Improving Energy Access through Energy Efficiency

Panelists

Sergio Segura, Mexico’s Commission for Efficient Energy Use (CONUEE)

Sergio Segura has more than 15 years of experience working on issues related to energy and the environment in both the public and private sectors in Mexico, including experience in program development and implementation and policies related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, environment and climate change. His work and professional experience is complemented with various articles and projects, as well as conferences and presentations on policy and energy planning, oil and its geopolitics, climate change, energy and environmental law. Sergio has served as an associate consultant for ENTE, SC, where he participated in the management, development and elaboration of several projects in Mexico and Latin America. He has been a consultant for Abt Associates, Inc., a contractor of Mexico competitiveness program of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) within the renewable energy component. Between 1992 and 2001, he worked in different areas of Mexico’s federal government, serving as head of the International Affairs of the National Commission for Energy Savings, as well as an Advisor of the Committee on Climate Change of the Sector Energy of the Undersecretariat of Energy Planning and Technological Development at the Ministry of Energy. Sergio currently serves as Director of Promotion and International Cooperation at the National Commission for Energy Efficiency (Conuee). He holds a degree in International Relations from the Universidad de las Américas, A.C. in Mexico City and a master’s degree in International Organizations from the Universidad de las Américas, A.C.

Mark Hopkins, United Nations Foundation

Mark Hopkins is an internationally recognized expert in energy efficiency with 40 years of experience in policy reform and program development. He is the former Executive Vice President and chief Operating Officer of the Alliance to Save Energy. Areas of expertise include: building codes, appliance standards and Energy Star; building design and upgrade, government facility energy management and energy saving performance contracting; and utility regulatory reform and industrial energy productivity. In the early 1990s, Mark created the Alliance’s international program that helped to improve energy efficiency in 25 transitional and developing countries, especially in the areas of district heating, municipal energy management and in water and wastewater systems. More recently in the private sector, he developed a new clean energy business model for Lockheed Martin Corporation. He directs the UN Foundation’s efforts to incorporate strong energy efficiency commitments into international agreements and helps countries deploy energy efficiency through the UN’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative. He is a Member of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of CLASP, the Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program, the ClimateWorks international best practice hub. Mark is currently organizing a Global Partnership for Energy-Efficient Buildings.

Moderator

Amit Bando, Executive Director, IPEEC

Amit Bando is Executive Director of the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC). He has worked in more than 60 nations to promote innovative financing of clean energy initiatives and climate change mitigation/adaptation options. He has led the development of the U.S. National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) and several widely used monitoring and evaluation tools for low-carbon initiatives. He helped establish the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) at the Chicago Board of Trade and the Carbon Registry at the Istanbul Stock Exchange, and he represented the United States at the Rio Earth Summit. Out of IPEEC’s Paris headquarters, Mr. Bando coordinates energy efficiency and climate change policies, regulations, financing, monitoring and standards among IPEEC’s member nations. Together, the fifteen IPEEC members account for over 80% of world energy use. IPEEC is working with industry to promote rapid global deployment of energy efficient technologies, products and services.