Session 1: Sustainability and the New Geopolitics of Energy

The energy transition is changing the Geopolitics of energy. Countries which were dominant in the fossil fuel economy are now losing their dominance to different countries which are coming to dominate the renewables economy. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine skews the Geopolitics of energy—but how? Will the invasion slow energy transition by impairing supplies of oil and gas? Or will it accelerate energy transition as European and other countries abandon dependence upon Russian oil and gas and focus on renewables? And how does the Ukraine War affect the Geopolitics of energy in Asia?

Three of the topmost Energy experts in Washington DC share their insights in a structured conversation, focusing both on the current challenging energy situation, and where energy transition will be by 2050. Emily Fisher of the Edison Electric Institute provides background on the current electric power industry, and describes how other types of energy can be converted into electricity so that by 2050 electricity will be a much larger portion of the energy mix. Ben Cahill of the Center for Strategic International Studies focuses on oil and gas—even if the world achieves carbon neutrality by 2050, we will still use half of the gas and a quarter of the oil we use today. Greg Gershuny of the Aspen Institute focuses on the current geopolitical situation, and the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine upon world energy markets.

MODERATOR:

Chuck Schilke
Former Environmental Lawyer, Exxon Mobil Corporation; Director Emeritus, Graduate Real Estate Programs, Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University; CEO, Intergreen Real Estate and Environmental Consulting; Innovation Summit Sustainability Track Chair
Chuck Schilke is a real estate, corporate, environmental. and energy lawyer based in Washington DC. He is also a real estate developer, financier, strategist, and educator. He has practiced law in firms mostly in the Washington DC area, but also on Wall Street and in Boston. Read full profile…

PANEL:

Ben Cahill
Senior Fellow, Energy Security and Climate Change Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Ben Cahill is a senior fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He covers oil markets, geopolitics, and macro trends affecting the oil and gas industry. He also leads a research initiative on methane emissions and global gas and analyzes how national oil companies are responding to the energy transition. Read full profile…

Emily Sanford Fisher
General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Senior Vice President, Clean Energy for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI)
Emily Sanford Fisher is General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Senior Vice President, Clean Energy for the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) in Washington, D.C. Emily is responsible for managing EEI’s litigation and legal affairs covering a wide range of energy and environmental regulatory and policy issues at the state and federal level. She also oversees and coordinates strategic clean energy engagement across EEI and across the federal government. Read full profile…

Greg Gershuny
Executive Director, Energy & Environment Program, the Aspen institute
Greg Gershuny is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program (EEP). Greg started at the Institute as the James E. Rogers Energy Fellow and Managing Director for his first two years at Aspen and has been in this role since 2018. Read full profile…