The energy transition, essential to economic recovery
The Repsol Foundation participated in the IX Funseam International Symposium 2021, organized by the Foundation for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (FUNSEAM) on February 1, 3 and 5 in an online format. During the conferences, which featured the participation of representatives from the energy industry at the international level, the opportunities offered by the energy transition in a scenario of economic recovery and the need to generate new mechanisms and methods to create employment and sustainable growth were analyzed.
The opening session was attended by the Government Vice-President and Minister for the Environmental Transition, Teresa Ribera, who highlighted that “energy is no longer a question about technicalities or profitability. It's about society, about progress, where we all need to seek that synergy, the SDG 17 about public-private partnerships”.
María Victoria Zingoni, Chair of the Spanish Energy Club and Executive Managing Director of Clients and Low-Carbon Generation at Repsol, noted that public-private partnerships are a great opportunity at this time and sought to highlight the importance of the measures implemented to minimize the impact of the pandemic.
The first conference (watch video) gathered the leaders of the most important Spanish Energy Companies: Antonio Brufau, Chairman of Repsol; José Bogas, Managing Director of Endesa; Antonio García-Ferrer, Vice-President of the ACS Foundation; Antonio Llardén, Chairman of Enagás; José Luis López de Silanes, Chairman of CLH; Philippe Boisseau, Managing Director of CEPSA; Manuel Menéndez, Executive of EDPr and Beatriz Corredor, President of REE. During their interventions, they noted how these entities have adapted to the economic situation created by the pandemic.
Antonio Brufau, Chairman of Repsol, highlighted “the need for an equitable model with clear and transparent rules that improve competitiveness in all sectors, providing the possibility for different technologies to compete in terms of cost-efficiency. The economic recovery will require support from European and national recovery funds, public-private investment and an alliance policy.
During the conference on Wednesday, February 3, (watch video), noteworthy experts with extensive experience in terms of the economic, energy and corporate situation in different geographical areas, such as the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) and the Spanish Network for Sustainable Development, addressed the potential economic recovery and reactivation scenarios, conditioned by their social and corporate reality.
Finally, during the last session, they delved deeper into the new cities of the culture, a new model for sustainable cities, characterized by their inclusive, interconnected and economy-driving nature. Carlos Blanco, Managing Director of Wible, introduced Repsol's carsharing sustainable mobility platform, where Repsol and Kia have partnered to offer sustainable mobility solutions that go beyond cities (watch video).
Antonio Brufau, Chairman of Repsol, was in charge of closing the international business symposium (watch video). During his intervention, he noted that “to drive a fair and sustainable energy transition, all the decisions made today need to take into account their strategic value and the impact on the industry, the economy and employment”.
The FUNSEAM International Business Symposium was created nine years ago with the goal of having companies, the public administration and economic agents debate about the challenges of the energy sector and their impact on society. Over the years, aspects as relevant as the digital transformation, the challenges for the 2030 horizon, the role of markets, the relevance of innovation in achieving climate targets and the effects of Covid-19 on the energy transition have been analyzed.
This event is part of the cycle of forums and conferences where the Repsol Foundation participates, to drive knowledge and rigorous debate about the future challenges of energy.