Overview
McDermott Partners Carl Fleming and Shah Jahan Khandokar are proud to be selected to be a part of the Office of the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate at the 29th Annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29). They will be addressing COP29 in Azerbaijan on November 12.
FEATURED EVENT
Bridging the Global Energy Transition Investment Gap: Mobilizing Interagency and Multilateral Capital to Fund Clean Energy Megaprojects
November 12, 2024 | 1:15 – 2:00 pm (AZT) / 9:15 – 10:00 am (GMT) / 4:15 – 5:00 am (EST) | US Center
Carl Fleming and Shah Jahan Khandokar, partners in McDermott’s global energy and project finance practice, have been selected by the US government to address COP29 and share their recent cross-border experience financing clean energy megaprojects, as well as their outlook on how the private sector and governments can mobilize funds to address the already growing demands of the energy transition, which is being compounded by an explosive growth in demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers. The presentation will feature renowned private sector experts, seasoned EXIM investment bankers, and Ministers of Finance and Energy from Serbia and Nigeria.
INSIGHTS
Carl and Shah will address COP29’s focus on the energy transition, government participation, AI, and data centers. They will discuss:
- Lessons learned from developing and financing the largest solar project in Sub-Saharan Africa alongside their US client, Sun Africa, and the Export–Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)
- The Government of Nigeria’s renewable energy strategy, and the unveiling of a large solar photovoltaic (PV) and storage project to be developed by Sun Africa.
- The rise of renewable energy projects in the Balkans, including the largest solar PV and storage project in Europe alongside their US client, UGT Renewables, and the Serbian government
- Data center and crypto-mining projects and go-forward strategies for developers, investors, and governments to partner and fund the necessary infrastructure investment to support the boom in these types of projects both in the United States and globally
- Opportunities and strategies for contractors, developers, and investors to form joint ventures with US businesses currently unlocking interagency and multilateral funding for governments investing in the energy transition and data center development
- An analysis of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’s (IRA) impact on the US energy market and opportunities for developers and investors to form joint ventures to monetize the IRA’s incentives to build clean energy and digital infrastructure, including examples from more than 80 post-IRA clean energy financings
- Opportunities for government leaders to leverage private sector investment to catalyze energy transition investments based on several recent McDermott engagements to advise governments on the energy transition, including advising more than 36 governments in energy transactions and climate change policy
SPEAKERS
- Adam Cortese, Chief Executive Officer, Sun Africa and UGT Renewables
- Carl Fleming, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery. Carl is a transactional lawyer whose principal areas of practice are renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and energy transition policy. He leads transactions throughout the US and worldwide for the world’s leading developers, global private equity funds, and Fortune 500 companies. Carl provides legal and commercial advice on the development, purchase and sale, tax equity investment (including hybrid structures and tax credit transfers), and debt financing of renewable energy projects in wind, solar, energy storage, electric vehicles and other low carbon solutions. He also advises clients in the data center and digital infrastructure industry. He is a currently an appointed advisor to the White House and Secretary of Commerce under President Biden, former appointee under President Trump and President Obama, and prior diplomat and White House advisor who served in the Obama administration. He also advises a number of non-US governments on their energy transition policies and legislation.
- Shah Jahan Khandokar, Partner, McDermott Will & Emery. Shah is an energy and infrastructure (including digital infrastructure) lawyer based in London. Shah has a focus on international energy projects in emerging and frontier markets (in particular, Africa, Middle East, LatAm, and Asia), with experience advising foreign investors / sponsors / owners, lenders, and host governments. His experience includes acting in conventional and renewable power projects (generation and transmission), midstream and downstream oil & gas projects, hydrogen projects, and bitcoin mining and data center projects, including several first-in-country projects.
WATCH US LIVE
Join us either in person in the “Blue Zone” or virtually on the US Center’s YouTube page via the livestream or recording of the presentation.
Please note that the “Blue Zone” is only open to UNFCCC-accredited participants, including Party delegations, Heads of State, admitted observers and the accredited press.
MORE ABOUT COP29
In Solidarity for a Green World
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), is held annually, with the presidency rotating between the five recognized United Nations regions. The 29th annual session will be held at the Baku Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11 – 22, 2024.
Over the course of the two weeks, climate leaders across the globe will gather to discuss pressing issues such as:
- World Climate Action
- Finance, Investment, and Trade
- Energy, Peace, Relief, and Recovery
- Science, Technology and Innovation, Digitalization
- Food, Agriculture, and Water
- Nature and Biodiversity, Indigenous People, Gender Equality, Ocean and Coastal Zones
MORE FROM McDERMOTT ENERGY
Our energy lawyers are trusted advisors when it comes to complex legal challenges and unlocking business opportunities within the energy sector. The energy team leverages extensive experience within the renewable energy sector and have pioneered novel approaches to first-in-jurisdiction and first-of-their-kind projects across the full range of alternative power sources, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, fuel cell biomass, and biofuel.
Because of their experience, they have also been called upon to structure and lead many of the renewable energy industry’s largest merger and acquisition transactions, and add meaningful value at each state of a project. Learn more about our team.
