Johnson Controls, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and The Climate Group have officially signed a partnership agreement for the second phase of the Euro-Mediterranean Energy Efficiency Forum (EEF), which will take place in Monaco on 10 and 11 May 2011.
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the parties took place at the International Conference & Exhibition on Ecologic Vehicles & Renewable Energies (EVER) 2011 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. The agreement builds on the success of the 2010 EEF event, which called for policy and decision makers to act on energy efficiency.
Speaking at EVER 2011, president of Johnson Controls Building Efficiency David Myers said: "We are delighted to be partnering once again with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and also welcoming The Climate Group as a new partner. The success of the EEF, and more broadly our fight against climate change, requires participation from all stakeholders in the energy efficiency debate – government at a European, national and sub-national level, NGOs, foundations and interest groups, as well as public and private sector companies. With this partnership structure in place for 2011, the EEF will once again be insightful, productive, provocative and successful."
Bernard Fautrier, vice-president and chief executive officer of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, said during his speech: "By hosting this event in the Principality for the second year, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is confirming its commitment, alongside its distinguished partners, to promoting the development of energy efficiency, which is one of the most important levers to curb energy demand and mitigate the impact of human activities on climate change."
Mark Kenber, CEO, The Climate Group, said: "Energy efficiency is the most cost and time effective way to reduce emissions, and could save us the combined current emissions of the US and China by 2020 if we take decisive action now. The major barriers to unlocking energy efficiency are already being addressed in one way or another around the world, but what is needed is rapid scale up. The EEF is the essential opportunity to make this happen."
Confirmed speakers at the 2011 EEF currently include:
• Tony Malkin – the owner of the Empire State Building, who will share his thoughts on his experience in taking on what is one of the most significant existing building energy efficiency retrofits in the world, as well as the broader need to engage the commercial building sector on the topic of energy efficiency
• Éric Besson – French minister of industry, energy and the digital economy
• Markus Söder – state minister of the environment and public health for the State of Bavaria in Germany
• Alain Hubert – chairman of the International Polar Foundation
• Michael Geissler – CEO of the Berlin Energy Agency
• Marc de Jong, CEO of Philips Professional Lighting
• Paul Dujardin – CEO of the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels
• Helene Gassin, vice president of the region of Ile de France.
For more information visit www.ee-forum.eu .