Climate Change and Energy Minister the Hon Chris Bowen MP has visited counterparts in the United Arab Emirates and Europe to discuss initiatives to improve relationships, promote Australia’s climate action and clean energy investment potential, as well as achieve net zero emissions.
During his 10-day trip, Minister Bowen spoke with foreign leaders, ministerial rivals, business organisations, and potential investors in Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Berlin, Rotterdam, Brussels and Paris.
Minister Bowen met with Abu Dhabi COP28 President and Special Envoy for Climate Change Sultan al-Jaber to support efforts for this year’s COP and lay the groundwork for an impactful COP31, which Australia is bidding to host in collaboration with the Pacific in 2026.
In Vienna, the minister met with Leonore Gewessler, Austria’s Minister of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology, to discuss collaboration under the Net Zero Industries Mission.
To discuss the next steps in the German-Australian partnership, the minister also met with Robert Habeck, Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, business executives, and other government officials.
A visit to a hydrogen electrolyser facility and a tour of a sustainable energy manufacturing hub came next.
A significant Memorandum of Understanding was then signed at the Port of Rotterdam between Australia and the Netherlands to support the creation of a renewable hydrogen supply chain from Australia to Europe.
Subsequently, Minister Bowen accompanied Minister for Climate and Energy Policy Rob Jetten on a site visit to a hydrogen infrastructure and coastal wind farm.
The Minister next travelled to Brussels, where he met with high-ranking EU officials and gave a keynote speech at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), where he spoke about Australia’s ambition and action in the field of clean energy as well as ways to improve relationships in the area of energy security.
The minister also engaged with industry at a European Australian Business Council (EABC) event.
The last stop was Paris where Minister Bowen met with Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, and representatives from the International Energy Agency to talk over some ways to drive global climate ambition and achieve collective decarbonisation goals.
