Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF)

ICEF2026 Program

Main Theme

Green Transformation through “Electrostates” Transition and Security

Countries and regions are pursuing diverse pathways toward energy security and the energy transition, reflecting differences in resources, industrial structures, technologies, and policy environments.
Some can be characterized as “Petrostates,” with strategies built around fossil fuel resources, while others are moving toward “Electrostates,” with strategies centered on electrification technologies. In practice, however, most countries remain hybrid, combining electrification with the continued use of conventional energy sources.
At the same time, heightened geopolitical tensions affecting critical energy supply chains, including concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, are prompting countries to reassess their energy security strategies and strengthen the resilience of their energy systems. Amid this diversity, electrification is becoming increasingly central to decarbonization, industrial competitiveness, and energy security. The IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2025 also highlights the arrival of the “Age of Electricity,” noting the rapid acceleration of electrification worldwide.
Building on this perspective, ICEF2026 will explore how electricity generated from low-carbon energy sources can contribute to Green Transformation (GX) and energy diversification, while recognizing the need for practical and region-specific transition pathways. It will also examine the role of low-carbon electricity across a wide range of sectors.

*Times and session titles are subject to change.

Thursday, October 8 (JST) / Venue A (B2F)

9:00-9:15

Opening Session

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English

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9:20-10:50

Plenary1
Keynote Session

As geopolitical risks, resource constraints, and rising electricity demand reshape the global energy landscape, countries are pursuing distinct pathways toward decarbonization based on their respective resource endowments, technological capabilities, security policies, and business environments.
This session will examine the different strategies pursued by individual countries, clarify the pathways toward achieving their goals, and discuss whether international cooperation can further accelerate global decarbonization.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
TANAKA Nobuo (Chair)

TANAKA Nobuo

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director,
International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc.
(Japan)

Profile
Adnan Z. Amin

Adnan Z. Amin

ICEF Steering Committee;
Senior Research Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government;
Director General Emeritus, IRENA;
Senior Adviser to COP 28 President;
Chair of Officers' Council of the World Energy Council
(Kenya)

Profile
Speaker

Speakers will be announced soon.

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11:00-12:00

Session A-1
EV Adoption and Regional Growth Strategies (Tentative)

EVs are emerging as an important option for decarbonization in the mobility sector, and are also playing different roles in each country, depending on the energy structure, industrial base, urban mobility needs, and growth strategies. In advanced economies, EVs are expected to contribute to the integration of renewable energy, grid flexibility, and resilience, while EV adoption in the Global South is driven by the need to reduce dependence on oil imports, address urban air pollution, and foster domestic industries.
The aim of this session is to develop a deeper understanding of how the expectations, progress in adoption, policy frameworks, and infrastructure constraints affecting EVs differ in advanced economies and the Global South. Based on these considerations, the session will explore how EVs are linked to regional growth strategies and regionally appropriate adoption models, as well as the possibility of mutual understanding and international cooperation.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
Nebojsa Nakicenovic

Nebojsa Nakicenovic

ICEF Steering Committee;
Honorary and Emeritus Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA);
Emeritus Professor of Energy Economics, Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)
(Austria/Serbia)

Profile
Changhua Wu

Changhua Wu

ICEF Steering Committee;
China/Asia Director,
Office of Jeremy Rifkin;
Chair, Governing Council,
Asia Pacific Water Forum
(United States of America/China)

Profile
Speaker

Speakers will be announced soon.

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13:00-14:00

Session A-2
Advanced Nuclear Reactors (Tentative)

Demand for clean, stable, 24/7 power is growing, driven by the progress of electrification and the rapid expansion of AI data centers. Advanced nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs), are emerging as a leading solution to meet this demand.
This session will examine the strategic framework needed to accelerate electrification and clarify the role of nuclear energy. Discussions will cover SMR deployment in North America, trilateral cooperation on SMRs, and the development of resilient supply chains to support it. The session will also address fast reactors, with a view to making effective use of resources and contributing to the realization of a sustainable and secure energy system.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
TANAKA Nobuo (Chair)

TANAKA Nobuo

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director,
International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc.
(Japan)

Profile
Eija-Riitta Korhola

Eija-Riitta Korhola

ICEF Steering Committee;
Delegate of the Consultative
Commission for Industrial Change
European Economic and Social
Committee
(Finland/Belgium)

Profile
Speaker

Speakers will be announced soon.

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14:10-15:40

Session A-3
Energy Security for the Digital Era “Optimizing Grids on Earth and Beyond”

Part 1
Digital-Power Nexus: Data Centers as Next-Generation Strategic Infrastructure

The digital-power nexus is not simply a matter of connecting electricity and digital systems; it is also an increasingly important next-generation strategic infrastructure. Future policy challenges will include linking data centers to low-carbon power sources and appropriate communication networks, while ensuring that AI and data-processing capabilities can withstand disasters, cyberattacks, and geopolitical risks.
This nexus is part of a next-generation economic security infrastructure that will support decarbonization, AI competitiveness, a stable, distributed power supply, and digital sovereignty. Although it will create enormous electricity demand in the future, flexible energy management can contribute to expanded deployment and enable large-scale integration of variable renewable energy. This session will address key challenges and strategic actions for turning flexibility into business value.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
Sally M. Benson

Sally M. Benson

ICEF Steering Committee; Professor, Energy Science and Engineering,
Stanford University
(United States of America)

Profile
David Sandalow

David Sandalow

ICEF Steering Committee;
Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University;
Co-Director, Energy and Environment Concentration, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
(United States of America)

Profile
Speaker
Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson

Principal Technical Executive, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
(United States of America)

Profile

*More speakers will be announced soon.

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Part2
ICEF Roadmap Project: Space-Based Data Centers

To many, space-based data centers may seem closer to science fiction than to a topic for serious study. However, several companies have already begun developing space-based data centers and are also planning further significant investments. These investments, along with growing interest in operating data centers in low-Earth orbit, are being driven by two converging trends: the rapid expansion of AI-driven computing demand and the dramatic reduction in the cost of launching payloads into space.
Against this background, the 2026 ICEF Roadmap will explore the feasibility of operating data centers in outer space, their implications for sustainability, and the governance, operational, and regulatory frameworks required for their deployment.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
David Sandalow

David Sandalow

ICEF Steering Committee;
Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University;
Co-Director, Energy and Environment Concentration, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
(United States of America)

Profile
Sally M. Benson

Sally M. Benson

ICEF Steering Committee; Professor, Energy Science and Engineering,
Stanford University
(United States of America)

Profile
Speaker

Speakers will be announced soon.

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15:50-17:20

Plenary2
System-Wide Solutions for Secure, Flexible, and Resilient Electrification (Tentative)

As emerging and developing economies enter an era of rapid electrification, electricity is becoming even more central to economic growth, industrialization, urbanization, digitalization, and everyday life. This session will discuss how these countries can build secure, flexible, and resilient power systems. The energy security challenges arising from growing dependence on electricity will be examined with a particular focus on structural vulnerabilities, including capacity gaps in power systems, institutions, and financing, that could be exposed by external shocks. Medium- to long-term actions needed to avoid future bottlenecks as power demand grows will also be discussed. Finally, the session will explore system-wide solutions, approaches to financing, and the future direction of international cooperation.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
Hoesung Lee

Hoesung Lee

ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Chair of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC);
President, Carbon Free Alliance
(Korea)

Profile
Ismail Serageldin

Ismail Serageldin

ICEF Steering Committee;
Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC);
Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria;
Former VP of the World Bank
(Egypt)

Profile
KURODA Reiko

KURODA Reiko

ICEF Steering Committee;
Principal Research Scientist at the Center for Radical Transformation,
Chiba Institute of Technology;
Senior Visiting Scientist, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS);
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo
(Japan)

Profile
Speaker
Christoph Menke

Christoph Menke

Professor for Energy Technology (retired), University of Applied Sciences Trier, Germany;
Conference Chairman, Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference & Exhibition, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia;
Distinguished Professor, Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, KMUTT, Bangkok, Thailand
(Germany)

Profile

*More speakers will be announced soon.

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17:25-18:10

Closing Session

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

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Thursday, October 8 (JST) / Venue B (B2F)

13:00-14:00

Session B-1
Building Resilient Circular Value Chains through Data Connectivity

Circular Economy (CE) is increasingly recognized not only as an environmental policy approach but also as a key strategy for supporting resource security and industrial competitiveness. Policies and regulatory frameworks have evolved to secure critical minerals and recycled materials while enhancing supply chain resilience. Meanwhile, data integration through Digital Product Passports and data platforms has become indispensable for achieving resource circulation.
This session will provide an overview of the latest developments in policies and regulatory frameworks related to CE. Through case studies, including the textile sector, the session will explore the role of resource transparency and cross-value supply chain data integration, and will discuss the potential of next-generation circular industrial systems that can simultaneously achieve both resource circularity and economic security.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
SAKANO Akira

SAKANO Akira

ICEF Steering Committee;
Representative Director,
Zero Waste Japan;
Co-Founder, Green innovation;
Chief Circularity Officer, ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd.;
Co-Director, Circular Futures Design Center, Shizenkan University
(Japan)

Profile
Valli Moosa

Valli Moosa

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chairperson of WWF South Africa;
Former Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Commission;
Former President, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN);
Former South AFrican Minister of Environment;
Former Chairperson of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development
(South Africa)

Profile
Speaker

Speakers will be announced soon.

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14:10-15:10

Session B-2
From Hype to Market: Aligning Supply and Demand for Low-Emission Hydrogen

Hydrogen has moved beyond the stage of expectations, and the priority now is market formation based on real demand and cost reduction. Hydrogen markets need a design that connects supply with bankable off-takers and end users across the value chain. This session will examine how low-emission hydrogen and its derivatives can be deployed cost-effectively where demand already exists or can be created, especially in hard-to-electrify sectors. It will also discuss how existing hydrogen production, infrastructure, and end uses can be shifted toward lower-emission pathways with speed and at scale will also be discussed. Finally, the session will reassess the realistic role of hydrogen in an increasingly electrified energy system and consider the policies, institutions, and industrial strategies needed to move from ambition to implementation.

Session videos are available.
*You will be redirected to YouTube ICEF official channel.

Japanese English
Moderator
Georg Erdmann

Georg Erdmann

ICEF Steering Committee;
Retired Chair of Energy Systems,
Faculty of Process Engineering, Berlin University of Technology;
President of the Board, KSB Energie AG, Berlin;
Editor of the Springer book series 'Studies on Energy, Resource and Environmental Economics'
(Germany)

Profile
Speaker
Mike Enskat

Mike Enskat

Director, Innovation and Technology Centre, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
(Germany)

Profile

*More speakers will be announced soon.

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×
TANAKA Nobuo (Chair)
TANAKA Nobuo (Chair)
Position

Chair, ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA);
CEO, Tanaka Global, Inc.

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

Executive Director Emeritus, The International Energy Agency (IEA)
Nobuo Tanaka is Chairman of the steering committee of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF), which was established by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014. As Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) from 2007 to 2011, he initiated a collective release of oil stocks in June 2011. He began his career in 1973 in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and has served in a number of high-ranking positions, including Director- General of the Multilateral Trade System Department. He was deeply engaged in bilateral trade issues with the US as Minister for Industry, Trade and Energy at the Embassy of Japan, Washington DC. He has also served twice as Director for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI) of the Parisbased international organization, OECD. As CEO of Tanaka Global Inc, he advises several Japanese and International companies.

Awards/Publications

Order of Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star, 瑞宝重光章 （2021）
Al Attiyah International Energy Award

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Adnan Z. Amin
Adnan Z. Amin
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Senior Research Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government;
Director General Emeritus, IRENA;
Senior Adviser to COP 28 President;
Chair of Officers' Council of the World Energy Council

Country / Region

Kenya

Career history

Adnan Z. Amin is an experienced international official and development economist specializing in sustainable development with over 30 years of experience in senior positions at the United Nations and as the Founding Director General of The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Mr. Amin served as the CEO of COP28 of the UNFCCC which was is under the Presidency of the UAE. In this capacity he oversaw and managed the policy and operational aspects of COP28 in support of the COP28 President and directly led the political negotiation process the resulted in the adoption of the historic “UAE Consensus” containing pathbreaking agreements to transition away from fossil fuels and achieve a 1.5 degree aligned pathway.
In May, 2025 Mr. Amin was appointed as a Special Envoy of the President of COP30 with special emphasis on the Middle East.
Mr. Amin has served as a Senior Research Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. There, he specialized in the “Geopolitics of the Energy Transition”. He was appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations as a member of his High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change in September 2020, and is also serving on several Advisory Boards both in the private sector and within academia.

Mr. Amin led a distinguished career serving the United Nations. He served as Head of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) Secretariat, the UN Secretary-General’s policy coordination body comprising the Executive Heads of the UN System. Mr. Amin also led the Secretariat for the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on UN System-Wide Coherence, which resulted in an ambitious reform programme implemented under the framework of “One UN” and “Delivering as One”.
Mr. Amin was also the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) New York Office and led the Secretariat supporting the Intergovernmental review of International Environmental Governance established to review and streamline the proliferation of institutional frameworks within the United Nations. Mr. Amin also served as a Trustee and Member of the Board of Directors of the Cambridge, UK based World Conservation Monitoring Centre, considered one of the premier biodiversity information institutions in the world.

In 2011, Mr. Amin was elected and served as the first ever Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Elected for an initial four-years term, Mr. Amin was re-appointed unanimously by the Assembly for a second term in 2015. During his tenure, IRENA became the authoritative voice of renewable energy and a leading player in the global energy transition. The Agency’s membership increased three-fold and now accounts for over 160 State Members with 24 additional countries in the process of accession, a remarkable achievement in the annals of multilateralism. After his second term he was granted the honorary title of Director General Emeritus by the 2019 IRENA Assembly, in recognition of his leadership and outstanding service to the Agency.

Mr. Amin oversaw the development of IRENA’s operations and programmatic work, directing the growth of the Agency’s knowledge framework, country support and regional engagement. IRENA’s efforts played a key role in showcasing the centrality of renewables to powering sustainable economic growth, creating jobs while meeting climate and sustainable development objectives.

Mr. Amin also propelled IRENA on the global stage. Today, the Agency is a regular contributor to, and a sought-after partner for, global and multilateral Organizations such as the United Nations, G7 and G20, as well as international forums such as the Clean Energy Ministerial, the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue and The Suzhou International Forum on Energy Transitions, among others.

During his tenure, IRENA actively engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including parliamentarians, the private sector and civil society to create an inclusive global platform for cooperation. At his initiative, the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation was established in 2018, and delivered in 2019 a ground-breaking report which outlines the implications of a large-scale shift to renewable energy on the global energy system, economies and relations within and between countries.

After his tenure at IRENA, Mr. Amin has served on a number of important initiatives including:

  • Chair of the Global Council on SDG 7, an initiative by the UAE to advance the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.
  • Member of the OECD High Level Advisory Group on Aligning Development Co-operation with the Objectives of the Paris Agreement.
  • Distinguished Fellow of the Atlantic Council
  • Member of the Jury of the Zayed Sustainability Prize
  • Member of the Global Energy Prize International Award Committee
  • Member of the Stanford University Global Energy Council
  • Member of the Global Commission to end Energy Poverty-MIT/Rockefeller Foundation.
  • Awarded the title of Honorary Professor of Practice at the University of Sussex Business School, his alma mater.
  • Member of the International Advisory Panel on Energy of the Government of Singapore.
  • Senior Advisor to the United Arab Emirates Climate Envoy.

Mr. Amin also serves on a number of Advisory Boards within the private sector including Shell New Energy, Porsche Sustainability Advisory Board and Arctic Green Energy.

Awards/Publications

  • Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) a National Award bestowed by H.E. President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, December 2018
  • The First Order of Zayed II bestowed by the President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of United Arab Emirates, March 2019, in recognition of his service at IRENA.
  • Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, bestowed by the President of Italy, November 2020
  • Astana Medal bestowed by H.E. President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, September 2018.
  • The First Order of Zayed II bestowed by the President H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
    President of United Arab Emirates, February 2024, in recognition of his service as CEO of COP28

Areas of expertise

Geopolitics of the Energy Transition

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Sally M. Benson
Sally M. Benson
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Professor, Energy Science and Engineering, Stanford University

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

1977 to 2007: Various positions at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2007 to present: Professor at Stanford University

Awards/Publications

1996 DOE Certificate of Appreciation awarded for leading development of the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program Plan
2007 Contributed to the reports of the IPCC that received the Nobel Peace Prize for “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”
2009 Michel T. Halbouty Distinguished Lecture Award, Geological Society of America
2009 ARCS 2009 American Pacesetter Award
2011 Alberta Innovates Lecturer of 2011
2009 – 2011 Stanford Fellow
2012 Greenman Award, IEA Greenhouse Gas Program
2015 Honorary Doctorate Degree, Smith College, Massachusetts
2015 Roslyn Silver’27 Science Lectureship, Barnard College
2017 Distinguished CCS Lecture Tour, Peter Cook Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
2018 Columbia University Arthur D. Storke Lecturer
2019 Society of Petroleum Engineers International Award, Health, Safety, and Environment
2023 Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Areas of expertise

Energy transition, carbon capture and storage, energy systems analysis

×
Georg Erdmann
Georg Erdmann
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Retired Chair of Energy Systems, Faculty of Process Engineering, Berlin University of Technology;
President of the Board, KSB Energie AG, Berlin;
Editor of the Springer book series 'Studies on Energy, Resource and Environmental Economics'

Country / Region

Germany

Career history

1995-2018 Professor for Energy Systems at the Institute for Energy Technology, Berlin University of Technology
1982-1995 Post doc researcher and Assistant professor at the Center for Economic Research, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (ETHZ)
1993-1995 Delegate at the Paul Scherer Institute, Villigen (Switzerland) in the group of Prof. Dr. Alexander Wokaun.
1976-1982 Appointment as PhD researcher at the University Muenster/Germany

Areas of expertise

Energy Systems and Markets, Energy policy, Economics of innovations, evolutionary economics

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Eija-Riitta Korhola
Eija-Riitta Korhola
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Delegate of the Consultative Commission for Industrial Change European Economic and Social Committee

Country / Region

Finland
Belgium

Career history

PhD in Environmental Politics
Delegate of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change at European Economic and Social Committee 2016-
Member of the Helsinki City Council 2025-
Member of the European Parliament 1999-2014, 2024
Board member of Finnish Forest Administration, Metsähallitus

Awards/Publications

– Annual MEP Award of the European Parliament 2009 (Energy)
– Eija-Riitta Korhola (2014): The Rise and Fall of the Kyoto Protocol – Climate Change as a Political Process, Helsinki University
– Eija-Riitta Korhola: The joys and frustrations of an environmental law-maker, European View 2019
– K.Akimoto, J.Arima, M.Babiker, M.Caine, D.Hobbs, E.Korhola, A.Sieminski, N.Stehr, H.Tezuka,
M.Toyoda, M.Williams (2019) Finding a viable path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, KAPSARC – Prins, G., Cook, M., Green, C., Hulme, M., Korhola, A., Korhola, E-R., Pielke Jr, R., Rayner, S.,
Sawa, A., Sarewitz, D., Stehr, N., & von Storch, H. (2009). How to Get Climate Policy Back on
Course. LSE Mackinder Programme.

Areas of expertise

Emissions Trading, Energy transfer, Climate politics

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KURODA Reiko
KURODA Reiko
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Principal Research Scientist at the Center for Radical Transformation,
Chiba Institute of Technology;
Senior Visiting Scientist, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS);
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

1975 Ph.D. in Chemistry, The University of Tokyo.
1975 – 81: Research Associate, Dept. Chemistry, King’s College, London, U.K.
1981 – 85: Research Fellow/Honorary Lecturer, Dept.Biophysics, ibid.
1985 – 86: Senior Staff Scientist, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, U.K. / Visiting Lecturer, King’s College London.
1986 – 92: Associate Professor, Dept. Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences/ Dept. Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
1992 – 2012 Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences/ Dept.
Biochemistry, Graduate School of Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
2003 – 07: Executive Advisor to the President, The University of Tokyo.
2007 – 11: Member of the Administrative Council, The University of Tokyo
2007 – 10: Head of the Science Interpreter Training Programme, The University of Tokyo (supported by JST).
2010- 12: Head of the Science Interpreter Training Programme, Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, The University of Tokyo
2012 – 2019 Professor, Research Inst. Science & Technology, Tokyo Univ. of Science.
2019 – 2024 Designated Professor, Frontier Research Institute, Chubu University
2024 – 2026 Distinguished Professor, Chubu University
2026 – current Principal Research Scientist at the Center for Radical Transformation, Chiba Institute of Technology

Awards/Publications

Adjunctive and ex-Council Member of Science Council of Japan
Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, Sweden
TWAS (the World Academy of Science), Fellow
ISC（International Science Council), Fellow
INGSA-Asia（International Network for Science Advice）,Board member
The Club of Rome, Full ember
Saruhashi Prize (1993),
Nissan Science Prize (1994),
Molecular Chirality Award (2003),
Yamazaki-Teiichi Prize (2004),
Honorary Professor of University of Sichuan, China (2006);
Honorary Doctorate, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden (2009);
Prizes for Science and Technology, The Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister
of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (2009).
L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Award 2013.
Mukai Prize (2014),
Prime Minister’s Commendation for Efforts toward the Formation of a Gender-Equal Society (2014).
Academia Prize, The Academic Society of Japan (2015)
340 peer-reviewed publications in Chemistry and Biology, including Nature, Scientific Reports,
Angewandte Chemie, Journal of American Chemical Society.

Areas of expertise

Chemistry/Molecular and Developmental Biology, Science Communication, Science Policy,
Gender Issues

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Hoesung Lee
Hoesung Lee
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC);
President, Carbon Free Alliance

Country / Region

Korea

Career history

A globally recognized climate energy economist and former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Dr. Hoesung Lee served from 2015 to 2023, leading over 1,000 scientists worldwide in the production of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. Under his leadership, the IPCC’s findings laid the scientific foundation for the Paris Agreement’s first global stocktake and influenced over 140 national carbon neutrality commitments. He is currently president of the Carbon Free Alliance. Dr. Lee has been named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and Bloomberg’s 50 global leaders.
＜Leadership Roles＞
– Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2015-2023)
– Vice-Chair, IPCC (2008-2015) and Co-Chair, IPCC Working Group III (1992-1996)
– Chair, Asia Development Bank Advisory Board on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (2014-2023)
– President, International Association for Energy Economics (1999)
– President, Korea Energy Economics Institute (1986-1995)
– President, Carbon Free Alliance since 2023
– Special Ambassador for Carbon Free Energy since 2023
＜Academic and Professional Appointments＞
– Distinguished Fellow, Institute of Energy Economics Japan since 2023
– Distinguished Professor, Korea University Graduate School of Energy and Environment (2010-2022)
– Member, Steering Committee, Innovation for Cool Earth Forum Japan since 2014
– Member, Council, Global Green Growth Institute (2014-2018)
– Member, Board of Directors, Hyundai Corporation (1993-1999)
＜Selected Impact Achievements＞
– Led the production and release of IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), providing the key scientific basis for global climate action
– Guided the approval and adoption of IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (2018), catalyzing global carbon neutrality pledges
– Provided scientific underpinnings for the global stocktake under the Paris Agreement (2023)

Awards/Publications

– TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World (2019)
– Energy Economist of the Year for 2024 by the Energy Intelligence Forum
– Bloomberg 50: Leaders Defining Global Business in 2021
– Outstanding Contribution to the Profession Award 2021 IAEE
– Korea National Order of Civil Merit – Dongbaek Medal (2023)

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Vikram Singh Mehta
Vikram Singh Mehta
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chairman, Center for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) Research Foundation

Country / Region

India

Career history

Vikram Singh Mehta is currently Chairman of the Think Tank CSEP Research Foundation (Formerly Brookings Institution India Center). Vikram was Executive Chairman of the Think Tank, Brookings Institution India Center and Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution from 2012 to 2020. Prior to that he was Chairman of the Shell Group of Companies in India (1994 – 2012); Chief executive of Shell Markets and Shell Chemicals, Egypt (1992-1993). And Advisor, Strategic Planning to the State owned company, Oil India (1984-1988). He started his career by joining the Indian Administrative Service in 1978. He resigned from the service in 1980. Vikram is non executive Chairman of Indigo Airlines and Mahindra Electric Automotive Company and an independent, non-executive, director of Global Health ltd and Jubilant Foods. He is also on the Global Advisory Board of Macro Advisory partners; and PMB Capital

Awards/Publications

Vikram was recipient of Asia House’s Businessmen of the year” award for 2010. He also received Asia Centre for Corporate Governance and Sustainability’s Award for “Best Independent Director “in India for 2016.”
Vikram is editor of the books “ The Next Stop: Natural Gas and India’s journey towards a Clean Energy Future “. And “ Anchoring Change : 75 years of Grassroots interventions that made a difference “ . Both books were published by Harper Collins .

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Valli Moosa
Valli Moosa
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Chairperson of WWF South Africa;
Former Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Commission;
Former President, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN);
Former South AFrican Minister of Environment;
Former Chairperson of the UN Commission
on Sustainable Development

Country / Region

South Africa

Career history

Valli Moosa was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a veteran of the South African Freedom struggle. He worked closely with Nelson Mandela during the settlement talks and served as a negotiator for the ANC. He participated in the drafting of the South African Constitution. He served in President Mandela’s cabinet as Minister of Constitutional Development and in President Mbeki’s government as Environment Minister. He joined the corporate sector in 2004 and currently serves on the board of Sappi Ltd. He has served on the boards of Anglo Platinum, Eskom and Sanlam. Has served as a facilitator in the global climate change negotiation’s for a number of years. He previously served as President of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and as the Chairman of WWF (SA). He also served as the Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Climate Change Commission, chaired by President Ramaphosa, and as the Chairperson of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.

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Nebojsa Nakicenovic
Nebojsa Nakicenovic
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Honorary and Emeritus Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA);
Emeritus Professor of Energy Economics, Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)

Country / Region

Austria
Serbia

Career history

Nebojsa Nakicenovic is the Deputy Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission, Distinguished Emeritus and Honorary Scholar, and was the Deputy Director General and Acting Director General of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analyses (IIASA), and a tenured Professor of Energy Economics at Vienna Technology University.

Among other positions, he was Vice Chair of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) to the European Commission. He is the Director of The World In 2050 (www.TWI2050.org), Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, of International Science Council, and of the Luohan Academy, he is a Member of the Academia Europaea, the Montenegrin Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Earth League, the Earth Commission, the Multi-stakeholder Technical Group of Sustainable Development Goal 7, Scientific Advisory Boards of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, and Steering Committee of the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century. He serves on the Editorial Boards of ten peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Dr. Nakicenovic’s research interests include patterns of technological change including the evolution of energy, mobility, digital technologies, economic development, and climate change. Dr. Nakicenovic holds bachelor and master degrees in economics and computer science from Princeton University and the University of Vienna, where he also completed his Ph.D., and holds Honoris Causa Ph.D. degree in engineering from the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Awards/Publications

Google Scholar documents list of 838 publications by Dr. Nebojsa Nakicenovic with some 66 thousand citations.
Dr. Nakicenovic is a recipient of the Austrian Grand Decoration in Silver (Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst); with a number of scientists of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for the research contribution to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change); and with a number of scientists of the 2005 Sheikh Zayed (former UAE President) Environmental Award for the research contribution to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment under the personal leadership of Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General.
He is Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science, of the International Science Council, and Luohan Academy, and Member of the Academia Europaea Academia Europaea, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the International Academy for Systems and Cybernetic Sciences (IASCYS)

Areas of expertise

Dynamics of technological change including the evolution of energy, mobility, digital technologies;
economic development, and climate and environmental change.

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SAKANO Akira
SAKANO Akira
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Representative Director, Zero Waste Japan;
Co-Founder, Green innovation;
Chief Circularity Officer, ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd.;
Co-Director, Circular Futures Design Center, Shizenkan University

Country / Region

Japan

Career history

2015-2020: Chair of the Board of Directors, Zero Waste Academy, Japan – served to spread the zero waste community building concepts all over the world and showcased how a small town could be a model of change to the world.
Since 2020, founded Zero Waste Japan – delivers planning and implementation of zero waste policy and projects to local governments, communities and businesses in Japan and elsewhere.
Co-Founded Green innovation in 2021 to develop more than 1,000 “green innovators” to tackle climate change by 2030. Delivering “Green Innovator Academy” where educating students and young professionals to foster Green innovators to deliver Green transformation.
Joined ECOMMIT Co.,Ltd. in 2023 as Director & Chief Sustainability Officer to contribute in building circular economy from business field.
Global Shaper, World Economic Forum 2012 to 2020.
Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2019.
World Economic Forum Future Council on Japan (2020).
World Economic Forum Global Shapers Community Foundations Board (2020-2021).
Master, Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies.

Awards/Publications

Nikkei Women of the Year 2022

Areas of expertise

Zero Waste and Circular Economy policy implementation
Community-based policy making
Cross-sectoral multi-stakeholder policy making

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David Sandalow
David Sandalow
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University;
Co-Director, Energy and Environment Concentration, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

David Sandalow is the Inaugural Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) and Co-Director of the Energy and Environment Concentration at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He is the lead author, most recently, of the ICEF Sustainable Data Centers Roadmap (October 2025), ICEF Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap (Second Edition) (November 2024) and Guide to Chinese Climate Policy (Third Edition) (October 2022). Mr. Sandalow hosts the AI, Energy and Climate Podcast.
Mr. Sandalow chairs the ICEF Innovation Roadmap Project. In that capacity, he has led development of roadmaps on sustainable data centers, artificial intelligence for climate change mitigation, low-carbon ammonia, biomass carbon removal and storage, industrial decarbonization, direct air capture and carbon dioxide utilization, among other topics.
Mr. Sandalow founded and directs CGEP’s US-China Program. He teaches a short course on the energy transition each year as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University.
Mr. Sandalow has served in senior positions at the White House, State Department and U.S. Department of Energy.

Areas of expertise

energy, climate and AI policy

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Ismail Serageldin
Ismail Serageldin
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC);
Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria;
Former VP of the World Bank

Country / Region

Egypt

Career history

Co-Chair of the Board of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria, Former VP of the World Bank
Ismail Serageldin is the Emeritus Librarian of Alexandria, and was the Founding Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the New Library of Alexandria in Egypt (2001 – 2017).
Before that he was the Vice-President of the World Bank (1993-2000).
He has received many awards including the Order of the Rising Sun of Japan. He is a knight of the French Legion d’Honneur and a Commander of Arts and Letters of the French
Republic. He has lectured widely, published more than 100 books and 500 articles, and has received 40 honorary doctorates from all over the world.

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Vaclav Smil
Vaclav Smil
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Manitoba

Country / Region

Canada

Career history

University professor
Author of 50 books
Consultant

Awards/Publications

Fellow of the Royal Society (Science Academy) of Canada
Member of the Order of Canada
50 books on energy, environment, history of technical advances, food and innovation
500 papers

Areas of expertise

interdisciplinary energy studies
history of energy development
biosphere and global biogeochemical cycles

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Changhua Wu
Changhua Wu
Position

ICEF Steering Committee;
China/Asia Director, Office of Jeremy Rifkin;
Chair, Governing Council, Asia Pacific Water Forum

Country / Region

United States of America
China

Career history

Positions Formerly Held:
Greater China Director and Chair of the China Board, The Climate Group
China CEO, ENSR
Director, China Studies, World Resources Institute
Editor, English Edition, China Environment News
Advisory Positions Formerly Held:
President and Chair, and co-founder, Professional Association for China’s Environment/PACE
Member, Global Future Council of Energy, World Economic Forum
Chair, Global Agenda Council on Climate Change, World Economic Forum
Member, Global Agenda Council of Global Governance for Sustainable Development, World
Economic Forum
Founder and Executive Secretary, the Climate Fund, All-China Returned Overseas Chinese
Philanthropy Fund
Founder and Executive Director, the Million Forest Fund, China Greening Foundation

Awards/Publications

Women Leader(s): 2019, Time – 15 global women leaders to fight climate change
Areas of expertise
A specialist and policy analyst of China’s sustainability
An advisor to governments and corporations on sustainability strategy and innovation
A strategist of public and private engagement for clean energy transformation and climate solutions
An advocate for policy change and practice leadership
A public voice for positive changes and innovation
A current affairs and policy commentator on China’s clean transition
A social entrepreneur and innovator for sustainability
An award winner for her contributions to China’s decarbonization

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Thomas Wilson
Thomas Wilson
Position

Principal Technical Executive, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

Country / Region

United States of America

Career history

Tom Wilson is a Principal Technical Executive in EPRI’s Integrated Grid and Energy Systems Division. Dr. Wilson has led research on electric sector planning, decarbonization, electrification, and the role of electricity in economy-wide emissions reduction for more than 40 years. He served as Assistant Director for Electricity at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during 2022-2023. Dr. Wilson is a co-author of several influential papers on data center energy use, including Powering Intelligence: Analyzing Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Energy Consumption (2024), DOE SEAB’s Recommendations on Powering Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Infrastructure (2024), Scaling Intelligence: The Exponential Growth of AI’s Power Needs (2025), and Powering Intelligence 2026, which provides EPRI's most recent projections of U.S. data center electricity demand.

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Christoph Menke
Christoph Menke
Position

Professor for Energy Technology (retired), University of Applied Sciences Trier, Germany;
Conference Chairman, Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference & Exhibition, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia;
Distinguished Professor, Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, KMUTT, Bangkok, Thailand

Country / Region

Germany

Career history

Christoph Menke was a full professor for energy technology at the Trier University of Applied Sciences in Germany for 26 was as well advisor at the Joint Graduate School for Energy and Environment of the King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in Bangkok, Thailand for 4 years and as Distinguished Professor. He worked successfully 11 years in international organizations, like the Caribbean Development Bank, The World Bank, TATA Energy Research Institute in India. He has been a senior advisor to GIZ energy programs in the last 28 years focusing on renewable energy policies on-grid and off-grid, renewable, energy efficiency policies and co-generation. Since 2020 he is working as well on Power-to-X and green hydrogen including extensive training programs and he is currently Conference Chairman of the Asia Pacific Green Hydrogen Conference & Exhibition, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.

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Mike Enskat
Mike Enskat
Position

Director, Innovation and Technology Centre, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Country / Region

Germany

Career history

Dr. Mike Enskat is a development professional and leader with over 20 years of experience in renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and climate cooperation. His expertise spans energy, water, mobility, and green hydrogen, supporting the global transition to sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems. Since December 2025, he has served as Director of IRENA’s Innovation and Technology Centre (IITC) in Bonn, Germany, leading efforts to advance energy system transformation through innovation, energy security, and implementation-focused solutions. Previously, he headed GIZ’s Infrastructure Section (Energy, Water and Mobility), managing initiatives for the German Government, the EU, and international partners. He is known for building strong partnerships, leading high-performing teams, and advancing initiatives such as GET.invest.

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