• Email: soren.lutken@un.org
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Bio

Soren E. Lütken holds a PhD in assessing European energy utilities' investment strategies with respect to UNFCCC investment vehicles such as CDM. Further, he combines an MBA background with experience from 10 years of service in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tasked with multilateral finance advice and Danish bilateral climate change collaboration with China.

His approach to the energy sector is financial and political rather than technical. He has been working with Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) in Eastern Europe with e.g. EBRD financing in the 1990s, private energy infrastructure financing in Asia in the late 1990s, CDM investment, mainly wind energy and hydro projects, in India and China from 2003 onwards, and ESCO concept development in China's steel sector in 2008-2010.

Since joining the UNEP DTU (now UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre) and its climate change-focused advisory in 2010 his work has focused on the linkage between energy investments and the politically controlled frameworks that determine investment conditions. He initiated the Global ESCO Network in 2019, realizing the missing link between the climate change agenda and the obvious role of ESCOs in emissions reduction.

He has authored two books and several working papers, including ‘Corporate Strategies and the CDM – developing country financing for developed country commitments?’ published in 2008, 'Financial Engineering of Climate Investment in Developing Countries' published in 2014 and several guidebooks on climate action and sector-specific energy efficiency implementation, including UNFCCC Guidance.

He is the author of two books on climate finance (published at Edward Elgar & Anthem Press respectively) as well as numerous guides and working papers on NAMAs and climate finance.

• Email: Timothy.Unruh@naesco.org
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Dr. Timothy D. Unruh is the Executive Director of the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO). In this role, he manages the representation of its member Energy Service Companies. NAESCO provides advocacy for the industry at the Federal, State and Local levels, and provides for member company Accreditation.

Prior to this role, Dr. Unruh was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Renewable Power at the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Office of the US Department of Energy (DOE). As the Deputy Assistant Secretary, Dr. Unruh managed the nation’s renewable power research, while also providing oversight to the Grid Modernization Initiative.

Also, while at the DOE EERE, Dr. Unruh Directed the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). As FEMP Director, Dr. Unruh oversaw the implementation of policy and actions that resulted in energy efficiency implementation, renewable energy adoption, and reductions in energy and water use in Federal government operations. Dr. Unruh coordinates with DOE national laboratories and other Federal agencies in this capacity.

Dr. Unruh has a doctorate, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.

• Email: Steven.kukoda@copperalliance.org
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Steve Kukoda is responsible for the International Copper Association’s (ICA) global partnerships, working with key stakeholders to make an impact on the UN SDGs, in particular SDG7 and SDG13. He successfully leads ICA’s involvement with its flagship program United for Efficiency (U4E), and was instrumental in the recent founding of the Cornerstone of Rural Electrification (CORE). Grid Efficiency and Resilience (GEAR) is ICA’s newest partnership, which launched in May 2022.

Steve is an evangelist on energy efficiency financing, and he works towards accelerating investment in this space as a critical part of climate action.

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Bio

Ruth Zugman do Coutto have more than 25 years of professional experience in the field of environmental, climate and chemicals policy and programme development and management, most of it in UNEP. Currently, she serves as Acting Chief of the Mitigation Branch in UNEP’s Climate Division. In this capacity, she is leading teams in the areas of energy efficiency, cooling, buildings, cities, climate finance, technology, methane reduction, food waste, transparency, NDCs, and vertical funds.

Previously,  In the Economy Division Ruth Do Coutto fulfilled multiple management positions, such as manager of the GEF and GCF mitigation portfolios, as Division programme and resource mobilization coordinator, Safer Production Initiative lead, etc.

Prior to UNEP, she worked for the Environmental Agency of the State of Sao Paulo (CETESB), Brazil, on accident prevention and preparedness for industrial activities.

She is a Chemical Engineer by training with a post-graduate degree in pollution prevention from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.