Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE

تحت رعاية صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان، رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة

Supported by

Joseph McMonigle

Secretary General

International Energy Forum

Joseph
Joseph

Joseph McMonigle assumed his position on July 1, 2020 as the fifth Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (IEF), the largest international organisation of energy ministers and based in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He has over 20 years of experience working on energy issues in the public and private sectors. Prior to becoming Secretary General, Mr. McMonigle was the President & Co-Founder of The Abraham Group, a leading international energy sector management consulting firm based in Washington D.C. as well as a senior energy analyst for Hedgeye Risk Management based in Stamford, Connecticut. In addition, Mr. McMonigle was Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) during the first term of the Bush Administration (2001-2005) and helped to manage a cabinet department with a $23 billion budget and over 100,000 federal and contractor employees at the time. He also served two years as the former Vice Chairman and US Representative of the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA), an international organisation of oil consuming countries within the OECD, whose core mission is to work on stable energy markets. He also served as the US co-chair of the US-China Energy Working Group as part of his DOE portfolio. Before joining the Bush Administration, Mr. McMonigle was a general counsel and communications director to a United States Senator. He was elected by his peers to serve two terms as President of the U.S. Senate Press Secretaries Association, a bipartisan organisation of Senate press secretaries and communications directors. Mr. McMonigle is an attorney and a member of the Energy Bar Association and licensed in the District of Colombia and Pennsylvania state bars. He is also an FAA licensed pilot with instrument rating. He received his undergraduate degree from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (USA) and his Juris Doctor degree from Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (USA).

Session Overview
Tuesday, 4 November
12:00
Global strategy Conference Room B 12:00 - 12:45
Redrawing the map: geopolitics and energy markets

The global energy market is being driven by intersecting geopolitical and market dynamics. As governments respond to inflation, industrial policy, and security concerns, the lines between energy and foreign policy are increasingly blurred. US political decisions, including election outcomes, foreign policy shifts and industrial and trade strategies, are having far-reaching effects on global energy flows, investment patterns, and energy security frameworks. At the same time, shifting geopolitical dynamics, from evolving US–China relations and developments in the Middle East to the reconfiguration of Russian energy flows, are redrawing commodity markets and trade corridors. Together, these dynamics are reshaping how governments, producers, and investors assess risk, allocate capital, and define strategic energy partnerships.

Attendee insights:

Understand how evolving dynamics are influencing global markets across the geopolitical and economic landscape.

Wednesday, 5 November
12:00
Decarbonisation ICC Hall B 12:00 - 12:40
Scaling CCS: new business models for rapid deployment

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) remains a critical lever for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors, enabling energy solutions to be delivered in the most carbon-efficient way possible. As CCS evolves from pilot to commercial scale, industry leaders are championing a collaborative, pragmatic approach to create viable business models that distribute risk, align incentives, and expand infrastructure through cross-sector innovation. Emerging frameworks, including emissions aggregators, shared CCS hubs, and open-access CO₂ transport and storage networks, exemplify how the energy ecosystem is reframing challenges into pathways for efficient, cost-effective scaling. These solutions enable emitters, service providers, and infrastructure developers to unite across the value chain, creating bankable projects with predictable outcomes. As governments introduce forward-thinking policies including clearer carbon pricing mechanisms and financial incentives, strategic alignment and collaboration between private and public sectors becomes increasingly critical. Unlocking the full potential of CCS will require more than technology, it demands innovative business models that create shared value, reduce cost barriers, and scale up infrastructure to advance a resilient, low-carbon, high-growth future. 

Attendee Insights:

Gain exposure to emerging CCS business models and learn how value chain collaboration, emissions aggregation, and open-access networks are reshaping how industries finance and scale carbon capture technologies.

Thursday, 6 November
11:20
Decarbonisation Conference Room B 11:20 - 12:00
Carbon markets 101: policy, price, and the path to global integration

Carbon markets are evolving rapidly, shaped by new international frameworks, regional trading platforms, and voluntary initiatives working toward greater structure and interoperability. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is gaining traction through bilateral agreements such as those of Japan and Ghana and the operationalisation of the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, enabling cooperative emissions reductions. Programmes like the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) are driving progress on credit quality, tracking, and transparency. In 2023, the value of traded carbon markets reached a record US$949 billion, reflecting rising private sector interest despite ongoing concerns around integrity and double counting. Today, countries are developing carbon credit infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. At the same time, corporate buyers such as energy-intensive industries and digital platforms are reshaping demand by tightening procurement criteria and exploring direct investment in nature-based and engineered carbon removal. For energy producers, investors and developers, credibility, liquidity and policy alignment remain key to building confidence and scale.

Attendee insights:

Gain strategic insights into the policy, financial, and operational foundations of global carbon markets, and explore how companies, banks, and regulators are responding to evolving buyer expectations, new demand signals, and the future of cross-border carbon credit trading.

Wednesday, 6 November
14:40
Strategic Conference Conference Room B 14:40 - 15:25
View Session
Shaping the energy future: partnerships and policy and collaboration

The scale, complexity and urgency of the energy transition continues to increase in the face of continued geopolitical tensions, increasingly frequent climate events, and ongoing barriers to scaling and commercialising the innovative technologies needed to deliver a decarbonised energy future. By bringing together diverse expertise and resources across sectors, borders and disciplines, new partnerships and collaborations can accelerate innovation, mobilise critical capital and drive the systemic changes needed. To deliver change in the timeframe required, it is critical for governments and organisations across sectors to enable the rapid exchange of ideas, technologies and methodologies; mobilise new sources of funding and increase access to it; and nurture the international collaborations that allow for the sharing of best practices and the scaling of successful innovations across borders.

Attendee insights

Gain a better understanding into how energy leaders and policymakers are shaping the future of energy by enhancing collaboration opportunities, shaping new policies and showcasing progress that creates a resilient and sustainable future for the energy sector.

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