E3G

The Athens Summit – Global Climate and Energy Security

By Chris Littlecott

UPDATE: 26th September.

Announcement from the conference organisers:

In consideration of the recent elections of 16 September and the appointment of a new Minister of Development in Greece, the Organizers and the Advisory Board of the Athens Summit 2007 have decided to postpone the event.

The Athens Declaration planned, to be signed during the Athens Summit by 44 ministers invited by the Minister of Development in Greece, is undoubtedly the event’s foundation. The rescheduling aims to guarantee that the Summit goals are met without concessions and that the active participation and considerable involvement of local and foreign government officials is promptly secured. Climate
change and energy security are top priority in the global agenda and any public dialogue addressing the issues must be prepared with high responsibility. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the global efforts with concrete conclusions and feasible solutions.

The new dates for the Athens Summit - Global Climate and Energy Security are 5 to 7 May, 2008.

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From 14-16 October 5-7 May 2008, Athens will be the location of the world’s first major international conference focused on the new paradigm of climate and energy security.

Held under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, H.E. Karolos Papoulias, this event will bring top government officials and corporate leaders together with leading analysts and academia on these critical issues.

Amidst growing concerns over climate change, environment, energy security and diminishing petroleum reserves worldwide, the Mediterranean region is in a privileged geopolitical position to act as host to a wide variety of global points of view on solutions for the future.

E3G is pleased to be an organising partner of the conference, and E3G Chief Executive Nick Mabey is a member of the advisory board. Full details of the conference are available from the Athens Summit website.

Summit In Brief

On 17 April this year the UN Security Council held its first hearings ever on the relationship between climate change, energy, and security. The Athens Summit will be the first international forum for an exchange of views on this important new theme in a commercial setting.

This “Challenge of Change”, held under the auspices of His Excellency The President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, will be an international gathering of prominent spokespersons, senior government officials, top business leaders, academia and the scientific community.  The understanding of the relationship between climate change and energy security as it affects the future of development is only now coming into view.