Session by Paul Simons, Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency, 4 February 2016 Signs of change in global energy have multiplied in the 12 months. Oil prices fell sharply, with the prices of other fuels moving in tandem in many parts of the world. Amid turmoil in parts of the Middle East, a clear pathway opened up for the return of Iran, one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon resource-holders, to oil markets. China’s role in driving global trends continues to change as it enters a much less energy-intensive phase in its development. Renewables contributed almost half of the world’s new power generation while the coverage of mandatory energy efficiency regulation expanded to more than a quarter of global consumption. And the Paris Agreement reached at COP21 has provided a catalyst to accelerate investments in cleaner technologies and energy efficiency. The session addressed these and other developments, the associated risks and opportunities that might lie ahead – and what can be done to put the energy system on a more secure and sustainable footing.