PSEG’s Izzo shares stage at COP26 with top thought-leaders on climate change

PSEG CEO Ralph Izzo will take the stage with top other thought leaders this weekend in Glasgow, Scotland, during the Convention of Climate Change conference sponsored by the United Nations.

Izzo, one of just three U.S. utility CEOs invited to attend the global event, is making sure he is more than just a spectator. He’ll be speaking on three panels.

Today at 12:30 EST, Izzo participated in the panel: “America’s Electric Companies: Leading the World in Reducing Carbon Emissions.” The U.S. State Department-sponsored event with other U.S. utility CEOs that will highlight the actions and leadership of U.S. electric companies to get the energy they provide as clean as they can, as fast as they can, and the key role that clean, efficient electricity plays in achieving net-zero emissions. https://www.youtube.com/user/TheUSCenter [youtube.com]

Izzo was joined on the stage by John Pettigrew (CEO of National Grid), Pedro Pizarro (CEO of Edison International.

On Monday, at 7 a.m. EST, Izzo will take part in a panel, From Pledges to Progress: Decarbonizing Today to Meet Tomorrow’s Ambition. The panel, hosted by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and the Edison Electric Institute, will feature U.S. industry leaders, including the electric power sector, who will highlight new goals and initiatives they are undertaking to transform their industries, address climate change and help the nation reach its net-zero goal.

Izzo will be joined by panelists Sheri Hickok (CEO, GE Renewable Energy Onshore Wind International) and Caroline Choi (SVP of corporate affairs, Edison International). https://eei.zoom.us/j/83304305779?pwd=UG1vZFo3UUNJaXFmU29NUDhDaU5Cdz09 [eei.zoom.us]

On Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. EST, Izzo will be featured on a virtual Bloomberg-sponsored Renewable Energy Panel, Accelerating the Adoption of Renewable Energy. On that panel, Izzo will share PSEG’s experience helping New Jersey achieve its long-term carbon-free energy goals with fellow panelists: Melanie Nakagawa (Special Assistant to the President; Senior Director for Climate and Energy, National Security Council) and Amanda Peterson Corio (global head of date center energy at Google). https://events.bloomberglive.com/bloomberg-green-at-COP26/ [events.bloomberglive.com]

Long a thought-leader on climate change, Izzo said the issue is too important to ignore – and that New Jersey is too big to remain on the sidelines. Izzo will call for urgent action to address climate change.

“With more than 9 million residents, New Jersey is similar in size to many of the nations represented at COP26,” he said. “Getting hit by the climate crisis means we need to take immediate action not only to address the causes of climate change, but also to reduce and reverse its long-term impacts.

“New Jersey’s rapid progress toward its clean energy and climate goals provides a role model for the rest of the U.S. and the world.”

In Glasgow, Izzo is scheduled to meet with world government and industry leaders, including representatives of the global and U.S. power and utility sectors, to drive home the urgent need to establish aggressive goals for reducing carbon emissions – and then returning home to turn those goals into concrete actions.

“COP26 provides an extraordinary opportunity – at a pivotal moment in the climate change crisis – for government and business to work together to solve our greatest climate challenges while also strengthening economies and communities,” Izzo said. “The transition to cleaner and more resilient energy resources needs to continue, and faster than it is today. Working together, utilities and other businesses can make progress to decarbonize the economy, while governments can set policies that accelerate the scale and pace of change. This transition presents enormous opportunities for business, and creates lasting benefits for people, economies and the climate.”

Izzo said climate change and the transition to a low-carbon economy present opportunities and risks for PSEG. PSEG’s recent combined 2021 Sustainability and Climate Report dives into the potential physical and transitional risks of climate change to help PSEG better plan and prepare for the changes ahead, including actions taken to achieve the company’s recently announced net-zero climate vision for 2030.
https://www.roi-nj.com/2021/06/24/industry/energy-utilities/pseg-in-aggressive-move-now-aims-to-have-net-zero-carbon-emissions-by-2030/