Washington, 14 October 2020. Ambassador Armando Varricchio opens the works of the Webinar on the energy transition after Covid.
The discussion, thanks to the interventions of panelist from the scientific and business world, allowed to focus the attention on the challenges posed by the so-called 3D: decarbonization, decentralization and digitalization of production, distribution and consumption of energy in the post-Covid world.
The drastic reduction in emissions and consumption caused by the pandemic must pave the way for renewed momentum to ensure the security of energy supplies, create new jobs and reach the goal of climate neutrality in 2050.
“Goals – recalled Ambassador Armando Varricchio – that Italy will focus on during 2021 both in the framework of the G20 Presidency and of the COP26 co-Presidency”. The Ambassador then underlined how ” in this field too Italy and the USA can make a decisive contribution thanks to the investments made by the private sector in the development of clean technologies and the work of numerous research centers, universities and institutions on both sides of the ocean”.
The distinguished panelists, Prof. Sally Benson, Director of the Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy, Prof. Robert Armstrong, Director of the MIT Energy Initiative, Mike Howard Director of the Electric Power Research Institute, Marco Margheri, Senior Vice President of ENI for International Relations and Enrico Viale Director of Enel North America, moderated by Rachel Frazin journalist of The Hill, enriched the discussion with the perspective of their own institutes and companies, underlining the importance of public-private cooperation and how the future of the planet depends on choices we are making today at all levels (including that of individual consumers) in terms of energy production and consumption.
The webinar took place on Zoom and was streamed live on the Embassy’s Facebook channel (to which more than 600 people connected), as part of the Sustainable Development Festival, organized by AVSIS. The video of the webinar can be viewed on the Embassy’s Facebook page.
