Roundtable: Just Energy Transition in the Middle East
The Middle East is facing increasingly complex energy challenges—where issues of conflict, displacement, and institutional fragility render energy governance exceedingly complex. Iraq, with its oil-dependent economy and service infrastructure weakened by decades of conflict, must now engage seriously with the global agenda for an energy transition. But what would a just and equitable transition look like in a country where large parts of the population are displaced or still lack access to basic services, and where governance is fragmented? This roundtable shifts the focus from technical fixes to the deeper political and social dimensions of the Just Energy Transition (JET). Iraq will serve as the central case, with regional comparisons drawn from countries like Lebanon—where displacement, energy poverty, and local renewable efforts raise urgent questions about equity, decentralization, and state capacity.
Speakers:
- Diana El Kaissy (Energy Governance Specialist and Member of the Advisory Group at the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI))
- Yousif Mouayyad (Director General of the Climate Change Directorate at the Ministry of Environment)
- Dr. Mohammed Ajrash (Director at the Ministry of Oil)
- Othman Kareem (Co-founder at IC3+)
Moderator:
- Dr. Zmkan Ali Saleem (Senior Research Fellow at IRIS)