Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a research university dedicated to the advancement of learning through the discovery and application of knowledge, today announced it will host 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 will be attended by key academic, government and industry stakeholders. More than 150 regional and international delegates are expected to attend the event that will provide a unique opportunity for dialogue and networking among energy professionals from all energy sectors. The event is 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 will focus 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, will offer the ministerial keynote, while Christophe Bonnery, President, IAEE, will deliver the opening remarks. Dr. Steve Griffiths, Senior Vice-President, Research and Development, and Professor of Practice, Khalifa University, and Symposium Chair, will provide an opening address and welcome the delegates.

Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “We are delighted to partner with 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’ will be 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’ will be 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’ will be 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), will lead the discussions for the plenary titled ‘Geopolitics: Issues Facing the Region Today and Tomorrow’.

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