Washington, DC, 10 September 2019 – School children around the world know it; executives in the C-suite know it; community organizers know it; and research scientists have been talking about it for years: the climate crisis requires a fundamental shift in the way society works, and that means the global transition to a clean, equitable energy future is no longer a policy debate; it’s a call-to-action for every community. More and more, that call is being heeded by civil society, and on 24 September 2019, these voices will join together for the EFEX2019 Energy Future Exchange conference and exhibition in Brussels.

One day after the UN Climate Summit in New York, the EFEX2019 conference underscores the importance of the transatlantic partnership in leading the global call to create a clean energy future with speakers and exhibitors from both sides of the Atlantic. The day-long event is divided into three segments. In the morning, participants engage with accessible visions from two very different perspectives. Jan Rosenow of Regulatory Assistance Project talks of the prominent role energy efficiency must play in the transition, and Danielle Turkov Wilson, founder and director of Think- Film Impact Production, premieres a new film exploring an unexpected energy source and discusses how art can inspire global social change.

Discovery is the theme of the second segment. Around 12 exhibitors, including start-ups and research institutes, share their inventive approaches to implementing the energy transition. Highlights include Strategic Microgrid, an Arizona- based company that makes renewable energy mobile and adaptable, and GICON, a German company revolutionizing offshore wind capabilities. Simultaneously, interviews will take place on stage, providing a platform for organizations such as EarthSpark International, Energy Cities, BPIE, and Heinrich Boell Foundation to talk about their work.

The final segment is about action, with a special focus on how we leverage the economic and financial power of the EU and US to ensure the global energy transition is comprehensive, quick, and equitable. Michael Schneider and Irena Spazzapan headline an experienced and insightful panel. Representatives from the European Commission will talk about the goals of the newly-seated Parliament and reinforce the importance of civil society engagement and leadership in driving public participation. Monika Zimmermann, former Deputy Secretary General of ICLEI, now working independently as an expert for international urban sustainability collaboration, will serve as the conference’s moderator.

“The goal of EFEX2019 is to change the transatlantic conversation on the energy transition in particular and the climate crisis in general, not by muting voices and looking inward, but by expanding the reach of our communications so that every individual in every community knows that they are integral to this process, that they are the solution” says Max Gruenig, President of Ecologic Institute US, the conference’s lead organizer.

EFEX2019 takes place at The Square in Brussels and is free and open to the public. Details can be found at https://www.energyfuturex.org/. Registrations are requested to help make this a zero-waste event: https://efex2019.eventbrite.com. Co-funded by the European Commission, EFEX is a project of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Ecologic Institute Berlin, and Ecologic Institute US.