On March 18, 2025, in New York City, FGV Europe in partnership with Consulate General of Brazil in New York / Consulado-Geral do Brasil em Nova York, Columbia University Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies, and the ILAS | Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University, as well as the Amcham-Brasil, the São Paulo School of Economics (FGV EESP), and the Rio de Janeiro Law School (FGV Direito Rio), hosted the seminar “Energy Transition and Artificial Intelligence: Solutions for a Sustainable World” at the Smith Learning Theater at Columbia University.
The opening session included remarks from Ambassador adalnio senna ganem, Consul General of Brazil in New York; Cesar Cunha Campos, Director of FGV Europe; Paulo Blikstein, Director of Columbia’s Lemann Center; Will Goodwin, Director of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE); and Edward Mermelstein, Commissioner for International Affairs at the New York City Mayor’s Office.
Panel 1: Energy Transition and Brazil’s Renewable Energy Matrix
Moderated by Marco Contardi and featuring Dimitri Zabelin, Geopolitical Strategist at Pantheon Insights, the panel discussed the impact of geopolitical trends on the energy transition and Brazil’s role in this evolving landscape, analyzing key risks and obstacles. Next, Bruno Dantas, Minister of Brazil’s Federal Court of Accounts and professor at FGV Direito Rio, addressed how government oversight can track and assess the effectiveness of public policies related to energy transition. Nicolas Lippolis, Postdoctoral Researcher at Columbia, explored Brazil’s green transition policies and investment strategies in data centers leveraging the country’s renewable electricity mix.
Panel 2: Technological Development and Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure
Moderated by Sidney Nakahodo and featuring Luis Martins, CEO Dadosfera; Alexander Tingle, Director at Goldman Sachs; and Marcos Vinícius B. Peigo, CEO of Scala Data Centers, examined how artificial intelligence is transforming infrastructure, driving operational efficiency, and promoting sustainability. Speakers discussed the critical role of data centers in the digital economy and strategies to minimize environmental impacts.
Panel 3: Attracting Investments for Renewable Energy and AI Infrastructure in Brazil
Moderated by Mariana Fleischhauer Corrêa da Costa and featuring Adalberto D. Bueno Netto, Fabrizio Sardelli Panzini, Emanuel Hernandez, Director of Research at Lavca and Decio Freire Advogados Associados, FGV – Fundação Getulio Vargas‘s General Counsel, debated the role of public policies in attracting foreign investments to Brazil, focusing on energy, technology, and infrastructure.
In his keynote, Decio Freire provided an in-depth analysis of Brazil’s energy regulatory framework, recognized as one of the most complex and dynamic in the world.
The seminar served as a unique opportunity for academics, policymakers, and industry professionals to explore the intersection of technology, sustainability, and investment.
