President Emmanuel Macron of France awards Legion of Honour to IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol

President Emmanuel Macron of France today presented IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol with the Legion of Honour, the country’s highest distinction, in recognition of his contributions to the global energy sector and leadership in steering it towards a more secure and sustainable path in the face of the huge challenge posed by climate change.

President Macron conferred the honour to Dr Birol during a prestigious ceremony at the Elysée Palace in Paris, which was attended by a range of dignitaries and special guests. These included former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, who now heads France’s Constitutional Council; French Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher; ambassadors from countries around the world; leaders from business and civil society; Galatasaray FC Board Member Hakki Akil; and a number of Dr Birol’s colleagues from the IEA.

“Dear Dr Fatih Birol, for the important service that you are doing for the world, for this decarbonised future that you are working tirelessly to build, I’m pleased and proud this evening to award you the insignia of Knight of the Legion of Honour,” President Macron said during his speech at the ceremony.

“It is a major honour to receive this award from President Macron. I warmly thank the President for his wonderful speech and would like to share this distinction with all my hardworking and dedicated IEA colleagues. Their passion and commitment to shaping a more secure, sustainable and equitable energy future is inspiring,” Dr Birol said. “At the IEA, as the global energy authority, we are doing everything we can by providing data, facts, analysis and concrete policy recommendations to help governments, industry, investors and civil society around the world chart a path towards achieving international energy and climate goals, notably those set out in the Paris Agreement.”    

Founded by Napoleon in 1802, France’s Legion of Honour is a distinction awarded to people across wide range of fields of activity for carrying out actions of great value to society.