Video Keynote Address

Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN)

Opening Event - Electrification & the Grid

This event will examine existing and emerging transatlantic cooperation on electrification, from renewable energy expansion to smarter, more flexible grid systems

Speakers: 

• Catherine Reed, Senior Program Director, National Association of State Energy Officials (USA)
• Monica Curtis, Senior Director Communities and Decarbonization, Pembina Institute (Canada)
• Heiko Willenberg, Head of Government Relations and Political Affairs, RWE (Germany)

Remarks

Metin Hakverdi, Transatlantic Cooperation Coordinator, German Federal Foreign Office

Breakout Events

Breakout Event 1: Workforce development in the clean economy

This session will focus on transitioning workers for the clean economy transition while ensuring equitable opportunities and no community gets left behind.

Speakers: 

• Dr. Hans-Jörn Weddige, Head of Green Transformation, Thyssenkrupp Steel
• Luisa Da Silva, Executive Director, Iron and Earth
• Philip Gass, Director, Energy Program, Just Transitions and Canada, IISD
• Dr. Jairo Garcia, Professor, Georgia Tech 

Moderation: Ilka Groenewold

Location: Atrium

Breakout Event 2: Subnational clean economy diplomacy - a how-to guide

This session will explore lessons from subnational governments forging cross-border partnerships and driving clean economy progress from the ground up.

Speakers: 

• Shane Getson, Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridor Development, Alberta
• Anna Moeller, Member of House of Representatives, Illinois
• Paul Costello, Interim Managing Director, Cities Programme, German Marshall Fund 

Moderation: Dennis Taenzler, adelphi global

Location: Breakout Room 1

Breakout Event 3: The Agriculture + Energy Nexus 

This session discusses clean energy innovations in agriculture while ensuring famers are empowered partners in the emissions reduction conversation. 

Speakers: 

• Katherine Festeryga, Founder, Edie Farming
• Angela Heinssen, Agri-PV Lawyer, Kanzlei an der Lühe
• Tom Hollander, Officer Arable Farming, Agora Agrar
• Mary Boren, State Senator, Oklahoma 

Moderation: Katja Greeson, Aspen Institute

Location: Breakout Room 2

Closing event - State-of-play of transatlantic energy diplomacy

This session will explore where the US, Canada, and Germany stand, and how to deepen collaborations to tackle shared clean energy challenges.

Speakers: 

• Anne-Mareike Vanselow, Deputy Head of Division “Climate Partnerships, Bilateral Climate Cooperation, International Climate Initiative”, German Federal Foreign Office 
• Brian Chavez, State Senator, Ohio
• Shane Getson, Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Corridor Development, Alberta
• Mary Boren, State Senator, Oklahoma 
• Susanne Droege, Senior Fellow, SWP Berlin

Closing Remarks

Vera Alexander, Canadian Ambassador to Germany