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CEET at COP30: Engineering the Energy Transition

By Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET)

Setting the Scene: Energy Goals, Global Stocktake, and NDCs

From November 10-21, 2025, Belém, Brazil, will host the 30th UN Conference of the Parties (COP30), where the focus will be on shifting from ambition to implementation. Following the first Global Stocktake’s call for transformative energy shifts, negotiators will focus on implementing three interconnected energy goals:

  1. Tripling renewable energy capacity,
  2. Doubling energy efficiency improvement rates by 2030, and
  3. Transitioning away from unabated fossil fuels in a just, orderly, and equitable manner.

To achieve these ambitions, every dimension of the energy system must transform, and for emerging markets and developing economies, access to affordable financing for the energy transition remains a priority. Mobilizing capital to modernize grids, deploy storage, and expand renewable energy deployment will be critical to bridging the implementation gap. With countries submitting their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), COP30 is a key moment to align national climate strategies with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring global progress toward a low-carbon, resilient future.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently stated, “the fossil fuel age is flailing and failing,” marking what he called “the dawn of a new energy era.” COP30 must now translate that vision into a technically sound and equitable reality.

Members of the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition (CEET) will be at COP30, contributing to these conversations and emphasizing the importance of leveraging technical and engineering expertise in this work. Learn more about our CEET members who will be on the ground in Belém.

Watch Rosana Santos, member of the CEET, discuss why a just energy transition is vital, especially for emerging markets and developing economies.

CEET Agenda at COP30

On the sidelines of COP30, the CEET will launch two issue briefs developed with key partner institutions:

  1. Unlocking Green Hydrogen for 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy – Developed in partnership with SEforALL’s 24/7 Carbon-free Energy Compact.
  2. Brazil's Power Infrastructure Resilience in the Face of Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation – Developed in partnership with Enel Foundation.

Check back during COP30 to download these publications and explore the CEET Issue Brief collection.

The CEET will also host and participate in multiple side events during COP30:

Sunday, 2 November, 2025

Green Energy Zones and Corridors

Hosts: Climate Parliament and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with the support of the Green Climate Fund (GCF)

At the Rio Parliamentary Green Investment Summit, this session explored the core elements of design, development, and implementation of Green Energy Zones at all scales. Panelists discussed progress since the announcement of the COP29 Green Energy Zones and Corridors Pledge, and the accompanying ‘Legislators’ Pledge’ signed by legislators from 32 nations during the Istanbul Dialogue.

During the opening panel, Rosana Santos stated, “Energy transition is not an end in itself, it is a means to get us to a more equal and green economy. We need to focus on the decarbonisation technologies that are ready to deploy on the ground now, not in 2050.”

Speakers and participants included:

  • Rosana Santos, CEET Member and Executive Director at E+ Energy Transition Institute
  • Renato Ciminelli, CEET Member and President at Instituto Quadrilatero
  • Luisa Valentim Barros, CEET Member and Brazil Country Lead at The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet

Wednesday, 12 November

Clean and efficient energy solutions

  • Time: 12:30 – 13:30 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: Standards Pavilion
  • Host: IEC

This session will focus on how standards can accelerate energy efficiency across sectors, with a particular emphasis on underserved communities. Experts from the IEC, IEA and Clean Cooking Alliance will discuss how standards support affordability, safety, and scalability — from clean cooking solutions to smart grid integration. The conversation will highlight practical applications and policy pathways for inclusive energy efficiency.

This session will feature:

  • Semida Silveira, CEET Member and Professor at Cornell University

Convening for Climate Action: Interoperability, Practice, and Action

  • Time: 16:00 – 17:15 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: Standards Pavilion
  • Hosts: IEC, Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB), ISEAL

This closed-door working session, held under Chatham House Rule, will convene leading sustainability standards and certification systems to exchange insights on best practices for integrating climate resilience into standards frameworks and reaching global uptake. The discussion aims to identify opportunities for deeper collaboration, interoperability, and mutual recognition—advancing a more coherent global approach to sustainability and resilient investment.

This session will feature:

  • Mercedes Maroto-Valer, CEET Member, Director at UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), and Deputy Principal (Global Sustainability) at Heriot-Watt University
  • Wangari Muchiri, CEET Member and Director of Global Wind Energy Council

Thursday, 13 November, 2025

From Livestock Waste to Climate Solutions: Policies, Technologies, and Cooperation for Methane Mitigation

  • Time: 4:40 – 5:40 p.m. BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: AgriZone Pavilion – Auditorium 4
  • Hosts: Instituto 17 (i17), Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (MAPA), Embrapa Swine and Poultry, and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

The roundtable will bring together representatives from governments, research institutions, international organizations, and the private sector to discuss scalable solutions for reducing methane emissions from livestock systems. The session will also feature the international launch of the guide “Animal Waste Management for Methane Mitigation: Lessons from Brazil for Global Action”, showcasing Brazil’s integrated approach and promoting cooperation and knowledge exchange among countries toward sustainable and low-emission agriculture.

This session will feature:

  • Alessandro Sanches Pereira, CEET Member and Executive Director at Instituto 17

Friday, 14 November, 2025 (Energy Day)

Advancing Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Article 6 Partnerships: Inclusive, Equitable, and Scalable Climate Solutions

  • Time: 9:00 – 10:00 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: UNFCCC Special Events Room Paraná, Blue Zone Area
  • Hosts: CEET, UNIDO, UNFCCC

This session will explore how carbon dioxide removal (CDR) can complement emission reduction efforts through equitable Article 6 partnerships under the Paris Agreement. Panelists will examine governance, financing, and cooperation models to scale nature-based, hybrid, and engineered CDR solutions while ensuring ecosystem protection, Indigenous rights, and alignment with national and voluntary climate frameworks.

Speakers include:

  • Rana Ghoneim, Director, Division of Energy and Climate Action at UNIDO at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
  • Emi Gui, CEET Member and Associate Professor at Monash University Malaysia
  • Mercedes Maroto-Valer, CEET Member, Director at UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), and Deputy Principal (Global Sustainability) at Heriot-Watt University
  • Nitin Arora, Lead, Stakeholders Interaction Unit at UNFCCC
  • Rosana Santos, CEET Member and Executive Director at E+ Energy Transition Institute
  • Semida Silveira, CEET Member and Professor at Cornell University
  • Thiago Barral, Executive President at the Brazilian Energy Research Office (EPE)
  • Zoe Norgate, Deputy Director, International Net Zero: Green Finance and Capability, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, UK

Official Launch: Green Hydrogen Task Force Fact Sheet — Unlocking Green Hydrogen for 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy

  • Time: 10:30 – 11:30 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: UNFCCC Special Events Room Paraná, Blue Zone Area
  • Hosts: CEET, SEforALL, UNFCCC

This event will launch the work of the Green Hydrogen Task Force, co-led by CEET and SEforALL under the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact. The session will present key findings and pathways to accelerate green hydrogen deployment in the Global South through targeted policies, investment frameworks, and technology collaboration.

Speakers to be announced.

Accelerating the Scale-Up of Green Hydrogen in Developing Markets

  • Time: 14:45 – 15:45 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: SDG Pavilion hosted by UN DESA, Blue Zone Area
  • Hosts: CEET, SEforALL

Building on the findings of the Green Hydrogen Task Force introduced at the official launch, this session will focus on practical pathways to scale green hydrogen deployment in developing markets. Policymakers, investors, and industry experts will explore solutions to overcome cost, regulatory, and financing barriers, along with highlighting opportunities for regional leadership, especially across Africa and the broader Global South. This event will be held on-site at COP30 and livestreamed globally.

Speakers include:

  • Stefano Marguccio, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)
  • Ali Zerouli, CEET Member and Co-lead of Green Hydrogen Task Force
  • Jonas Moberg, CEO at Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2)
  • Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate & Green Growth at African Development Bank (AfDB)
  • Petra Schwager, Chief, Climate and Technology Partnerships (CTP) Division at UNIDO

Saturday, 15 November, 2025 (Energy Day)

Strengthening Capacity Building for the Energy Transition

  • Time: 10:30 – 11:30 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: UNFCCC Capacity-building Hub, Blue Zone Area
  • Hosts: GEIDCO, UNFCCC, Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB), SDSN

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement requires rapid, inclusive, and well-governed energy transitions. Yet countries and institutions face persistent capacity gaps in policy design and implementation, human resources and skills, project preparation and financing, and cross-border coordination. This session responds to those needs by convening international organizations and implementation partners to share practical experience, assess capacity-building gaps, and discuss collaborative mechanisms for future action.

Speakers include:

  • Liz Nelson, CEET Program Manager at Sustainable Development Solutions Network
  • Luisa Valentim Barros, CEET Member and Brazil Country Lead at The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet

Standards for climate action: policy, practice, and global impact

  • Time: 15:30 – 16:30 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: Standards Pavilion
  • Host: IEC

This session will explore the role of international standards in driving climate action. Through a moderated dialogue with partners (Standards Pavilion initiators and national standards bodies), we will examine how standards influence national climate strategies, support innovation, and promote equitable transitions. Country-level case studies will highlight how standards are being used to implement climate goals and how advocates are shaping policy from the ground up.

Speakers to be announced.

Monday, 17 November, 2025

Building Climate-Resilient Power Infrastructure in Brazil: Integrating Technology, Biodiversity, and Policy for a Sustainable Grid

  • Time: 15:00 – 16:00 BRT (GMT-3)
  • Venue: SDG Pavilion, Blue Zone Area
  • Host: CEET

Brazil’s power system faces rising risks from extreme weather, biodiversity pressures, and rapid distributed generation growth. This session will explore strategies to enhance grid resilience through digitalization, smart grids, and adaptive planning. Drawing on CEET’s issue brief on this topic, experts will discuss regulatory innovation and public-private collaboration to integrate technology, biodiversity, and policy for a sustainable, climate-ready grid.

Speakers include:

  • Alessandro Sanches Pereira, CEET Member and Executive Director at Instituto 17
  • Izael da Silva, CEET Member and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation at Strathmore University
  • Luisa Valentim Barros, CEET Member and Brazil Country Lead at The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet

Additional Resources

CEET Members Rosana Santos and Luisa Valentim Barros speaking at the opening of the Rio Parliamentary Green Investment Summit.