with policy makers, industry executives and academics on how to resolve some of the most pertinent energy challenges. The results of which will be put forward in a whitepaper of recommendations for sharing with a wider group of stakeholders – Harvesting Solutions for Tomorrow from the Wisdom of Yesterday.
The Al-Attiyah Foundation will launch its latest Publication – Energy Elders – Outlook 2020+ – at the forum, which will be the first offering from this exemplary group of energy leaders, who emulate the foundation’s independent voice, not bound by the interests of any nation, government or institution.
“We do not need to look too far into the future to realise that responding to climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the global energy industry. Hence, I have chosen, as a lead article for this special publication, to share some insights on the Paris Agreement,” said HE Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, former energy minister, State of Qatar.
“After more than 20 years of negotiations, the world agreed on a blueprint on how to keep global climate change well below two degrees Celsius. The agreement is seen by many as the last hope for humanity to preserve the foundations for a healthy planet,” concluded HE Al-Attiyah.
