Leaders from government, business and civil society gathered at the second annual UN Sustainable Energy For All Forum (SE4All) in May to share and advance sustainable solutions on energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy. A focus of the Forum was youth engagement and empowerment to ensure a sustainable energy future. 

By Zinnia Batliwalla, UNAI Intern

Leaders from government, business and civil society gathered at the second annual UN Sustainable Energy For All Forum (SE4All) in May to share and advance sustainable solutions on energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy. A focus of the Forum was youth engagement and empowerment to ensure a sustainable energy future. 

Currently one out of five people live without access to electricity. This means no light after the sun sets, inadequate lighting in education and health facilities, and limited opportunities for economic growth and development. In response to this hidden crisis, the SE4All initiative was launched in 2011 by Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and aims to achieve the following three inter-linked global targets by 2030:

  • To ensure universal access to modern energy services
  • To double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
  • To double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

Addressing energy poverty while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preventing climate change is a critical issue. Collaboration with youth is critical as this is the first generation to grow up understanding the direct impacts of global climate change, and the last generation with the ability to do something about it.

During the SE4All session, Rising Tide: Harnessing the Power of Youth, young people described the challenges and triumphs of implementing their own sustainable energy initiatives. Ruby Wynn-Williams represented Melbourne Girls College and explained how her school's Environment Team, an extra-curricular group, develops community-based projects aimed at educating fellow students on the cost of energy so they recognize how their energy use impacts the world. The Environment Team has installed solar panels to power a charging station for students' electronic devices and they have developed energy-generating gym equipment powered by kinetic energy to provide students with a tangible example of the energy required to power their lives.

Dikirani Thaulo of Zayed Solar Academy in Malawi discussed how a program at his school provides youth with the training to install solar panels to those who do not have access to electricity. By providing training for solar panel installation, more Malawians now have access to energy that is sustainable and renewable energy.

Energy issues are complex problems that require complex solutions and collaboration across disciplines. Access to energy must be evaluated in developing countries, new technology that provides sustainable energy must be developed, and policy-makers must be guided by evidence-based research. Most importantly, future generations must continue to learn about the impacts of climate change and be encouraged to develop innovative and viable energy solutions.

For more information follow @SE4All on Twitter and visit the forum website at www.se4allforum.org.