Agenda

Registration

Keynote Address 2

Development and Energy: The US’ Role in the Global South

Eric Garcetti, Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of India

Plenary Panel 2

Connecting the Final Frontier: Global Cooperation on Energy Access

Energy access for all is an important Sustainable Development Goal and is key to achieving the other SDGs. However, the pandemic and associated fiscal pressures on governments of the developing world have slowed progress on energy access. Geopolitics have also exacerbated problems in an already frail energy economy, causing market volatility, energy price inflation, and disruption to supply chains. These shocks on fuel, fertiliser, and food disproportionately impact countries of the Global South.

How can countries in the developing world collaborate to expand access to affordable energy? What best practices in policy and regulatory design principles exist, and can they be adopted across geographies and tailored to meet the requirements of local communities? What types of training and technical support are necessary to effectively scale up and deploy renewable energy solutions in these regions, and are there success stories we can learn from? What strategies and mechanisms can be and are being deployed to encourage private-sector participation and investment in sub-regional and local energy infrastructure that reaches the last mile?

Ahmed Mohamed Abdelhamid Mohina, Chief of the Strategic Planning Sector, Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Egypt

Venu Nuguri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hitachi Energy India & South Asia
 
Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, India
 
Per Heggenes, Chief Executive Officer, IKEA Foundation, Sweden
 
Isabelle Tschan, Deputy Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme

Moderator:

Ashvin Dayal, Senior Vice President - Power & Climate, The Rockefeller Foundation, United States of America

Closing Remarks

Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC, India

In Conversation 3

Reforming Global Finance: A New Multilateral Agenda

There is increased dissatisfaction with the structure, performance, and accountability of the existing international financial structure. Faced with interlocking crises—a sovereign debt crisis, food and fuel inflation, and the requirements of climate action—the decades-old multilateral development finance structure is struggling.

How can the multilateral development architecture be more responsive to emerging green and development finance requirements? What innovations and reforms could accelerate multilateral finance to emerging economies in the manner and volume they require? What role is India playing in arriving at a consensus on a way forward for multilateral development banks?

N.K. Singh, Co-Convenor, Expert Group on Multilateral Development Bank Reforms, India

Moderator:

Jayant Sinha, Member of Parliament, Government of India

Tea and Coffee Break

Plenary Panel 3

Guiding the Green Wave: The Role of Regulators

The energy landscape is evolving at breakneck speed, driven by technological innovations and shifting consumer preferences. If regulation and policy do not adapt equally swiftly, there is a risk of destablising the big shift to a decentralised and decarbonised energy system. Regulatory authorities are key actors in the energy transition, defining pathways and priorities that align with the common objectives of efficiency, reliability, affordability, and environmental sustainability.

How can banking and market regulation carve out a space for investments that facilitate the green transition, particularly in energy? What are the ways in which regulators can not only support local-level investment in energy access and renewables, but also catalyse the grid-level changes required for a renewable-led future? How can we strengthen institutional capacities to absorb and judiciously utilise as well as allocate capital at scale towards energy transition priorities in India?

Brij Raj, Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of India
 
Surabhi Gupta, General Manager(Corporation Finance Department), Securities and Exchange Board of India
 
Arun Goyal, Member, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, India
 
Ajay Tyagi, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
 
Ulka Kelkar, Executive Director - Climate Program, World Resources Institute India

Moderator:

Vibhuti Garg, Director, South Asia, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, India

Plenary Panel 4

Pricing, Trade, and Investment: A Global Climate Alliance

The G7 and G20 have signalled a strong commitment to foster enhanced collaboration on net-zero pathways and boost international ambition through green partnerships. Mutually beneficial decarbonisation pathways that include both countries of the Global North and the Global South need to be designed, since they may not evolve organically. Pricing, trade, and investment will inevitably become the core components of such collaborations.

What would a Global Climate Alliance involve? How would it build on theoretical and practical suggestions for an open and inclusive climate club, such as that emerged from the German G7 presidency? How would it build consensus on the transfer of finance and technology, and can such structures help moderate growing trade tensions in energy and other green sectors?

Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Former Vice President of Nigeria & Global Advisor, Global Energy Alliance for People
 
Jayant Sinha, Member of Parliament, Government of India
 
Jesse Scott, Visiting Research Fellow, DIW, Germany
 
Alistair Ritchie, Director of Asia-Pacific Sustainability, Asia Society Policy Institute, South Korea
 
Mahua Acharya, Chief of Staff, CQuest Capital LLC, India

Moderator:

Pedro Martins Barata, Associate Vice President, Carbon Markets and Private Sector Decarbonization, Environmental Defense Fund, Portugal

Lunch

In Conversation 4

Resources of the Future: Resilience and the Energy Transition

Andrew Forrest AO, Executive Chairman and Founder of Fortescue, Minderoo Foundation, and Tattarang, Australia

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Plenary Panel 5

Pioneering Green Businesses, Green Entrepreneurship and Green Investments

The energy transition is a challenge for governments across the Global South, but it is also a tremendous opportunity for investors, businesses, and entrepreneurs. Technological change, targeted investment, and new business models will play a crucial role in a successful green transformation.

Is the ESG revolution over, or are investors and businesses finding new and innovative ways to align their financial goals with environmental and social impact? What role do norms and regulations play in shaping the flow of capital, technology, and innovation, and how can these be harmonised across jurisdictions? What would the private sector like to see from governments globally when it comes to creating a more favorable environment for new energy and green initiatives? Are businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors more successful at working together across borders to address the energy transition than governments?

Chanaka Wickramasuriya, Director, Nations Trust Bank, Sri Lanka and Deputy Chief of Party, Sri Lanka Energy Program, USAID
 
Manish Chourasia, Managing Director, Tata Cleantech Capital Ltd, India
 
Mili Majumdar, Managing Director, Green Business Certification Institute, India
 
Urda Eichhorst, Project Director - NDC Transport Initiative for Asia, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Germany
 
Shalabh Tandon, South Asia Regional Head of Operations & Climate, the International Finance Corporation

Moderator:

Rajat Gupta, Senior Partner, McKinsey, India

Plenary Panel 6

Renewing the Energy Landscape: Scaling Wind and Solar Adoption in the Global South

Wind and solar energy will be the key drivers in the energy transition. Nevertheless, the financial resources and technologies required for scaling up these energy sources remain concentrated in the Global North, while the greatest potential for expanding their adoption lies in the Global South.

How can wind and solar energy be harnessed not only to green the grid but also to expand energy access and security in the countries of the Global South? What are the key barriers that continue to hinder the growth of wind and solar in the developing world? How can the technological and financial divide between the Global South and North be resolved such that the developing world can fully reap the benefits of wind and solar energy? How can Global South countries effectively upscale emerging technologies like decentralised solar and offshore wind, especially when there are limited capabilities and understanding in these areas?

Opening Remarks

B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog

Gauri Singh, Deputy Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency, United Arab Emirates
 
Francis Jayasurya, Global Wind Energy Council, India
 
Lydia Powell, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
 
T. Madhava Das, Whole Time Director & Sr. Executive Vice President (Utilities), Larsen & Toubro Limited, India
 
Gurdeep Singh, Chairman, National Thermal Power Corporation, India

Moderator:

Ritu Lal, Client Partner, Infrastructure & Energy Practice, Amrop India

Q/A

First Intervention:

Rajendra Bajgain, MP, House of Representatives of Nepal, Nepali Congress

Tea and Coffee Break

Plenary Panel 7

Bridging the Gap: Financing the Energy Transition

Without finance, the energy transition will not happen, and the goals of the Paris Agreement will not be met. However, there are multiple barriers to financing the green transition in the Global South—from an outdated international financial architecture to risk perceptions that render capital unaffordable. Scaling up private finance through innovative mechanisms and structures is essential.

How do investors assess and manage the financial risks associated with energy transition projects in emerging economies? What initiatives can improve access to capital for sustainable energy projects, particularly in developing nations, and how can international cooperation support these efforts? What role can government policies and regulatory frameworks play in attracting global investments? How can development institutions better support the scale-up of transformational green finance in the Global South? Are new development institutions required?

Anjali Bansal, Founding Partner, Avaana Capital, India
 
Abhishek Poddar, India Country Head, Macquarie Group, India
 
Nina Fenton, Head of Regional Representation for South Asia, European Investment Bank
 
Mikita Satoshi, Director General, Equity Investment Department, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
 
Uday Khemka, Vice Chairman, SUN Group, India

Moderator:

Mihir Swarup Sharma, Director, Observer Research Foundation, India

Ministerial In Conversation 2

India as an Energy Hub in the Indo-Pacific

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India

Moderator:

Ashok Malik, Partner, Asia Group, India

Launch of Time to Venture: Scaling up Transformational Climate Tech in India by Hon’ble Minister Piyush Goyal

Keynote Address 3

Video Message

V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India

Plenary Panel 8

Building Resilience: Sustainability, Supply Chains, and Geopolitics

A lack of robust and resilient supply chains poses a dual threat: energy insecurity and economic instability. Geopolitical tensions have threatened both new and old supply chains for energy. Inward-focused subsidy and trade policies disadvantage fiscally constrained nations and late starters in the race to dominate the sectors of the future. Countries across the world are seeking to insulate themselves from economic coercion while also moving forward on their green transition and energy priorities.

What are the ways in which fuel price volatility has affected fiscal and economic stability in recent years? How do fossil fuels and renewable energy requirements play into policymakers’ thinking about energy security in the 21st century? How are countries working to secure their access to critical minerals and renewable energy components in an era increasingly defined by geopolitical contestation? Do new unilateral trade measures and large domestic fiscal packages help or hinder the energy transition in the Global South, and can we imagine international partnerships that ameliorate any harm done? What opportunities exist for international cooperation and multilateral initiatives to enhance supply chain diversification and security?

Glauco Avelino Sampaio Oliveira, Senior Researcher, Institute of Applied Economic Research, Brazil
 
Kiat Sittheeamorn, Former President of Thailand Trade Representative, Thailand
 
Saliya Wickramasuriya, Chairman of the Board, Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka
 
Ana Miguel dos Santos, Former Member of Parliament, Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, Portugal
 
Ulka Kelkar, Executive Director-Climate Program, World Resources Institute India, India

Moderator:

Sunjoy Joshi, Chairman, Observer Research Foundation, India

Keynote Address 4

Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, Niti Aayog, India

Dinner and Drinks

Cultural Performance by Ricky Kej

Keynote Address

V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India

Plenary Panel 9

Finding the Right Path: A Just and Inclusive Energy Transition for the Global South

While the imperative for a just transition is well established, the path to achieve it remains unclear. A just energy transition in the Global South should serve as a catalyst for broader development objectives and ensure that no one is excluded. To make this possible, there is a need to reevaluate the concept of a just transition from the standpoint of the Global South and implement international cooperation mechanisms that are capable of directing the necessary resources to accomplish this transition.

How does the idea of a just transition differ between the Global South and the developed world, and what practical consequences do these disparities entail? What are the key barriers that the Global South must overcome to achieve a just transition? Are the current international cooperation mechanisms for achieving just transitions working well, and how can they be improved? What strategies can be employed to funnel more resources into nations in the Global South to facilitate a just transition?

Sue Lund, Just Energy Transition Investment Plan Project Management Unit (JET IP PMU), South Africa
 
Suranjali Tandon, Assistant Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, India
 
Pradeep Tharakan, Director, Energy Transition, Asian Development Bank
 
Joseph Nganga, Vice President-Africa, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet
 
Subhash Kumar, Director, ACME Solar Holdings Limited; Former Chairman and Managing Director, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited, India

Moderator:

Mannat Jaspal, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Q/A

First Intervention:

Pradip Paudel, MP, House of Representatives of Nepal, Nepali Congress

Keynote Address 6

Rick Duke, Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, USA

Tea and Coffee Break

In Conversation 5

Low Carbon, Comfort and Cooling Coalition—Scaling Up Adoption of Low Carbon Cooling Designs and Technologies

In Brief 1

Mainstreaming Gender and Youth in the Energy Transition

Eduarda Zoghbi, Climate Youth Influencer, Brazil
 
Abhishek Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF
 
Vaishali Misra, Director, Communication and Advocacy, Asia, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, India
 
Tanushree Bhowmik, Coordinator, World Bank

Plenary Panel 10

Pioneering Pathways: Industry Decarbonisation in the Global South

The countries of the Global South face an unprecedented challenge: discovering a low-carbon path to development and prosperity. This is, however, also an opportunity. Countries can leapfrog various stages of development and play a role in the emerging supply chains to service a new green global economy. However, the technology and finance required to decarbonise value chains and industrial processes remains concentrated in the Global North.

What technologies hold the most promise for decarbonising industrial processes, and how can these be disseminated through the industrial base of the developing world? What policy support is appropriate for fiscally constrained developing countries when it comes to scaling up the green industry? How can emerging and developing economies enter and move up the industrial supply chain for clean technologies? What partnerships and global governance forums can facilitate technology co-development that addresses some of these constraints?

Belladonna Maulianda, Executive Director of Indonesia Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) Center, and Ministerial Advisor, Indonesia
 
Mahendra Singhi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dalmia Cement, India
 
Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens India, India
 
Emily Barran, Lead for Green Industrialisation, Climate Action Platform for Africa, Kenya
 
Ashish Rana, Senior Energy Economist, Reliance Industries Ltd., India
 
Alexander Pavlov, General Manager, Atlas Copco, India

Moderator:

Mahua Acharya, Chief of Staff, CQuest Capital LLC, India

Lunch

Plenary Panel 11

Universal, Affordable, Reliable: Harmonising the Energy Transition with the 2030 SDG Agenda

Incremental progress is not enough. Advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires a wholesale transformation of key systems such as energy, production, consumption, and livelihoods. The energy systems of the future must emerge from the proper stewardship of natural resources and innovative, socially sustainable production and consumption practices. This panel seeks to explore the vital intersections between the energy transition and the SDG agenda, underscoring the pressing need to harmonise these efforts.

How are the universal demands for better health, livelihoods, water, and food implicated in the energy transition? What policies, regulations, and partnerships are essential for harmonising the energy transition with the broader 2030 SDG Agenda and ensuring that the goals reinforce each other? Can financial commitments to climate action be enhanced without cannibalising financing to broader development priorities? How can we minimise the negative impacts of clean technologies on land-use change and ecosystem degradation? Can we identify newer employment pathways in a renewables-driven world?

Richa Natarajan, Managing Director, Unitus Capital, India
 
Michael Williamson, Chief of Section (Energy Division), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
 
Brian Kawuma, Powering Agriculture Director, Power for All
 
Gopalika Arora, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
 
Dhanpal Jhaveri, Vice Chairman, Everstone Group

Moderator:

Janet Salem, Founder, FootprintLab, Australia

Q/A

First Intervention:

Teenah Jutton, Member of Parliament, Mauritius

In Conversation 6

A Mid-Cap Energy Transition Index: Catalysing Global Capital for India’s Energy Transition

As India’s national priorities pivot towards rapidly mobilising to combat climate change, is there a need for a tool that can support the development of an India-specific climate-focused investment strategy and portfolio?

This session sheds light on the ongoing work on the India Mid-Cap Energy Transition Index. Dalberg is supporting climate investment funds to develop an India-focused, contextually relevant investment tool that is expected to guide capital allocation towards India’s energy transition, going beyond large and purely renewable energy focused Indian companies, with a focus on mid-caps and hard-to- abate sectors.

Opening Remarks

Jagjeet Sareen, Private Sector Specialist, International Solar Alliance.

Alexander Hogeveen Rutter, Country Director, United Nations Environment Programme, India
 
Mani Khurana, Senior Energy Specialist, World Bank
 
Anita George, Co-Founder, Edhina Capital, India
 
Mayank Choudhary, OIC Director, Infrastructure Finance Division 1, Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD), ADB

Moderator

Dhruba Purkayastha, India Director, Climate Policy Initiative

Plenary Panel 12

Revving Up the Road to Zero-Carbon Mobility

Decarbonising the transport sector is both a requirement for and a catalyst of broader energy transition. In much of the world, including in the Global South, the footprint of zero-carbon vehicles has increased.

What are the key opportunities and challenges for growing zero-carbon mobility in the next few decades, and in expanding the uptake of such vehicles beyond a few leading sectors? How can countries in the Global South maximise economic co-benefits from the transition to electric mobility? What strategies beyond electrification are required to achieve a zero-carbon mobility system? Can a more decentralised production chain be built for zero-carbon mobility that ensures that countries in the Global South are not dependent on raw materials processed elsewhere and inputs manufactured in the rich world?

Akshima Ghate, Managing Director, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), India
 
Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha, Adviser (Infrastructure Connectivity – Transport and Electric Mobility), NITI Aayog, India
 
Priya Shah, General Partner, Theia Ventures, India
 
R.K. Malhotra, President, Hydrogen Association of India, India
 
Promit Mookherjee, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Moderator

Saurabh Kumar, Head, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, India

Tea and Coffee Break

Reports Launch

Market Action Report on Battery Energy Storage Systems for Distribution Companies

Amal Sinha, Executive Officer, BSES Rajdhani, India
 
Akshima Ghate, Managing Director, Rocky Mountain Institute, India

Evaluating Readiness for Renewable Energy Adoption in India: A Multi-State Survey of Industrial and Residential Power Consumers

Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister and Secretary to Government of India
 
Promit Mookherjee, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India
 
Gopalika Arora, Associate Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

Plenary Panel 13

In the Vanguard: Transforming Governance for the Energy Transition

The global decarbonisation landscape is not unified, but fragmented, with different areas dealing with different priorities and constraints. Thus, regional and local governance initiatives occupy a central position in the energy transition agenda. Achieving an energy transition that prioritises people’s welfare requires a delicate balance between top-down and bottom-up approaches—one that aligns global aspirations with domestic willingness for action.

How are governance structures working to localise and execute sustainable energy solutions that meet the distinctive profiles and requirements of their populations? Are national, regional, and sub- national governments short of capacity for this transformation, and how can they be supported? How can such initiatives be synchronised and integrated with worldwide endeavours?

Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister and Secretary to Government of India
 
Sanyukta Samaddar, Commissioner, National Capital Region, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India
 
Biswo Nath Poudel, Former Vice Chairman, National Planning Commission, Nepal
 
Alfonso Chikuni, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Malawi
 
Harish Ahuja, Senior Vice President and Business Head, Power & Carbon Markets, National Stock Exchange, India

Moderator

Madhav Pai, Chief Executive Officer, World Resources Institute, India

Communique Stakeholder Consultation: Devising a Blueprint for a People-Positive Energy Transition

What kind of focused interventions can be included in the communique to ensure that priority areas under the six identified pillars can be fulfilled to the best possible extent? Can a mechanism be identified that can shape the energy transition? How can different stakeholders work together to strengthen the path towards an inclusive energy transition?

Chair Remarks

Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary (Power), Ministry of Power, Government of India

Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India

Presentation

Shubhranshu Patnaik, Partner, Consulting,Deloitte, India

Followed by: Q&A with the audience

Hosted by: P.K. Sinha, Senior Advisor, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, India

Closing Session

Ministerial Address

Carlos Favaro, Minister of Agriculture, Brazil

Special Address

Nehad Morsi Kamel, Head of Infrastructure and Service Activities Sector, Egyptian Ministry of Planning and Economic Development

Keynote Address

Tarun Kapoor, Advisor, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India

Vote of Thanks

Kate Wills, Head India, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, India

Closing Remarks

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Dinner and Drinks