Climate Protection, Energy Transition and Economic Prosperity: A challenge – an opportunity?

Fireside discussion at the Germany-Iceland Clean Energy Summit:
• Kristín Linda Árnadóttir, Chairwoman of The Federation of Energy and Utility Companies in Iceland, Deputy CEO of Landsvirkjun, the National Power Company of Iceland
• Prof. Antje Boetius, Director of AWI / Alfred Wegener-Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research

Moderator: Dr. David Bothe, Director at Frontier Economics

On Monday, June 12, 2023, the Embassy of Iceland, Green by Iceland, and energiewaechter hosted the Germany-Iceland Clean Energy Summit at the Nordic Embassies – Felleshus in Berlin.

In the context of today's geopolitical challenges, more ambition was needed to rapidly decarbonize the energy system while ensuring energy security. Given that Iceland was the world's largest producer of green energy per capita and had been a leader in renewable energy for more than a century, there were many lessons that could be shared to benefit from today's global energy security and climate change challenges.

The Summit brought together government representatives, businesses, and civil society groups from Iceland and Germany to discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation to achieve climate goals. The summit built on recent progress in clean energy and discussed technological solutions to accelerate the energy transition.

Dr. Robert Habeck, Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Iceland's Minister of the Environment, Energy, and Climate, had already confirmed their participation. In addition, a high-ranking Icelandic business delegation was on site.