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IRENA Youth Forum: The New Generation of Decision Makers
High Level Closing Event Theme:
“Youth for Accelerating a Renewables-powered Energy Transition:
Innovation, Action, and Impact”
11 January 2025, 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.
St. Regis Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.
Room A2
Background: In 2025, IRENA Youth Forum marks its sixth edition under the theme Youth for Accelerating the Renewable Energy Transition: Innovation, Action, and Impact. Aligned with the overarching objectives of the 15th IRENA Assembly, the Youth Forum emphasizes youth leadership in advancing energy security, socio-economic development, and innovative financing mechanisms, in line with the findings of the Global Stocktake and the outcomes of COP28 and COP29. Innovation, Action, and Impact are vital pillars of the Energy Transition that is already taking place around the world. However, there is a long way to go for the just delivery of energy transition. Therefore, this closing high level segment will focus on the above key thematic areas. Segment 1 : The first part of the closing event will hold a high-level panel discussion with a focus on, (i) the status quo of innovation, action, and impact, and where the youth are meaningfully integrate in the processes, (ii) successes and failures observed in the implementation of renewable energy and how the youth can be empowered through engaging them in innovative practices, (iii) how the outcomes of global stocktake impact the youth participation in the energy transition. Segment 2: The second high-level segment includes a breakout conversation among the youth delegates and different sectoral experts. The sectors are divided into key monitoring and evaluation thematics for the just energy transition: environment, social, economic, and governance. Technology will also be considered as a cross cutting factor. We will have expert/s in the 5 thematics present in the audience and arrange a round table around them for youth delegates to convene. Each expert will introduce themselves related to the thematic and have a conversation on how each thematic would be important in the Just Energy Transition as well as the youth leadership in advancing energy security, socio-economic development, and innovative financing mechanisms, in line with the findings of the Global Stocktake and the outcomes of COP28 and COP29. This structure will help youth to be conversant about policy creation, project development, understanding the financing of the energy transition and creating impactful partnerships which align with the objectives of the youth forum. The closing event segments are supported and contributed by the Global SDGs and Leadership Development Center( UNITAR SDGs Singapore Center).
Moderation:
● Ms. Lydia Lozano, IRENA Youth Council.
● Dr. Sajith Wijesuriya, IRENA Youth Council.
4.15-4.30:
Participants’ arrival at the room A2
4.30 – 5.25:
Segment 1: High-Level Plenary Segment
1. Jennifer Eldridge, Senior Climate Officer, United
States State Department’s Bureau of International
Organization Affairs.
2. Riad Meddeb, Director, Sustainable Energy Hub,
UNDP.
3. Jessica Schroeder, Head of Corporate
Communications Govern
4. Omaira Jajbhay, IRENA Youth Delegate 2025
5. Satya Tripati, Secretary-General of the Global
Alliance for a Sustainable Planet.ment Relations, BASF.
5.25 -5.32:
Keynote 1: H.E. Khalid AlNuaimi, Director of the Federal
Youth Authority, United Arab Emirates.
5.32 -5.45:
Keynote 2: Gauri Singh, Deputy Director General of
IRENA.
5.45-6.30:
Segment 2: High-Level Breakout Segement Structure: This session will focus on the sectoral assessment of the Energy Transition. The youth delegates will get the opportunity to talk with Technology (cross-cutting), Finance, Governance, Social, and Environmental sub sector experts in a round table arrangement.
The sectors and speakers are:
1) Technology Cluster: Each sector speaker will be seated in the audience. The youth delegates will divide themselves into groups matching the number of the sectors (5). Each sector will have one or two experts. As the youth delegates gather around the sectoral leader/s will introduce themselves briefly. Following which the youth delegates will ask questions related to each of the sectoral area the expert is representing. This dialogue can go on for 6-8 minutes and then the groups will switch. In total there will be 5 rounds of discussions for 5 thematic sectors. a) Yunhao WANG, Director-General, Shanghai Climate Week Youth Council. b) Thomas Soulas, Head of Technology Development, Innovation Center Abu Dhabi – Siemens Energy.
2) Finance Cluster: a) Aida Sitdikova, Director, Energy Eurasia MEA European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
3) Governance Cluster:a) Kihara Mungai, Deputy Director, Renewable Energy, Energy Regulatory and Petroleum Authority (EPRA) of Kenya. b) Ahmed Al Ghardaqa, Senior Legal Advisor and Senior Negotiator for the COP28 UAE Presidency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4) Social Cluster: a) Guido Broggi, Head of Business Development and Partnerships Greening the Islands Foundation. b) Aditya Ravindran, Programme Specialist, Governance and Partnership Unit International Solar Alliance.
5) Environmental Cluster: a) Nadia Chioukh, International Cooperation and Communication Manager, RCREEE. b) Jiadan YU, Head of Government & Public Affairs, Division for Multilateral Diplomacy, UNITAR.
