• CERAWeek
  • March 18 - 22, 2024

Paula Pinho

European Commission

Director for Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Security, Efficiency and Innovation, DG ENER

Paula Pinho is Director at the Directorate-General Energy in the European Commission since April 2021. She is responsible for Just Transition, Consumers, Energy Security, Efficiency and Innovation. A Portuguese national and lawyer by training, Ms Pinho draws on her extensive knowledge of various EU policies, and in particular EU energy policy, as well as on her leadership and negotiation skills towards her commitment to Europe’s clean and just energy transition and energy security. Previously, Ms Pinho was Acting Director for Energy Policy where she has overseen notably the work of international energy relations, financial instruments and inter-institutional relations and has represented the Commission in the negotiation of several legislative proposals. Between 2004 and 2015, Ms Pinho served as Member of Cabinet for several EU Commissioners, including Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger both in his quality of Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society and during his mandate as EU Commissioner for Energy. She was then responsible for energy security and infrastructure and the overall coordination of the international dimension of energy policy. In that capacity, she has been directly involved in the trilateral gas talks between the EU, Russia and Ukraine. Other functions included the Directorate General for Internal Market and Directorate General for Trade, where Ms Pinho coordinated the FTA agreement negotiations with the Gulf countries, Mercosur and Chile. Paula speaks fluently Portuguese, German, English and French, as well as Spanish and Italian.

Sessions With Paula Pinho

Wednesday, 13 March

  • 07:30am - 08:35am (CST) / -

    European Gas: Competition for markets

    Panel Gas

    There are significant areas of uncertainty for the European gas market in both the short and long-term. The long-awaited LNG push into Europe may be underway, and this would pose challenges for the commercial strategies of Gazprom and other pipeline suppliers. Trends for indigenous production are negative, with Dutch production being curtailed and offshore gas development in Romania delayed. Is there any prospect for unconventional gas to change the picture? In the longer term, existential questions remain regarding the future of gas in a low-carbon Europe. Can gas still have a major role despite EU mandates, or does the industry’s future rest on a gradual shift from methane to hydrogen?

Thursday, 14 March

  • 07:30am - 08:45am (CST) / -

    Investment Opportunities in a Decarbonized Europe

    Panel Finance/Trading/Risk Management Power

    As Europe is finalizing its 2050 climate and energy targets, how will this shape the opportunities for investment in renewables, storage, and flexibility? Europe’s targets are ambitious and raise several questions: What frameworks and policies will be required to meet the targets? Are the targets realistic? What will be the impact for existing assets? How to address financial and nonfinancial barriers to the deployment of new technologies?