In her keynote address, Ms Kyte will argue in favour of energy systems that can drive economies yet have zero net emissions. She will argue that despite the current renewable energy revolution, 1 in 7 people have no access to electricity and more than 30% of the world’s population cannot prepare a meal without endangering their health and their children’s health. Her challenge to policy makers is to muster the courage to build energy systems of the future which are affordable, clean and that work for everyone. She will conclude by arguing that if we decarbonise, decentralise and digitalise energy systems, we will in fact democratise them and leave no one behind.
About the Speaker:
Rachel Kyte is Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. She is an advocate for action towards the UN 2030 goals on universal energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy. As the Special Representative, she is the UN point person for the global goal on sustainable energy. Until December 2015, Rachel Kyte served as World Bank Group Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change, leading integration of climate across the Bank Group’s work as well as support for an ambitious agreement at the COP 21. A recipient of numerous awards for leadership for climate action, she is a Professor of Practice in Sustainable Development at Tufts’ Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
