CERAWeek organizers said last week that they are planning a virtual conference next year, citing “continuing uncertainty” surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and advice from experts.
IHS Markit, the London-based global information firm that holds the conference each March in Houston, said in an email Thursday that it will continue to monitor the situation and “take guidance” from city officials as to in-person gatherings.
CERAWeek 2020 was one of the first business casualties of the coronavirus pandemic when organizers canceled it in early March. At the time, COVID-19 had infected more than 88,000 people worldwide and killed almost 3,000, including one in the U.S. (See CERAWeek Canceled as COVID-19 Virus Spreads.)
The annual event is one of the world’s largest energy conferences. The last in-person conference in 2019 drew more than 5,500 government officials, industry executives and thought leaders from around the globe.
CERAWeek 2021 will be held March 1-5 under the theme, “The New Map: Energy, Climate and Charting the Future,” based on the title of co-founder Daniel Yergin’s latest book.
“We will examine the dramatic changes reshaping the global landscape and what they mean for the energy future,” CERAWeek co-Chair James Rosenfield said. He said he has been pleased with the positive response to the online CERAWeek Conversations, “all of which have been aimed at bolstering the community through this era.”
“CERAWeek now has become a platform for ongoing engagement throughout the year,” he said.
