Strengthening international cooperation among leading research institutes of the G20 countries
At the suggestion of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Research Development initiative RD20 was launched in 2019 under Japan’s leadership. Its aim is to strengthen international cooperation by leading research institutes in the G20 countries and regions, that are involved in developing the world’s most advanced technologies for the achievement of climate neutrality. RD20 offers participants the opportunity to exchange experiences in R&D activities, and best practices related to clean energy technologies across countries and regions, as well as to explore the potential for joint international research projects. It also serves to deepen and develop new partnerships among relevant industry, academia, and government stakeholders. Being responsible for more than 80% of global CO2 emissions, the cooperation of the G20 countries in climate protection measures represents an important step towards achieving envisaged CO2 reduction goals.
In addition to encouraging collaboration among leading research institutions, the organizers are particularly keen to make the latest technologies and research findings accessible to a wider international research community. To this end, the activities revolve around two main events: an international conference and a summer school. The summer school aims to promote a shared understanding of climate neutrality initiatives among young researchers in the G20 countries. As a result, the aspiring scientists will develop recommendations for the G20 leaders’ meeting on the decarbonization of energy systems. Furthermore the event fosters future research leaders and contributes to the creation of an international alumni network of young researchers.
At the international conference researchers and experts from around the world get together for a week to discuss the latest developments in clean energy technologies and explore further possibilities for international collaboration. The conference’s technical program includes plenary and expert sessions on relevant topics in the energy sector. Furthermore, the experts discuss how global cooperation on specific renewable energy issues can be fostered between regions and how important impulses for innovation in research collaborations can be generated. trade&messe, in collaboration with participating stakeholders, was contracted to raise the awareness of the importance of the RD20 initiative within the international research community, for the promotion of scientific exchange and collaborative research and the academic contribution towards the achievement of climate neutrality.