Engaging at international fora

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Speaking to the adoption of effective modern regulations with businesses and governments

Engaging with a wide range of organizations, processes and coalitions, the Solar Impulse Foundation seeks to make clear that clean, efficient and profitable solutions exist today and that we must establish the right conditions for them to develop and succeed; thereby accelerating the transition toward a more just and sustainable society.

The UNFCCC climate negotiations

Bertrand Piccard sought to encourage decision-makers and heads of state to adopt ambitious energy and environmental regulations, creating an environment conducive to sustainable business practices. At previous editions of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, we have been able to involve some of the hundreds of solutions we have identified to showcase cutting-edge clean technologies to governments and businesses, demonstrating what could be possible if the right conditions are in place.

The European Commission

Special Advisor to Maroš Šefčovič

In July 2020, Bertrand Piccard was appointed as Special Advisor to Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight at the European Commission. VP Šefčovič specifically requested Bertrand Piccard to support him in his efforts to ensure strategic foresight is at the heart of better policy-making and the Green Recovery Program, thus reinforcing his position as an ambassador for progress and sustainability.

Label equivalence program

As part of their long term collaboration, the Solar Impulse Foundation and the European Commission launched an equivalence between the “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” label selection process and the Commission's prestigious “EIC Accelerator Phase II” grant program. This program evaluates projects from Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Europe based upon their potential in terms of innovation, excellence, positive impact and commercial implementation, selecting those with which to provide recognition and financial support. This equivalence represents a major step towards ensuring an integrated widely recognised methodology can effectively be implemented to provide greener, more cost-effective and safer technologies to governments and companies.

EIB Fast tracking program

In March 2019, the Foundation and the European Investment Bank agreed on a fast tracking program for the labelled solutions. This program facilitates the access to EIB’s advisory process, which helps companies structure their financing strategy. Since this agreement, a solution that received the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution label – from a company producing oils, waxes and solvents from depolymerised plastics – entered the finance advisory track at EIB, signing an independent contract with the EIB following a direct introduction by the Solar Impulse Foundation.

EU Energy Tour

In 2017, Bertrand Piccard was invited by the then Vice-President for Energy Union at the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, to participate in his EU Energy Tour in some main European cities in order to promote the “Energy Union Strategy”, a project that “aimed at providing secure, sustainable and competitive energy to every European citizen”. Piccard accompanied Šefčovič to Bordeaux and to Lisbon where civic dialogues were held as well as meetings with many regional representatives, investors and innovators from startups with the main purpose to promote practical solutions to help the clean energy transition.

Covenant of Mayors

After signing an MoU with the Covenant of Mayors at COP24 in 2017, the Foundation hosted a side event at the 10th Anniversary of the CoM where European mayors were matched with solutions providers, bringing them face to face through one on one meetings. The event hosted a total of thirty meetings, therefore providing a unique opportunity for innovators to pitch in front of decision makers, showing them that clean solutions ensuring a faster energy transition for cities exist.

The French Government

G7

Bertrand Piccard was selected by the French government as one of the representatives of civil society for the 45th edition of the G7. He therefore took part in a closed-door meeting with the 7 Heads of State as an invited expert and called for brave policies that will turn the tide in the climate crisis. Bertrand Piccard’s intervention mirrored his work with the One Planet Lab, and focused on advancing clean mobility and decarbonizing the transport sector.

One Planet Lab

In 2019, as part of the One Planet Lab, Bertrand Piccard was asked to co-lead the carbon neutrality and zero-emission mobility workstream along Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation. During this high-level forum, Piccard advocated for ambitious policies and some of the ideas that emerged were brought by him at the G7 of the same year.
Established by President Emmanuel Macron of France, this think tank brings together 31 international leaders to identify innovative solutions and actions, create new coalitions and make specific suggestions on fighting climate change.