SUCCESSFUL SIDE EVENTS FROM WEC AUSTRIA
The International Vienna Energy Forum (IVECF), formerly Vienna Energy Forum (VEF), took place from 2 – 3 November at the Vienna Hofburg. The event was organised by UNIDO, the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and IIASA and was attended by around 1000 national and international energy experts. Numerous high-level personalities contributed to the event, including Federal President Alexander van der Bellen, Federal Minister Leonore Gewessler, Vienna City Councillor for Climate Action Jürgen Czernohorszky and COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber.
World Energy Council Austria organised two side events as part of the event. At the first side event, the topic ‘The role of young people in humanising clean energy transitions’ was discussed. The panel was organised in cooperation with IIASA and featured Hossein Hassani (moderator), Senior Research Scholar IIASA, Nadejda Komendantova, Research Group Leader and Senior Research Scholar IIASA, Josh Oxby, People Centred Energy Transition Consultant IEA, Ivo Wakounig, Senior Advisor World Energy Council Austria. Discussion topics included how to get young people excited about the energy transition, what barriers exist, and how to design an effective engagement mechanism to get young people involved in the energy transition.
The second side event was dedicated to the topic ‘Global Gateway – Green Financing as a tool for development’, in which the topics of development financing, sustainable energy projects in the global South and the European Green Deal were discussed. Under the moderation of Ivo Wakounig, Senior Advisor World Energy Council Austria, Sabine Gaber, CEO Austrian Development Bank, Hamead Ahrary, Head of Hydrogen Verbund AG, and Michael Kainz, Head of the Department for Sustainability, Connectivity and Innovation BMEIA, discussed the topic.
World Energy Council Austria would like to thank the panellists and participants of the event as well as the organisers.
