Seated around a table, a group of energy executives role-playing as stakeholders seeking approval for a hypothetical energy project were reminded of the value of conversation in building trust. Faced with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and researchers acting as members of the local community, it became obvious that by listening, engaging, understanding, and empathizing with other stakeholders’ views, consensus on difficult issues could be found, resulting in better outcomes, faster resolution, and more successful projects.

The activity was part of a day-long industry-academic summit organized to explore the role of trust in either speeding up or slowing down the energy transition. Co-organized by the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment and Worley, the From Ambition to Reality Summit convened over 60 energy and related infrastructure executives, government representatives, NGOs, and researchers to identify how investing in trust-building might accelerate the clean energy transition and discuss ways to restore, maintain, and build the trust needed to meet international climate targets.

The summit — the second of its kind —  was based around the fourth installment of From Ambition to Reality, a series of thought leadership articles from the Andlinger Center and Worley that identifies the paradigm shifts in infrastructure delivery practices necessary for bridging the considerable gap between net-zero goals and current energy transition progress.