Held in Delphi for the 10th consecutive year the Delphi Economic Forum,(DEF) Greece’s and SE Europe’s leading business event, attracted record crowds of participants and more than 1000 speakers and panelists from 70 countries.
Energy featured highly in this year’s agenda with all aspects of the energy spectrum examined by groups of carefully selected and highly respected panelists and moderators. In recognition of IENE’s contribution in promoting sustainable energy solutions in SE Europe and beyond the organizers invited the Institute’s chairman, Costis Stambolis, to join as speaker in one of the panels on Wednesday, April 9 but also to moderate a separate panel the following day.
“Climate and Energy: The Challenges of the Dual Transition” was the heading of the April 9 panel which was expertly moderated by George Fyntikakis, a well-respected journalist with excellent knowledge of the subject. In addition to Costis, other panelists included Maria Damanaki, an independent advisor on Climate and Oceans, and EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (2010-2014), Mr. Konstantinos Bikas, International Business Director of Metlen Energy &Metals and former Head of Greek National Intelligence Service, and Mr. Costas Mitropoulos a well-known economist and Chairman of the Greek-British Symposium.
In his intervention Costis referred to the gathering pace of energy transition and the need for a balanced energy mix with adequate provision not only for Renewables but also for conventional energy sources, including natural gas and nuclear which can help secure much needed base load. As Costis pointed out in the midst of intense market volatility, as we have been witnessing over the last few days, and geopolitical turmoils in the greater region the need for strengthening energy security is paramount. In his final remarks the Chairman of IENE also alluded to the misguided energy policies of the EU which have resulted in high energy prices and Europe’s great energy dependence from energy commodity imports, but also from products such as photovoltaic panels and batteries all imported from China and the collective failure of the EU to support its own RES industry which has since demised.
In the second day of the DEF the Chairman of IENE moderated the panel on “Building Bridges in a Fragmented World” which brought together some the country’s foremost thinkers and managers which included Dr. Yiannis Bassias, an independent energy adviser and former CEO of HEREMA, Alexandros Papageorgiou, CEO of the Hellenic Energy Exchange Group and Mr. Ioannis Stefanou, Head of Energy Sector, at Grant Thornton in Greece. In his opening remarks Costis Stambolis described the fragmentation element in today’s world where full scale wars are in progress and global trade is seriously under threat following the USA lead trade wars. The result being an increase of uncertainty and volatility with energy markets bearing the brunt of the coming world disorder. The question which was put for discussion to the panel was how in view of this rather depressing situation closer cooperation and bridges between adversaries could be built and what prospects lie ahead.
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