Aspen Institute España will hold the Aspen Seminar on “Energy, climate change and new social contracts” from November 13 to 15 in La Granja, Segovia. The Seminar will be moderated by María Sicilia, Director of the Enagás Investment Office and Aspen Spain Fellow, and José M. de Areilza, Secretary General of Aspen Institute España.

This seminar begins with an essential premise: the urgent need to rethink the idea of sustainability in a world besieged by polarization, technological disruption, and structural transformations in labor, energy, and geopolitics. In light of the erosion of certain well-intentioned —but unfulfilled— promises associated with social, ecological, or technocratic discourses in recent years, this edition suggests to open a rigorous and plural space for reflection on the foundations of the intergenerational social contract necessary to successfully address new economic and social goals. The Seminar does not seek to reach a particular consensus, but rather to raise the level of our inquiries and renew the keys to enlightened leadership.

Over three days of Socratic dialogue, the Seminar will address fundamental questions: What kind of progress do we want to promote in our societies? How can the link between economic development, climate responsibility, and social justice be redefined? What are the implications of climate adaptation in contrast to the already insufficient narrative of mitigation? And what opportunities does energy microgeneration open for democratizing access to key resources?

The current context demands an approach that is at once more realistic and more ambitious, with a global outlook. Discussions will focus on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on work and social cohesion, the possible need for differentiated regulatory regimes for renewable and fossil energies, and the growing geopolitical rivalries that shape the entire sustainability agenda.

María Sicilia

She is Director of the Enagás Investment Office and Co-Chair of the European Hydrogen Backbone initiative. She is also an independent director at Soltec and Tubos Reunidos. Previously, she was Deputy Director General of Energy Planning for the Spanish Government, Head of Foresight at Iberdrola, Senior Analyst for Electricity Markets at the International Energy Agency at the OECD and Regulatory Economist at Ofgem, the regulatory authority for electricity and gas markets in the UK. In addition, within the Spanish Administration she was Advisor for energy issues to the Secretary of State for Economy and Energy Advisor at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU. María is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Real Instituto Elcano, of the Editorial Committee of the journal Política Exterior and of the Spanish chapter of the European Council on International Relations.

European Council on International Relations. She holds a degree in Law with a specialisation in Business Law from the Universidad Complutense – C.E.U. San Pablo, an MPA in Economic Policy with a specialisation in Industrial Organisation from the London School of Economics, executive training from Harvard Business School and INSEAD, and is Aspen España Fellow.

José M. de Areilza