Date: 30 November – 12 December 2023
Location: Dubai, UAE

The 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28) being held in the UAE will be a milestone moment when the world will take stock of its progress on the Paris Agreement.

The first Global Stocktake will provide a comprehensive assessment of progress since adopting the Paris Agreement. This will help align the efforts on climate action, including measures that need to be put in place to bridge the gaps in progress.

COP provides a unique opportunity for all stakeholders to rise to the challenge and effectively address the global threat of climate change.

Aker Horizons, our portfolio company Aker Carbon Capture, and Industry Capital Partners (ICP), the Aker group’s asset management arm dedicated to investing in the transition to a low carbon economy, will be present at COP28.

Our team will be hosting several roundtable discussions to highlight the importance of accelerating the global energy transition to get the world on track for net zero emissions by 2050 and limit global warming to 1.5°C. Our events will take place at the Norway Pavilion (Pavilion OR02G1), Opportunity District in the Blue Zone at Expo City.

Below is an overview of the events Aker Horizons be partaking in over the week.

Saturday 2 December 2023

Net Zero World – Accelerating the Global Energy Transition
Time: 10:30-11:45
Location: Norway Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Organizers: Aker Horizons, IEA and Statkraft
Description: This event will propose global, regional and national strategies for getting the world on track for net zero emissions by 2050 and limiting warming to 1.5°C. To meet these goals, policymakers, the private sector, industries, and financial institutions must join forces to pivot from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and pursue widespread decarbonization across all end-use sectors. During this event, speakers will discuss the actions that both public and private sector actors must take to put the world on the path to net zero. They will further discuss how policy, technology, investment and innovation can converge to accelerate just and sustainable transitions.
Moderator: Marianne Stigset, Director of Communications and External Affairs, Aker Horizons
Speakers:

• Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA
• H.E. Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister, Norway
• Araceli Fernandez Pales, Head of Technology Innovation Unit, IEA
• Steve Howard, Vice Chairman, Sustainability, Temasek
• Sarah Ladislaw, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Climate and Energy, National Security Council, The White House
• Anders Opedal, CEO, Equinor
• Yngve Slyngstad, CEO, Industry Capital Partners
• Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, CEO, Statkraft
• Fridtjof Unander, Chief Economist, Aker Horizons

Bridge over troubled waters: Overcoming todays issues on offshore wind to tackle the challenges of tomorrow
Time: 14:00-15:00
Location: Norway Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Organizer: Equinor
Description: The offshore wind industry has undergone big changes. 12-18 months ago, the competition was fierce all around, and the industry had an unprecedented willingness to bid in lease sales and auction rounds. Now we see a much more selective market with fewer bidders, as inflation, cost of capital and equipment and goods have increased dramatically. However, some of the remaining bidders have bid very high in selected merchant markets where they can leverage wider business exposure.
We are certain this is a first bump in the road for an industry which is historically small but is destined to grow exponentially. The energy industry has been through tough times before, and cycles like this will come and go.How can developers, investors and governments bring offshore wind back on track? What policy measures need to be in place to quickly overcome today’s challenges? And more specifically, how can floating offshore wind go from niche to large scale industry?
Speaker from Aker Horizons: Fridtjof Unander, Chief Economist

Sunday 3 December 2023

Value chains, technologies and business models to accelerate decarbonization of industry
Time: 10:30-11:30
Location: Norway Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Organizers: Aker Horizons, IEA and Statkraft
Description: Heavy industries account for around 6 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, more than one-sixth of total CO2 emissions from the global energy system. Decarbonizing these industries is hence fundamental for keeping the 1.5 C target alive. The deployment of the close-to-zero emissions technologies needed for the transformation requires innovation and incentives for scaling up, but also establishing value chains for critical solutions such as hydrogen and CCUS. Increased collaboration among industrial producers, technology providers, governments and financial actors is fundamental to get efficient business models in place to drive down the green premium and rapidly accelerate early deployment.
Moderator: Tiffany Vass, Industry Energy Analyst, IEA
Speakers:

• Marco Alverà, CEO, Tree Energy Solutions (TES-H2)
• Otto Gernandt, CFO, H2 Green Steel
• Irina Gorbounova, Head of XCarb Innovation Fund, ArcelorMittal
• Araceli Fernandez Pales, Head of Technology Innovation Unit, IEA
• Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Director-General for Energy at the European Commission
• Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, CEO, Statkraft
• Fridtjof Unander, Chief Economist, Aker Horizons

Monday 4 December 2023

Importance of markets solutions towards a net zero pathway’
Time: 17:25-17:55
Location: Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Hotel
Organizers: BNP Paribas
Description: Market experts will discuss the importance of equity market solutions, value drivers and investor strategies in the transition to address net zero and nature.
Moderator: Marie-Gwenhaelle Geffroy, Global Head of ESG, Sustainability and Private Capital Practice, Financial Institutions Coverage BNP Paribas
Speakers:

• Martin Brough, Co-Head of ESG Research, BNP Paribas Exane
• Fridtjof Unander, Chief Economist, Aker Horizons
• Jenn-Hui Tan, Global Head of Stewardship & Sustainable Investing, Fidelity

Tuesday 5 December 2023

Accelerating CCUS deployment through new business models
Time: 15:30-16:45
Location: Norway Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Organizers: Aker Horizons, IEA and Nordic Energy Research
Description: CCUS involves the capture of CO2, generally from large point sources like power generation or industrial facilities that use either fossil fuels or biomass as fuel. CCUS can be retrofitted to existing power and industrial plants, allowing for their continued operation, or be used to help tackle emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. This event will be the COP28 launch of the IEA’s new landmark report on CCUS policies and business models. The report provides a full overview of existing CCUS policies, identifies the main challenges to large-scale CCUS deployment, and explores how to build a viable and sustainable commercial market for CCUS.
Moderator: Hanne Rolén, Head of Sustainability, Aker Carbon Capture
Speakers:

• H.E. Terje Aasland, Minister of Energy, Norway
• Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA
• Kevin Johnsen, COO, Nordic Energy Research
• Jon Christopher Knudsen, CCO, Aker Carbon Capture
• Nils Røkke, Executive Vice President, SINTEF
• Randi Skytte, Head of Development & Regulation, Ørsted

Wednesday 6 December 2023

Nordic Green Shipping – Best practices on how to decarbonize trade
Time: 10:15-11:30
Location: Nordic Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Organizer: Nordic Energy Research
Description: With international shipping driving global trade and emissions, the urgency for climate action is clear. The Nordics, home to major cargo and shipping giants, lead the charge in green maritime innovation. Join us to explore how Nordic expertise and global orientation are shaping a more sustainable future for this critical industry.
Moderator: Kevin Johnsen, COO, Nordic Energy Research
Speakers:

• H.E. Ms. Ingilín D. Strøm, Minister of the Environment, Faroe Islands
• Jane Jünger, Head of Communications and Marketing, Wärtsilä Norway
• Sundus Ramli, Chief Commercial Officer for Power-to-X, Topsoe
• Tristan Smith, Associate Professor, UCL Energy Institute
• Marianne Stigset, Director of Communications and External Affairs, Aker Horizons