Summary
The Inaugural Agora on ‘Transforming the World through Sustainable Energy for All: Leaving No One Behind’ took place in the afternoon of 6 June 2016 at UN Headquarters in New York.
The meeting included two interactive high-level panels composed of representatives from UN Member States, the UN, the private sector, academia, scientists, entrepreneurs and local communities.
Opening the meeting, Her Royal Highness Princess Nisreen El-Hashemite, Executive Director of the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT), stressed that in order to move forward on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world needs to move away from the “I” mentality and adopt the “we” mentality. She highlighted the importance of the event for realizing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 on strengthening the means of implementation and revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development.
Serhan Suzer, Chief Executive Officer, EkoRE, Turkey, suggested that to fight climate change, all countries should move towards 100% renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable city planning and housing, technological enhancement, research and development, and education on sustainability and technology. He also noted that different types of technologies are now available for solar, wind and bioenergy, and that solar energy has the potential to power the entire world.
Hector Alejandro Palma Cerna, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Honduras, said his country is committed to the issue of renewable energy, highlighting the importance of taking responsibility for future generations.
Other participants discussed actions and initiatives to respond to current and emerging challenges of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with an emphasis on sustainable energy and energy systems as a platform for global change. They also considered the importance of partnerships to scale up energy efficiency and the deployment of renewable energy.
Her Royal Highness Princess El-Hashemite brought the meeting to a close at 6:20pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided digital coverage and a summary report from the Inaugural Agora. Our report is available in HTML or PDF format.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Brad Vincelette
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Panel (L-R):
Talya Ozdemir, Student at Aci Schools, Istanbul, Turkey, representing a World Children’s Vision;
Ali Zaidi, Associate Director for Natural Resources, Energy and Science – The White House, US;
Hector Alejandro Palma Cerna, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Honduras;
Her Royal Highness Princess Nisreen El-Hashemite, Executive Director, RASIT;
Serhan Suzer, CEO, EkoRE, Turkey;
and Isaiah Chabala, former Ambassador of Zambia to the UN Offices in Geneva.
Her Royal Highness Princess Nisreen El-Hashemite, Executive Director, RASIT
Isaiah Chabala, former Ambassador of Zambia to the UN Offices in Geneva
Hector Alejandro Palma Cerna, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Honduras
Ali Zaidi, Associate Director for Natural Resources, Energy and Science – The White House, US
Per Thöressen, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Sweden
Serhan Suzer, CEO, EkoRE, Turkey
Munawar Hussain, representative of the fashion industry from the Chanel Company
Chantal Line Carpentier, Chief, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), New York Office
Isaiah Chabala, former Ambassador of Zambia to the UN Offices in Geneva
View of the room during the Inaugural Agora.
Malko Ebers, CEO at New York Business Consultants LLC addressing the panel.
Ben Kallos, New York City Council Member
Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Bianca Cassouto, M.A. candidate, Patel College of Global Sustainability, University of South Florida (right)
Jake Saper, Senior Associate, Emergence Capital
Cheng-hao Shih, Ph.D. Candidate, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, University of Delaware
Curt Meltzer, Felician University
Takeshi Utsumi, Vice-President for Technology and Coordination, Global University System
David Randle, Professor of Sustainable Tourism, Patel College of Global Sustainability, University of South Florida
Clayton Banks, Silicon Harlem
Richard Jordan, RASIT Operation at the UN and Leyla Vural, storyteller, LV Communications
