New commission aims to unite youth energy transition efforts

A new initiative called the Youth Energy Transition Commission (YETC) was launched at the SDG7 Pavilion at COP27 earlier this month. The YETC was created to improve collaboration among youth-led organizations focused on Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) themselves, and with other organizations with strong youth representation working toward the achievement of universal access to clean, reliable and affordable energy by 2030.

This commission will provide a platform for youth to engage in unified advocacy, information and knowledge exchange, collaboration and accountability. It will also map the projects, programmes and initiatives occurring in the global youth energy ecosystem, to better facilitate future youth work that is additive rather than duplicative, thus allowing more efficient and impactful youth contributions toward SDG7.

“Youth are on the front lines of the global fight for climate and energy justice,” said Akil Callender, Youth Specialist at Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). “The Youth Energy Transition Commission will help unite the various youth initiatives engaged this fight and give them new platforms for having their voices heard by decision-makers.”

By playing this bridging role between youth-led and established organizations, the YETC also aims to fill an important function in the global sustainable energy movement. Having closer connections to established organizations, will help bring youth into more senior discussions on the energy transition, empowering them to influence energy decision-making.

Current members of the Commission include Student Energy, the SDG7 Youth Constituency, BRICS Youth Energy Agency, the European Youth Energy Network, the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition (CSET) Action Group on Youth, the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) Youth Representative, Sustainable Energy for All’s Youth Specialist and RES4Africa Youth Task Force. They are joined by the Government of the Republic of Panama, Sustainable Energy for All, Enel Foundation and the International Energy Agency as partners.

Dr. Jorge Rivera Staff, National Energy Secretary, Government of Panama, said “The Youth Energy Transition Commission is an important platform because it will help grow the influence of youth energy initiatives. The international community needs to listen to young people’s voices, because these are the people whose futures will be shaped by the energy transition.”

For more information on the Youth Energy Transition Commission, please contact Akil Callender.