Shell CEO Ben van Beurden has been unveiled as part of a global commission to help global progress on energy efficiency.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has unveiled the group, comprising of business executives, thought leaders and government ministers.
The IEA said energy efficiency will play a “central role” in reaching climate goals, potentially accounting for more than 40% of the necessary emissions cuts globally.
It could meanwhile save the world more than half a trillion US dollars in lower energy bills through 2040.
According to the agency, the global economy may double in size by 2040 but would maintain the same level of energy use as today if the right policies are in place.
The new panel will focus on key policy actions taken by countries and will produce a list of recommendations next year.
Mr van Beurden is joined on the panel by representatives of a host of countries including India and China, as well as researchers from areas like Saudi Arabia and Japan.
It will be chaired by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.
IEA executive director Fatih Birol said: “The IEA sees energy efficiency as critical for successful clean energy transitions.
“It has huge potential to start making an immediate difference if governments act now and act decisively.”
The members are as follows:
Honorary Chair
- H.E. Mr Leo VARADKAR, Prime Minister, Ireland
Members
- Dr Amani ABOU-ZEID, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission
- H.E. Mr Richard BRUTON, Minister of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Ireland
- Mr Nick BUTLER, Visiting Professor, King’s College London
- Ms Lisa DAVIS, Chief Executive Officer, Gas and Power, Siemens AG
- Ms Connie HEDEGAARD, Former Commissioner for Climate Action, European Union
- Mr Michael LIEBREICH, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Liebreich Associates
- Dr Ajay MATHUR, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute, India
- H.E. Mr Aziz RABBAH, Minister of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, Morocco
- H.E. Ms Teresa RIBERA RODRIGUEZ, Minister for Ecological Transition, Spain
- Mr Gil C. QUINIONES, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York Power Authority
- Mr Adam SIEMINSKI, President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, Saudi Arabia
- Mr Masakazu TOYODA, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan
- Mr Jürgen TRITTIN, Member of the Bundestag and Former Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany
- H.E. Mr Claude TURMES, Minister for Energy and Minister for Spatial Planning, Luxembourg
- Mr Ben van BEURDEN, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Dutch Shell
- H.E. Dr WAN Gang, Previous Minister of Science and Technology, China
- H.E. Dr Megan WOODS, Minister of Energy and Resources, New Zealand
- Dr Kandeh YUMKELLA, Former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All
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