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Report on the 12th Annual Meeting of ICEF (ICEF2025)

On October 8th and 9th, 2023, the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum held its 12th annual meeting, known as ICEF2025. This event was part of the 'Tokyo GX Week', aimed at addressing the dual goals of economic growth and decarbonization through Green Transformation (GX). The meeting brought together leaders from academia, industry, and government to discuss innovative solutions that play a crucial role in combating global warming.

Opening Remarks

The event featured keynote speeches from prominent figures including Shinichi Kihara from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and ambassadors from various nations. This year, ICEF2025 hosted 12 sessions which highlighted various aspects of green transformation, particularly focusing on sustainable energy practices, carbon dioxide removal technologies, hydrogen utilization, and nuclear energy usage.

Key Themes and Discussions

The main theme revolved around 'Innovation for Green Transformation (GX) and Security'. Experts from 19 countries came together to share insights and strategies concerning renewable energy, technology for climate stabilization, and much more. These discussions emphasized the need for a collaborative international approach to tackle climate change challenges effectively.

Recording Availability

All sessions are available for viewing on the official ICEF YouTube channel, allowing wider access to the critical discussions held during the event. You can find the sessions on YouTube.

The Roadmap for Sustainable Data Centers

A highlight of ICEF2025 was the unveiling of the roadmap for sustainable data centers, a crucial response to the increasing energy demands posed by the rapid expansion of AI technologies. Participants recognized the environmental impact caused by the energy consumption and emissions related to data centers' construction and operation. This roadmap addressed these challenges by outlining technical and policy directions that could guide the development of sustainable data practices.

Clean Energy Contributions

In addition to addressing energy consumption, the roadmap explores potential contributions of clean energy, emphasizing innovative solutions that can help mitigate the environmental impacts associated with data center operations. By providing a multi-faceted view, ICEF aims to spearhead initiatives that drive progress toward net-zero emissions across various sectors.

Future Challenges

The ICEF statement noted that in the upcoming decade, achieving climate goals will require urgent attention to three priority areas: transformation of energy systems, resilience in supply chains, and maintaining resource security. By focusing on international collaboration towards carbon neutrality and security, discussions covered a range of innovative approaches and emerging technologies in renewable energy, carbon management, and circular economies.

For more details on the roadmap and sessions, you can access further information on the official ICEF website: Official Site.

Event Details and Sponsors

ICEF2025 was co-hosted by several ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment, supported by global institutions like the International Energy Agency and BloombergNEF.

• - Date: October 8th and 9th, 2023
• - Location: The Westin Tokyo Hotel, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan
• - Number of Sessions: 12

Through this event, ICEF continues to lead discussions around innovative solutions for achieving sustainability and climate goals while fostering international cooperation.

Stay tuned for more updates on actions and outcomes from ICEF2025.