WE CHOOSE EARTH

Tour '23

MADRID | JUNE 22
Speakers

Conference

A major event took place in Madrid on June 22nd, 2023.
Global thinkers, doers and artists came together to inspire collective change
towards a more sustainable future for our planet.

Welcome to the WE CHOOSE EARTH TOUR, a global conference designed to trigger a reflection in each one of us, as individuals or corporations, aiming to ignite, energize and empower participants to adopt a holistic approach to environmental and social preservation.

In the face of uncertainty, we are called to action, driven by a shared purpose and by hope for greater impact. Earth is calling us. Now is the time to prioritize collective transformation and invest in the progress of humanity.

At EDP, we are fully committed to step up to the challenge, to lead the way in embracing the greatest mission of our times – safeguarding and caring for the planet and its people. It’s not only about driving the energy transition, it’s about doing it in a fair and inclusive way. It’s about aligning technological innovation, policy debate, investment and social development towards a powerful, positive movement that leaves no one behind.

The WE CHOOSE EARTH TOUR conference, powered by EDP, gathered remarkable thinkers, doers and artists, such as Amal Clooney, Adam Grant, Céline Cousteau, Peter Frankopan, Enrique Dans, Lubomila Jordanova, Macaco and many others who are committed to inspire all of us to work towards a brighter, more sustainable future for our planet and humanity. Join us on this momentous occasion we attempted to shape a better tomorrow for the generations to come. It was time to answer the call, unlock our potential and become the change we aspire to see.

Speakers

Meet the extraordinary global leaders and speakers from different areas and fields of study, who engaged in enlightening discussions regarding the present condition of our planet, the challenges and possibilities towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Amal Clooney

Amal Clooney

International Law and Human Rights Lawyer, Activist and Author

Amal Clooney

International Law and Human Rights Lawyer, Activist and Author

Amal Clooney is a renowned barrister and President of the Clooney Foundation for Justice. She is ranked in the leading legal directories Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 as one of the top lawyers in the UK, described as “a brilliant legal mind” who “handles cases of real international importance” and has a “passionate commitment to the law and compassion for the people it serves”. She is specialized in international law and human rights, known for representing victims of mass atrocities, including genocide and sexual violence; having participated in many landmark human rights cases in recent years.

Amal Clooney has appeared before the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and various courts in the United Kingdom and the United States. She also served as a Senior Advisor to Kofi Annan when he was the UN’s Envoy on Syria and as Counsel to the UN Inquiry on the use of armed drones.

Additionally, she is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia Law School, where she teaches Human Rights. She is co-author of a book titled “The Right to a Fair Trial in International Law”, published by Oxford University Press. Her latest book, “Freedom of Speech in International Law”, will be out this year.

Miguel Stilwell Andrade

Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade

EDP, Chief Executive Officer

Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade

EDP, Chief Executive Officer

Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade is CEO of EDP, a global energy company operating through 4 main regional hubs in Europe, North America, Latin America and APAC. EDP is one of the largest renewable energy producers in the world with 75% of the energy produced from renewable sources and aiming to be all-green by 2030.

Miguel accumulates more than 20 years of experience in the energy sector. He has led many of the key transactions that have shaped EDP, including the acquisition of Hidrocantabrico in Spain in 2005, the acquisition of Horizon Wind energy in the US in 2007, the IPOs of EDP Energias do Brazil in 2005 and EDP Renewables in 2008. Miguel has also been CEO for EDP Spain and EDP’s supply business and Board Member of EDP Distribution. After being the CFO, Miguel became CEO of EDP and EDP Renewables in January 2021.

Miguel holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and graduated from the University of Strathclyde (Scotland, UK) with an M.Eng in Mechanical Engineering. He spent the early part of his career in Investment Banking.

Peter Frankopan

Peter Frankopan

Professor of Global History at Oxford University

Peter Frankopan

Professor of Global History at Oxford University

Peter Frankopan is Professor of Global History at Oxford University, where he is Senior Research Fellow of Worcester College and Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research. He works on the history of the Eastern Mediterranean, Russia, the Middle East, Central Asia and China. His work on the history of the Crusades as ‘overturning a millennium of scholarship’ and making ‘the most significant contribution to rethinking the origins and course of the First Crusade for a generation.’

Peter's most recent book “The Earth Transformed: An Untold History”, traces the history of the natural world, the disasters it has faced and our part in them. He is also the author of “The Silk Roads: A New History of the World” and the follow up book “The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World”.

He works with UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) on the future of sustainable cities and on the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2017, he was appointed Senior Advisor and Academic Expert to a major project for the World Bank and Department for International Development (DFID) on Transport Corridors in South Asia. Professor Frankopan advises governments, inter-government agencies, multi-lateral institutions and corporations around the world about geopolitics.

Cecilia Tham

Cecilia MoSze Tham

Co-founder and CEO at Futurity Systems

Cecilia MoSze Tham

Co-founder and CEO at Futurity Systems

With decades of experience working in the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, science and design, Cecilia is currently founder and CEO of Futurity Systems, providing futures-as-a-service to help companies and organizations to build better futures faster, together.

Cecilia Tham is a Harvard-trained designer, formerly a Social Technologist at Alpha Telefonica, Europe’s first moonshot factory, and a serial entrepreneur, founded multiple companies such as Makers of Barcelona, FabCafe and allWomen.tech. She served as advisor to UN World Food Program X, SXSW, and previously for the City Government of Barcelona as well as other private companies. Futurity Systems is the official Moonshot Factory Specialist providing services to Secretary of State of Spain in the Department of AI.

Cecilia is the winner of AWS Global Disruptor Award 2022, WEDO Women Pioneer Award 2022, and have been selected as Forbes Top 40 Futurists 2022, 100 Most Influential Women Europe and 100 Women of the Future. Futurity Systems has won Fast Company Innovation by Design Award 2022 as well as the gold Lovie Award 2022.

Henrique Dans

Enrique Dans

Professor of Innovation at IE Business School

Enrique Dans

Professor of Innovation at IE Business School

Professor Dans received his Ph.D. from the Anderson School at UCLA, an MBA from Instituto de Empresa (Madrid, Spain), a B.Sc. from Universidade de Santiago de Compostela and has postdoctoral studies at Harvard Business School.

His research interests are related to the impact of disruptive technologies at three levels of analysis: individuals, companies and society.

Professor Dans has been teaching and consulting in the technology arena since 1990, is a frequent contributor and columnist in the business and economic press and participates in several technology startups.

He is the author of three books: "Todo va a cambiar" (2010), "Living in the Future" (2019) and "Todo vuelve a cambiar" (2023) with all the clues you need to understand on how technology is changing our world.

Júlia Seixas

Júlia Seixas

Pro-Rector of NOVA University Lisbon

Júlia Seixas

Pro-Rector of NOVA University Lisbon

Júlia Seixas is since 2021, with the ambition to transform NOVA into a sustainable university. She is a Professor at NOVA School of Science and Technology, where she was chair of the Environment Department from 2017-22. She has been carrying out research in the area of climate mitigation and resilience of energy systems for over 20 years. She has coordinated studies in support of climate mitigation public policies, contributing to more than 10 pieces of legislation and several vision documents of Portuguese governments.

From 2016 to 2021, she coordinated the Climate-KIC Hub Portugal, a program co-funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology, leading the international education programs, Journey Summer School, Pioneers into Practice and Climate Innovation Leadership with impact on hundreds of students.

Júlia is area leader on Climate Sciences and Climate Change for the MIT Portugal Programme. Independent expert of the National Commission for Monitoring the Recovery and Resilience Program of the Portuguese government since 2021. Fellow of the Portuguese Academy of Engineering since 2018, and currently president of the fiscal council.

As a contributing scientist to the IPCC, Júlia received recognition for the Nobel Peace Prize from the Nobel Foundation in 2007. She is passionate about mentoring young people for climate action and sustainability.

Kristian Ruby

Kristian Ruby

Secretary General Union of the Electricity Industry, Eurelectric

Kristian Ruby

Secretary General Union of the Electricity Industry, Eurelectric

Kristian Ruby is a widely recognized expert with a strong communication profile and extensive experience in political affairs. He joined Eurelectric from Wind Europe, where he served as Chief Policy Officer and was in charge of development and implementation of the political strategy.

Prior to this, Ruby worked as a journalist and served seven years as a public servant in the Danish Ministries of Environment, and Climate and Energy and in the European Commission in the cabinet of the former Climate Action chief, Connie Hedegaard

Kristian holds a master's degree in history and international development.

Lubomila Jordanova

Lubomila Jordanova

Co-founder and CEO of Plan A and Founder of the Greentech Alliance

Lubomila Jordanova

Co-founder and CEO of Plan A and Founder of the Greentech Alliance

Lubomila Jordanova is the co-founder and CEO of Plan A, a software provider offering an end-to-end platform that uses machine learning and science to enable businesses to reduce their emissions and improve and report on their ESG performance. The company was recently named World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer 2022.

Lubomila is also co-founder of the Greentech Alliance, a community of more than 2,000 Greentech startups connected to more than 500 advisors from VC, media, and business. Prior to Plan A, she worked in investment banking and venture capital as well as the fintech industry in Asia and Europe. Lubomila has been recognised as an Obama Europe Leader 2022, MIT Innovator Under 35 Europe 2022, Marshall Fund Fellow 2022, Top 50 Women Entrepreneurs in Germany 2022 (Handelsblatt) and 30 under 30 (Forbes), among others.

Céline Costeau

Céline Costeau

Filmmaker, Explorer and Environmental Activist

Céline Costeau

Filmmaker, Explorer and Environmental Activist

Céline Cousteau is a social and environmental activist who comes from a lineage of environmental exploration/protection. She is a film producer/director who works to convey the important message of the interconnectedness between humans and nature, is an author, business consultant, public speaker, explorer, workshop facilitator and is currently developing a podcast.

She is also founder and CEO of CauseCentric Productions, creating impactful, cause-focused content including her first feature film, Tribes on the Edge. This film served as a catalyst for the crating of the Javari Project, a for-purpose entity serving the Indigenous Peoples of the Javari, Amazon. Connected to this work, she is developing an education program in partnership with the College of William and Mary’s Institute for Integrative Conservation. Céline is on the board of directors of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, USA.

António Coimbra

António Coimbra

Chairman of Vodafone Spain

António Coimbra

Chairman of Vodafone Spain

António Coimbra has been the Chairman of Vodafone Spain since January 2018. He was CEO of Vodafone Spain from September 2012 until October 2020. He has more than 28 years of experience in the telecommunications industry.

He started his professional career at Siemens in 1988 and in 1992 he joined Telecel as Director of Direct Sales. He later assumed various responsibilities in the company.

In 1994 he became Marketing Director and in 1995 joined the Board of Directors, first as Vice President responsible for Marketing and Customer Support and then for Marketing, Sales and Operations.

In September 2009 he was appointed Executive Chairman of Vodafone Portugal. He was also a member of the Marketing Board of the Vodafone Group from 2000 to 2009 and Chief Marketing Officer at Vodafone Japan in 2004.

Javier Verdura

Javier Verdura

Global Director, Product Design at Tesla

Javier Verdura

Global Director, Product Design at Tesla

Born in Mexico City, Javier Verdura is the Global Design Director of Tesla, the electric car manufacturer of Elon Musk since 2012, which has launched some of the most beautiful and ecologically friendly models on the planet. Javier Verdura is responsible for designing all the products that carry the Tesla brand globally.

During his more than 7 years at Tesla, Javier has designed key products that have contributed to the fulfillment of the Tesla Mission: accelerate the transition of the world towards sustainable energy.

Products such as the innovative Solar Roof, the powerwall residential energy storage system, the powerful, but minimalist Supercharger, which is the basis of the fast-charging network for electric vehicles that has more than 15,000 charging points in North America, EMEA, and APAC. Also included are some design aspects of the Model S, Model X and the most recent Model 3.

During his 25-year career, Javier Verdura has designed a wide variety of electronic products, packaging, and surgical instruments and equipment. In the process, he has received more than 130 patents and numerous design awards globally.

Javier Verdura, who meets Musk every Friday and has helped him design his rockets on more than one occasion, has based his career on a simple but powerful philosophy: "If you can't make something you've designed, your design won't worth it".

Javier Verdura received his degree in Industrial Design from the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design in California. His studies later took him to Switzerland and Barcelona to finally return to the US. and settle in Connecticut as Head of Design and Development of the famous Office Product Ventures.

Sophia Kianni

Sophia Kianni

Climate Change Activist and Member of the UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

Sophia Kianni

Climate Change Activist and Member of the UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change

Sophia Kianni is an Iranian American climate activist studying science, technology, and society at Stanford University. She is the founder and executive director of Climate Cardinals, an international nonprofit with 8,000 volunteers in 40+ countries working to translate climate information into 100+ languages. She represents the United States as the youngest member of the inaugural United Nations Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

Sophia has spoken at universities across the country, including Columbia University, UC Berkeley, Emory University, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University. She has also been a keynote speaker at events such as the New York Times Climate Hub. She was chosen out of thousands of applicants as one of TED Talks’ Global Idea Search Winners and was the closing speaker at the inaugural TED Countdown Conference in Scotland. Her work has been featured in news outlets including Forbes, CNN, BBC, TIME magazine, The Guardian, NBC and the front page of The Washington Post.

She has been named VICE Media's youngest Human of the Year, a National Geographic Young Explorer, and one of Teen Vogue's 21 under 21.

Laura Ruiz de Galarreta

Laura Ruiz de Galarreta

Director of Communication and Institutional Relations at Ikea Spain

Laura Ruiz de Galarreta

Director of Communication and Institutional Relations at Ikea Spain

Laura graduated from the University of Navarra with a degree in Communication, where she also obtained the National Degree Award for best academic record awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Education. With a 25-year career in communication and journalism, Laura R. de Galarreta leads communications, public affairs and institutional relations at IKEA in Spain since January 2022.

Before that she was general director of VOCENTO group's magazines and supplements, where she previously also held the position of director of institutional relations and corporate projects. She has also held public positions, like general director of volunteering and social promotion of Madrid's regional government from 2005 to 2012, and general director for women in 2016 in that same regional administration. She has worked at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, with a relevant role in promoting cultural projects at a national and international level, and was also communications manager at the Vitoria City Council.

Within the third sector, Laura has been the president of the Spanish Association against Cancer in Madrid since January 2018 and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Mapfre Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the Lescer Foundation dedicated to brain damage, and the Advisory Council of the master's degree in Political and Corporate Communication of the University of Navarra.

Adam Grant

Adam Grant

Organizational psychologist and bestselling author

Adam Grant

Organizational psychologist and bestselling author

As an organizational psychologist, Adam Grant rethinks how people lead, work and live. He has been Wharton’s top-rated professor for seven straight years, and his pioneering research has inspired people to question assumptions about motivation, generosity and creativity. He is the #1 NYT bestselling author of 5 books that have sold millions of copies. His TED talks have over 30 million views, his podcasts WorkLife & Re: Thinking have topped the charts, and his viral op-ed on languishing was the most-saved article of 2021.

He has been recognized as one of the world’s 10 most influential management thinkers and one of Fortune’s 40 Under. Adam received his BA from Harvard and his PhD from the University of Michigan, and he is a former magician and junior Olympic springboard diver.

Artists & Host

Macaco

Macaco

Spanish Singer and Environmentalist

Macaco

Spanish Singer and Environmentalist

Macaco is a musical band from Barcelona, Spain formed in 1997 by Dani Carbonell, who was also one of the original lead singers of the new flamenco group Ojos de Brujo. Carbonell left Ojos de Brujo after the debut album, Vengue in 2001, but has continued to make guest appearances on the group's later albums.

For more than a decade of career, Macaco has been a multi-platinum singer and winner of several awards. He released numerous hit songs with extensive media coverage and has endorsed different campaigns of renowned brands such as Phillips, National Geographic and Braun, among others.

Known to be a very proactive eco-friendly artist, he was the first Latin artist to become a global citizen ambassador. With an important background in earth conservation issues, Macaco is the only artist in Spain that has received the Ondas Award, one of the most prestigious in the country, for transmitting pro-environmental messages to young generations.

Escuela Superior de Musica
                                    Reina Sofia

Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía

Spanish School of Music

Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía

Spanish School of Music

The Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía was created in 1991 as a project to help both young people and musical culture. Since then, the School has worked to advance on two objectives: to support highly talented young people in their personal and artistic development, and to bring the best music to all audiences. Each year, 150 students from more than 30 different countries study at the School and all of them are granted full scholarships, so as to bring equal opportunities to any young talent.

The transformational capacity of music gives social impact to these two objectives. Music removes barriers and treats everyone equally, regardless of language, tradition, or culture. The practice of music unites through values such as commitment, perseverance, leadership and collaboration, which are essential for life and coexistence.

The greater the creativity and quality with which music is composed and interpreted, the stronger its emotional effect will be on the listener, and as such its beneficial impact on society will also be greater. Because of this, the Reina Sofía School has consistently maintained these educational principles from the first day as a way of ensuring maximum development of its students and the largest impact on society.

Escuela Superior de Musica
                                    Reina Sofia

Stay Homas

Spanish Musical Trio

Stay Homas

Spanish Musical Trio

Three years ago, Stay Homas amazed millions of people around the world and gained recognition from artists such as Rubén Blades, Pablo Alborán, Alejandro Sanz or Michael Bublé. Today, Stay Homas are a reference band and one of the most consolidated emerging groups on the national and international music scene.

Having released an album and two mixtapes and having toured twice throughout Catalonia, Spain and Europe, Stay Homas also have one of the best live shows in the country and a repertoire that leaves a mark on the memory and the heart of whoever attends one of their gigs.

After a successful 2022 touring Here2Play, the group are about to release their second studio album with a presentation tour that will stop through national as well as international stages. A new tour is approaching that will go through big venues such as Cruïlla or Pirata Rock.

Macaco

Ainhoa Arbizu

Journalist and Presenter

Ainhoa Arbizu

Journalist and Presenter

Ainhoa Arbizu is a renowned journalist and radio and television anchor. She is a versatile professional, capable of delivering in all types of formats and has extensive experience presenting major sporting events such as Wimbledon, US Open, and MotoGP-, and musicals such as Rock in Rio and Eurovision.

She has received awards such as the Planet D Award for Best Novel Documentary for the direction, production, and script of her documentary "Animus: Multiple Sclerosis through Art".

Throughout her professional career, Ainhoa Arbizu has had the opportunity to interview politicians, ambassadors or Nobel Prize winners, among other personalities, as well as great celebrities from the world of music, cinema and sports.

Program

A high-level program of insightful discussions and presentations designed to inspire positive change and encourage action to protect our planet. New perspectives were shared on how individuals, businesses and communities can work together to create a more sustainable tomorrow for all.

Arrival
16:30
Grand Opening
17:00
Macaco
Waging Justice to Protect Human Rights for All
17:05
Amal Clooney
 

Choosing to protect the future of our planet is nothing without the power of people. The fight for justice has some difficult foes as we strive to create a world where human rights are protected and no one is above the law. It is time we seek to bend the arc of history by building awareness of the most essential rights and responsibilities that we all must know and assume for a better future.

Fostering Sustainable Action
17:20
Amal Clooney and Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade
 

An insightful talk featuring Amal Clooney, a passionate advocate for human rights and Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, CEO of EDP, a global energy company specialized in renewables over more than two decades.

Transforming Earth
17:45
Peter Frankopan
 

Throughout history, humans have had a complex relationship with the planet, with various stages of harmony, exploitation, and destruction. As the dominant species on Earth, we have shaped and transformed the natural environment in significant ways, affecting the planet's ecosystems and climate. At the same time, nature has also played a crucial role in shaping human history, culture, and evolution.

Today, this relationship is marked by increasing concerns over climate change, deforestation, and the depletion of natural resources. As we look to the future, nature will continue to influence human life.

Peter Frankopan took us on this extraordinary historical and scientific journey to help us understand the interactions between human society and the natural world and find the ways to reduce our impacts on the planet, restore damage and live more sustainable lives.

Accelerating the Energy Transition Journey
18:05
Cecilia MoSze Tham, Enrique Dans, Júlia Seixas, Kristian Ruby and Lubomila Jordanova, moderated by Ainhoa Arbizu
 

A panel debate that brought together experts from different fields to share their experiences and insights on the various dimensions of the climate emergency.

The policy changes that encourage the development and adoption of renewable energy sources in the different areas of society and economy. Also, the potential for technological breakthroughs, how to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and make renewable energy more affordable and accessible, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, innovation, and a long-term perspective to accelerate progress towards a more sustainable future.

Embracing One Planet, One Ocean
18:50
Céline Cousteau
 

Nature and our oceans provide food, regulate climate, and support all life. Céline Cousteau, environmental activist and filmmaker, emphasized urgent action and a shift in consciousness to address the threats to our planet, with a holistic approach to inspire change and protect our planet’s resources.

Break
19:10
 
Musical Act
19:25
Stay Homas
Choosing Greatness
19:35
António Coimbra - Vodafone Spain, Javier Verdura - Tesla, Sophia Kianni - Climate Cardinals and Laura Ruiz de Galarreta, moderated by Ainhoa Arbizu
 

António Coimbra, Javier Verdura, Sophia Kianni and Laura Ruiz de Galarreta have successfully integrated sustainable practices into their business models and shared their insights and perspectives on how companies can thrive while making positive contributions to the environment and society.

Guests discussed the challenges and opportunities that businesses face in implementing sustainable strategies and practices, and how collaboration and partnerships can drive progress towards a fairer and more inclusive world.

Becoming Future
20:20
Adam Grant
 

Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and author, explored original thinking and rethinking for innovation and success, challenging assumptions, encouraging risk-taking, and drawing on evidence and real-world examples of those who have defied the norm to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Farewell Words
20:40
Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade
Grand Closing
20:50
Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía
End
21:00
Keynote speakers
Panels
Musical acts
Opening & Closing
Event time: GMT+02
The conference was performed in English. Simultaneous translation was available for Spanish and Portuguese.

Tickets

All proceeds from sales went to non-profit organizations. By purchasing a ticket, participants helped communities in Spain and contributed to a better world. Meet the non-profit organizations that we supported in the fields of energy transition, social and environmental impact:

Meet the non-profit organizations that we supported in the fields of energy transition, social and environmental impact:

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