Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency, has been awarded an honorary doctorate of science by Imperial College London.

The honorary degree was awarded to Dr Birol yesterday  (23 October) at the Commemoration Day ceremony in the Royal Albert Hall, in recognition of the outstanding contribution he has made to the economic analysis of global energy issues.

Dr Birol has close ties with the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the citation at the ceremony was read by Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, Director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change.

Dr Fatih Birol speaking at the Grantham Institute in 2011.

Among his achievements, he is responsible for producing the Agency’s most authoritative insights into global energy - the strategic analysis known as the annual World Energy Outlook. In recent years he has personally presented this Outlook in Special Lectures at Imperial.

As founder and chair of the IEA Energy Business Council he has done much to drive better cooperation between the energy industry and policymakers.

He is the Chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Energy Advisory Board and has served as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Group on Sustainable Energy for All.

Dr Birol has played a pivotal role in confronting the energy industries and governments around the world with the challenge posed by climate change and in advocating effective mitigation measures.  He has also championed the cause of universal access to modern energy.   

Dr Birol’s contributions to the wider understanding of energy policy are remarkable. He has drawn attention to the energy challenges ahead, and provided the insights needed to develop solutions.

Dr Birol will visit Imperial College London again in January to present the latest findings from the IEA’s World Energy Outlook for 2013.