Bringing Europe's Leaders Together

Club of Three Webinar
Europe’s path to decarbonisation: how fast can we reduce our fossil fuel dependence? - 23 February 2021

In February, the Club of Three held a webinar on the issue of decarbonisation and energy security.

This event was made possible thanks to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), with additional support from National Grid and Bosch UK. It involved some 30 senior figures from business, the policy field and academia in France, Germany and the UK.

Europe’s energy and climate objectives for 2050 have major implications for its energy security and dependence on fossil fuels. The discussion, chaired by Club of Three Chairman Michael Maclay, put emphasis on hydrogen as a promising alternative to gas. What contribution can be expected from this fuel in years to come and what role will neighbouring countries likely play?

The four main speakers were:

*Friedbert Pflüger, Director of the European Cluster for Climate, Energy and Resource Security

*Victoire de Margerie, Chair of the Supervisory Board, Ixellion; Vice Chair, World Materials Forum

*Martin Lambert, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Centre for Energy Studies

*Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, Secretary General, Hydrogen Europe

Participants included: Miguel Arias Cañete (European Commissioner for Energy and Climate Action, 2014-19); Edmond Alphandéry (Chairman of the Task Force on Carbon Pricing in Europe); Victoire Newman (Managing Director, Gragus Ltd); Duncan Burt (Director for COP26 , National Grid); Philippe Coq (Head of Public Affairs France, Airbus); Christof Kutscher (Executive Chairman HSBC Pollination Climate Asset Management); and Uwe Hanneck (Vice-Chairman, German Industry UK).