Gastech Virtual Summit
London, United Kingdom
Joseph McMonigle, Secretary General of the International Energy Forum, delivered a key note address at the Gastech Virtual Summit on 8 September highlighting the importance of producer-consumer collaboration in expediting natural gas market recovery. This year’s agenda explored issues impacting the future of the industry, energy security, affordability, and sustainability, the prospects for demand and investment recovery, and changes to supply in a post COVID-19 world.
Mr McMonigle emphasized that the continued spread of COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy and the energy market. Collaboration between producers and consumers is the remedy needed to accelerate natural gas market recovery and seize opportunities that affordable, readily accessible, and clean natural gas technologies offer for a swift return to sustainable economic growth. A key role will be played by natural gas technologies and busines models that capitilise on gas market abundance. These can accelerate fuel-switching and facilitate energy systems integration with nuclear, renewables, green gas, hydrogen, and other solutions to achieve net-zero emissions that green growth and circular concepts aim for.
The exceptional energy market circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic enable governments to make progress in enhancing natural gas market transparency for which policy support remains essential. Mr McMonigle highlighted that the IEF will continue to push for more complete and faster energy market data submission, including through closer cooperation with the G20 and the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) that the IEF co-ordinates with JODI Partner Organisations.
The Gastech Virtual Summit is a strategic and technical conference that featured more than 200 speakers in 89 conference sessions and presentations. Over 1500 delegates participated on the platform that included Ministers, CEOs, and leaders of international organisations.
