FT IRENA QUESTION TIME DEBATE Scaling Up Renewables: Taking Climate Action to the Next Level

17 January 2016 | Reception 19.00 Debate 19.30 IRENA Headquarters, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi

Following on from the Paris climate conference in December 2015, the world’s attention is firmly fixed on advancing viable, scalable solutions to address . The energy sector, accounting for some two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions today, must be the central pillar of climate action. For the fourth consecutive year, the FT IRENA Question Time Debate provides a unique opportunity for lively discussion of the international renewable energy agenda, particularly in light of real-life experiences and challenges of working to deploy renewables around the world.

The 2016 edition brings together leaders from government and the private sector to share their experiences on how they have prioritised renewable energy for climate change mitigation and how such action might be accelerated. The event offers an interactive opportunity, allowing panellists and attendees to debate and explore the motivations, incentives, policy frameworks and financing mechanisms needed to encourage large scale uptake of renewables, and drive the energy transition.

DEBATE TOPICS INCLUDE: • What are the approaches that will lead to more rapid and larger-scale deployment of renewables? • What policies are needed from governments to scale up the penetration of renewables? Which policies are succeeding and why? • What are the greatest obstacles to accelerating the uptake of renewables? • What is the role of the private sector? • What are the experiences and lessons of pioneering companies, cities and regions that have embarked on the pathway or actually achieved 100% renewable energy use?

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency Yvo de Boer, Director-General, Global Green Growth Institute , Executive Secretary, Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyung-Ah Park, Head of Environmental Markets Group, Goldman Sachs Henry Puna, Prime Minister, Cook Islands Pilita Clark, Environment Correspondent, Financial Times

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: live.ft.com/irena