"3rd Nexus Forum" on Climate Energy Security Nexus: Electricity Sector Resilience

Background

This Forum is the third in a series of discussions, hosted jointly by the IEA and the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, designed to promote dialogue between government, business and think tanks on the implications of a changing climate for the energy sector and opportunities for building resilience to these impacts. These events providing an opportunity for interdisciplinary discussion, experience sharing, and showcasing the latest studies in the area of climate resilience. The focus of the Forum remains on discussion, and plenty of time allotted for non-speaking attendees to engage in debate on the issues and challenges raised by the presented material.

The “Nexus Forum” discussion series provides a platform to consider how the energy sector and dependant sectors could enhance resilience to climate change. The starting point of the Nexus Forum is the recognition that the world is committed to a certain degree of climate change, with the challenge to meet the goal of keeping the global average temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius. The potential vulnerability of societies and economies to climate extremes has been demonstrated in the globally increasing number of extreme weather events. Other gradual changes may also be underway, with effects on a range of interconnected issues, including the production and use of various energy sources.

The impacts of climate change on the energy sector have not received nearly as much attention from the international community as the role of the energy sector – production and use - in mitigating human-induced climate change. It is nonetheless clear that climate change could impact our energy systems, and thereby our energy security in a number of ways. Impacts could be felt in three different areas: demand, supply and assets/infrastructure. This potential threat to our future energy security is of interest to the IEA and its Member countries.

3rd Nexus Summary Report

Related Links: 

Agenda - 8th November 2012‌

Nexus Summary Report - 8th November 2012

Agenda - 26th June 2013‌

Summary Report June 2013

"4th Nexus Forum" on Climate-Energy Security Nexus: Water and Energy

Agenda and Presentations‌

‌Session 1: Redrawing the Climate Change Map: What should we be preparing for?

Discussion of analysis contained in the IEA World Energy Outlook Special Report released in June 2013, based on modelling of the impacts of changing climate on generation capacity, will be expanded on with an overview of the latest conclusions about impacts from the IPCC, as well as an assessment by Munich Re of the economic impacts of the changing climate.

Moderator:    Nick Bridge, UK Ambassador for the UK Delegation to the OECD.

Panelists: Laura Cozzi, Deputy Head of Global Energy Economics, IEA; Ferenc Toth, Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation & Vulnerability, IPCC; Ernst Rauch, Head of Corporate Climate Centre, Munich Re.

Session 2: Energy Sector Vulnerabilities to Climate Change and Extreme Weather

Presentation of results of an in-depth study carried out by the US Department of Energy, released in June 2013, investigating a range of possible future climate impacts across the US energy sector, followed by wider discussion about possible impacts on electricity and responses at national level.

Moderator: Philippe Benoit, Head of Energy Efficiency and Environment Division, IEA.

Panelists: Craig Zamuda, Department of Energy, United States Government; Richenda Connell, CTO & Co-Founder, Acclimatise; and Sebastien Henry, Director, Department of R&D and Innovation, RTE France.

Session 3: Special Issues for Electricity Generation in a Changing Climate: Nuclear, Renewables

Consideration of the particular issues arising for different electricity generation technologies, beginning with a review of findings from the study being completed by the Nuclear Energy Agency on issues for nuclear electricity generation, followed by perspectives from the renewables industry on emerging challenges and responses, and how technical imperatives can be reflected in policy. 

Moderator:    Didier Houssin, Director, Sustainable Energy Policy and Technology Directorate, IEA.

Panelists: Henri Paillere, Nuclear Development Division, Nuclear Energy Agency; Marco Braun, Hydroclimatology Specialist, Ouranos Consortium / Hydro Québec; Hiromichi Moriyama, Director, Agency for Natural Resources & Energy, METI, Japan.

Session 4: Addressing Security Challenges in the Electricity Sector

Presentation of the IEA’s recent work on reinforcing the electricity sector through development of the Electricity Security Action Plan, followed by a discussion of opportunities to apply or adapt this approach for addressing climate change impacts on electricity, with perspectives from industry about the technological and market impacts and responses.

Moderator:    Andrea Valcalda, Head of Environmental Policies and Climate Change, ENEL spa.

Panelists: Laszlo Varro‌, Head of Gas, Coal and Power Markets Division, IEA; Claude Nahon, Senior Vice President for Sustainability, Eléctricité de France (EDF); Jeanne Ng, Director - Group Environmental Affairs, CLP Holdings Ltd.

Session 5: Consideration of Adaptation Challenges for Electricity Utilities

Preview of findings from the upcoming study carried out by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) investigating issues, options and opportunities for adaptation to a changing climate for electricity utilities, followed by a discussion of the drivers for resilience action in industry and in public governance, and review of work underway. 

Moderator:    Mark Radka,Chief  of Energy Branch, UNEP.

Panelists: Maria Mendiluce, Director, Electricity Utilities, WBCSD; Gina Downes, Corporate Consultant: Environmental Economics, Eskom;   Mugurel George Paunescu, DG Climate Action, European Commission.