Stephen Sackur speaks to Fatih Birol, Head of the International Energy Agency, about the global energy transition and its challenges. They discuss the decline of fossil fuel demand, the growth of solar energy in India, the role of carbon capture and storage, and the upcoming COP meeting in Dubai.

This week’s guest is Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency and one of the world’s foremost energy economists. Fatih has been in-post since 2015, and is a returning guest to Cleaning Up, having appeared on Episode 28, all the way back in January 2021. Under Fatih’s leadership, the IEA has expanded its mandate to become a leading voice on clean energy technologies, energy efficiency and net-zero pathways.Few people have as clear a view on the entire energy sector as Fatih, so Michael headed to Paris and IEA HQ to hear insights on surging EV sales, the urgent need for grid modernization and expansion, and a reality-check on hydrogen's role on the path to net-zero. Make sure you like, subscribe, and share Cleaning Up. We're growing fast on LinkedIn, and we'd love for you tell your professional network about us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleaning-up-with-michael-liebreich/You can find everything you need to keep up with Cleaning Up here: https://linktr.ee/mlcleaningup Links and Related EpisodesWatch Fatih’s first appearance on Episode 28 of Cleaning Up here: https://www.cleaningup.live/episode-28-dr-fatih-birol/Watch Episode 131 with Tzeporah Berman here: https://www.cleaningup.live/ep131-tzeporah-berman-canadas-controversial-queen-of-green/Read Fatih’s latest thought leadership here:“COP28 is a moment of truth for the oil and gas industry’s efforts on climate”: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/cop28-is-a-moment-of-truth-for-the-oil-and-gas-industry-s-efforts-on-climate“Where things stand in the global energy crisis one year on”: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/where-things-stand-in-the-global-energy-crisis-one-year-onFatih’s official bio is available here: https://www.iea.org/contributors/dr-fatih-birolRead the IEA’s flagship 2021 report, Net Zero by 2050: https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050In the news:Time: Exclusive: IEA Head Fatih Birol Wants The Fossil Fuel Industry To Set Climate Targets: https://time.com/6284159/iea-fatih-birol-oil-gas-emission-targets/Euractiv: IEA chief calls for ‘serious self-criticism’ among EU’s nuclear opponents: https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/iea-chief-calls-for-serious-self-criticism-among-eus-nuclear-opponents/ Guest BioDr Fatih Birol has served as Executive Director of the IEA since 2015, taking up his current position after rising through the ranks of the IEA over two decades, from junior analyst to Chief Economist. He has been named in TIME's annual list of the world's 100 most influential people and by Forbes as one of the most influential people in the world of energy. He chairs the World Economic Forum’s (Davos) Energy Advisory Board. As Chief Economist at the IEA, he oversaw the World Energy Outlook series, the authoritative source for energy analysis and projections and flagship publication of the IEA. Fatih holds a BSc in Power Engineering from the Technical University of Istanbul, and an MSc and Ph.D. in Energy Economics from the Technical University of Vienna. Fatih is the recipient of numerous state decorations, including the French Legion of Honour and the Japanese Emperor’s Order of the Rising Sun. 

Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, discusses the outlook for oil markets, including factors affecting demand and prices. He predicts a comfortable price evolution with moderate growth throughout 2024. The speaker also analyzes physical tightness, oversupply concerns, tensions in the Red Sea, and weakening Chinese demand. Additionally, he discusses the I.E.A.'s prediction of oil demand peak before 2030 due to clean energy initiatives and electric cars.

Experts discuss the challenges of cooking with polluting fuels and stoves, health issues caused by household air pollution, sustainable solutions like bioethanol cook stoves in Kenya and solar cookers, as well as the difficulties in implementing cleaner cooking solutions and addressing the issues of unsustainable wood stoves and solar cooking.

Head of IEA and coal analyst discuss coal's decline during lockdown due to excess supply switching off coal plants, while India embraces cheaper renewable energy. Discussion on China's ongoing coal projects. Professor explains coal's role in Industrial Revolution.