TLC Founding Board Member moderates discussion on TTIP and energy
On November 2, 2014, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark launched the Copenhagen Energy Security Dialogues, a high-level forum that brought together transatlantic and emerging economy leaders to address global energy security challenges. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, gave the keynote address. Mr. Martin Lidegaard, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and Dr. Karen Donfried, GMF President, opened the event. Dr. Donfried also closed the conference by providing insights on energy and U.S. foreign policy.
The Dialogues brought together foreign policy and energy leaders from United States, the European Union, Indonesia, and South Africa to identify common goals across existing energy security, development, and sustainability efforts. Participants discussed the role of energy efficiency and digital payment solutions, new oil and gas resources, and TTIP in securing access to affordable energy. Twenty speakers from outside Copenhagen attended, and approximately 150 members of Copenhagen’s diplomatic and energy communities were present for the event.
In the closing session, Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, discussed the importance of an EU Energy Union and of including energy in TTIP. The Lugar Center founding board member and GMF fellow Neil Brown moderated the conversation between Minister Rinkēvičs, Dr. Karen Donfried, and Hege Marie Norheim, the Senior Vice President for Corporate Sustainability at Statoil.
The conference included discussions on energy challenges and solutions in Ukraine and debates about balancing energy security and climate change priorities.
The Lugar Center founding board member Neil Brown moderates a discussion on TTIP and energy with Mr. Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, and GMF President Dr. Karen Donfried.
