Nordic-Chinese Energy and Climate Day coming to the Nordic pavilions at EXPO 2010

18. Jun 2010

On the 25th of June 2010 the Nordic-Chinese Energy and Climate Day will take place at the Shanghai World Expo. Key stakeholders from the Nordic and Chinese energy research sectors will gather to network and exchange ideas. Speakers and guests include Ministers and high ranking government officials as well as notable business leaders and researchers. The event will focus on how greater Chinese-Nordic cooperation and interaction can contribute to the development and deployment of clean energy and climate technologies. To signify the very close cooperation among the Nordic countries, the event will move through all five Nordic pavilions as the day progresses.

The Nordic Region and China are natural fits for this kind of cooperation. The Nordic region has been proactive on the climate change issue for a long time and Nordic experts have great experience in developing and implementing sustainable energy solutions. And China, with is rapidly growing economy, has increasing needs for energy but also massive ambitions to satisfy this need with clean or climate-friendly energy,” explains Barbara Evaeus, WWF Sweden’s Climate Communications Manager. “Events like this are a wonderful chance to exchange experiences and create valuable connections between key stakeholders in both China and the Nordic region”.

Energy and climate policy is often ruled by national interests as well as industry and technology protectionism. Barbara Evaeus stresses however that such biased policy is outdated and that we should not talk about technology transfer, but instead we should think of it as technology exchange. “Things are happening so fast now. Technologies appropriate in one region might not be appropriate in another. China might be light years ahead of the Nordic region in developing technologies based on their particular needs.

Barbara Evaeus will moderate the morning session of the Nordic-Chinese Energy and Climate Day which will take place at the Finnish EXPO pavilion. This session will focus on the overall needs and potential for greater cooperation between actors within sustainable energy and climate technologies. As the representative of a global NGO like WWF excelling in cross-border cooperation on energy and environmental issues, she is well suited to the task.

Barbara will be introducing the ministers and high-level experts, including Karen Ellemann, Danish Minster for the Environment and for Nordic Cooperation; Jan Vapaavuori, Finnish Minster of Housing and Nordic Cooperation; Jiang Kejun, Director of the Energy Research Institute at the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission; Bo Diczfalusy, head of IEA’s Directorate of Sustainable Energy Policy and Technology and Heidi Hiltunen, Environment Counsellor at the EU Delegation to China.

After lunch at the Danish EXPO pavilion, the afternoon session at the Swedish pavilion will feature a variety of case studies in addition to a panel discussion with leading energy technology and innovation experts on the way forward for successful Nordic-Chinese cooperation. This session will be moderated by Professor Jørgen Delman of Copenhagen University.

To round up the tour of the Nordic EXPO pavilions, delegates will be treated with drinks, dinner and entertainment at the Icelandic and Norwegian pavilions where they will also have a chance to network more informally. This event is part of a broader ongoing initiative by the Nordic Council of Ministers to build further Nordic-Chinese cooperation.

By Hans Fridberg

For further information about the event, visit www.nordicenergy.net/china