OMC ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT FOR THE COP26
The urgency to define a comprehensive path to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century requires a crosscutting global commitment by stakeholders at any level: policymakers, scientific community, companies, investor community, financial institutions, as well as civil society.
Aspiring to a just and inclusive transition, able to ensure sustainable growth and significantly reduce carbon emissions, represents the most urgent achievement for humanity. Such a challenge has a key value for the Mediterranean region, an area particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. In this context, energy transition represents a priority as well as a strategic opportunity to reshape the landscape of the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Differences in terms of energy access, availability and efficient use among countries of Northern and Southern Med are conspicuous and well known within the international energy community. Increasing interdependence, building partnerships for cooperation, facilitating know-how and technology transfer, and allocating investments along the value chain are primary actions to support and accelerate the path towards energy transition, and to bridge gaps across the region.
Policies can surely support the definition of a clear pathway for the Mediterranean region, and will also mark the priorities for a strengthened cooperation in the energy sector.
The role and contribution from the industry, in particular from the energy sector, will be essential to support and drive such a momentous transition, continuing to invest in research and development of both existing and disruptive technology solutions, able to explore and identify innovative, concrete and sustainable pathways for Net Zero Targets, and simultaneously employing available technologies in a holistic and systemic approach across different sectors.
The OMC - MED Energy Conference wishes the very best to the upcoming COP26 in Glasgow and to all the parties involved, hoping for a general consensus on energy policy adoption, pivotal to accelerate the shift from commitment to action.
Finally, with this message the OMC - MED Energy Conference and all the members of its network want to vigorously reaffirm their willingness to play an active role in the process of change, supporting the adoption of innovative technologies and new business models able to foster the transition path in the next decades in a renewed regulatory framework, and increasing public awareness on energy, climate-related topics and environmental issues, in particular for young generations.