Repsol Foundation and Nova School of Business & Economics (Portugal) present an Education and Research Program on the role of cities in the energy transition
- The Repsol Foundation, together with the Nova School of Business & Economics (Nova SBE) in Lisbon, have presented the initiative “Towards Net-Zero Cities”, focused on the dissemination of knowledge about the role of cities in the energy transition and the evolution towards the decarbonization of urban environments, which will form part of the Network of Energy Transition Education and Research Programs that the Repsol Foundation promotes.
- The official presentation ceremony for the new Education and Research Program took place today in the Jerónimo Martins Grand Auditorium of Carcavelos – Cascais in Portugal and was attended by the Portuguese Minister of the Economy and Maritime Affairs, António Costa Silva; the Portuguese Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa; Chairman of Repsol, Antonio Brufau; Dean of Nova SBE, Pedro Oliveira; and the Mayors of Cascais (Carlos Carreiras), Lisbon (Carlos Moedas), Porto (Rui Moreira da Silva), and Matosinhos (Luísa Salgueiro).
- Antonio Brufau affirmed that if we want to implement a new efficient, smart, and, moreover, just model for people in the cities of the future, we must emphasize a driving idea: that of an energy transition built from the strengths of industry, supported by technology and science and that does not exclude sectors or technologies.
The Repsol Foundation and the Nova School of Business & Economics (SBE) today presented a new Energy Transition initiative on the decarbonization of cities, as a key piece to make progress towards a sustainable and resilient society in the face of climate change.
The initiative, called “Towards Net-Zero Cities”, is focused on analyzing the role that cities play in accelerating the energy transition and achieving the climate goals of the 2030 Agenda. This collaboration with Nova SBE becomes part of the Repsol Foundation's Network of Education and Research Programs, and becomes the entity's sixth collaborating university and the first in Portugal.
The presentation was made today in the framework of the conference “Portugal: Smart Cites and the challenges of the energy transition”, which took place at the Jerónimo Martins Grand Auditorium of the Nova SBE campus in Carcavelos – Cascais (Portugal). The act was led by the Portuguese Minister of the Economy and Maritime Affairs, António Costa Silva, Chairman of Repsol, Antonio Brufau, and the Dean of Nova SBE, Pedro Oliveira. The Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, and the Mayors of Cascais, Lisbon, Porto, and Matosinhos also attended the ceremony.
During the ceremony, António Costa Silva emphasized his gratitude “to Nova SBE and Repsol for the development of this extraordinary project on the Energy Transition and decarbonization of cities. Biodiversity is our life insurance on this planet, so these projects, such as Green Engine + Floresta, and the smart cities that Repsol and Nova Business School are launching here today, are absolutely structural for the future. This project is very important for discovering technological solutions and innovations that allow us to face this big challenge.”
For his part, Antonio Brufau stated that “cities are and will continue to be the main engine of economic and social development. They will be the place where we will see the main advances in technological development and innovation materialize, but also in social inclusion, and these advances are unequivocally linked to the ongoing energy transition, smart and sustainable mobility, public transport, the eco-sustainable residential sector, the Circular Economy, the development of green spaces and corridors, the integration of seaports and airports, and the interconnectivity of hubs.”
The dean of Nova SBE, Pedro Oliveira, highlighted that “this initiative with the Repsol Foundation will contribute, through training and projects developed by our students with the support of our researchers, to the necessary decarbonization of our cities through the use of innovative solutions for energy production from renewable sources.”
After the signing of the collaboration agreement between the Repsol Foundation and Nova SBE, the Coordinator of the Initiative and Chief Sustainability Officer of Nova SBE, Luis Veiga Martins, presented the Initiative and the main lines of action focused on renewable energies in urban environments, sustainable urban construction and green infrastructure, sustainable urban mobility, and efficient waste and resource management.
Cities are home to half of humanity and are the global economic driver, responsible for 80% of global GDP. In turn, they account for about 75% of energy consumption and 70% of CO2 emissions. Cities are both the challenge and the opportunity, so taking measures and investing in actions in urban environments provides the maximum return in carbon mitigation.
The event also included a high-level dialogue on "Cities in Portugal facing the challenges of climate neutrality" with the participation of the Mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, the Mayor of Cascais, Carlos Carreiras, the Mayor of Matosinhos, and President of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, Luísa Salgueiro, and the Executive Managing Director of the Repsol Foundation, António Calçada.
The session was closed by the Portuguese Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, who emphasized that "this agreement will undoubtedly contribute to generating specialized, inclusive, and rigorous knowledge on the energy transition in urban centers, so that smart cities in Portugal become a reality", and also stressed that "the country is preparing to achieve climate neutrality by 2045. We are on the right track, although we’ve still got a lot of work to do. The energy transition expected for the next decade implies a broad agreement of wills among stakeholders and an alignment of policies, incentives, and means of financing. What we are seeing today must be replicated."
Repsol Foundation Network of Education and Research Programs, knowledge and dissemination of the energy transition
In the strategy of promoting scientific knowledge and supporting the role of universities in the field of the energy transition, the Repsol Foundation has several education and research programs in a network of leading universities, to which is now added this new Initiative with the Nova School of Business & Economics, the first in Portugal.
Today, the Repsol Foundation network is made up of Universidad Rovira i Virgili, focused on the analysis and study of technologies for CO₂ capture and use; Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, with an education and research program focused on the study of sustainable mobility; Universidad de Comillas-ICAI, whose education and research program works on analyzing the methods for achieving a sustainable decarbonization of industry; Universidad del País Vasco, with the Classroom on Circular Economy, as a strategy for decarbonization and dematerialization of the industrial sector; and Universidad de Navarra (Tecnun), focused on the role of hydrogen as an energy vector.