CHECK OUT OUR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

Highlights

Here’s a sneak peak to our 2023 Annual Report!

From our Board Chair

From our Executive Director

2023: Our Impact at a Glance

Here’s a glimpse of Student Energy’s 2023 impact in numbers:

• Global Reach: Our Programs Ecosystem (7 active programs) engaged a total of 826 participants from 116 countries, 78 of which are developing economies.
• Youth Empowerment: Supported 9 global youth delegations at prestigious events, and 407 youth delegates from 95 countries attended SES 2023, the largest youth-led energy summit.
• Global Community Engagement: Reached 32,730 people through our global Chapters network, with a membership of 4,369 students from different universities across the world.
• Mentorship, Early Career and Project Development: 32 graduates completed the first cohort of the Guided Projects program, received 1,604 Career Training and 1,063 Fellowship applications from youth interested in joining our capacity-building and mentorship-oriented programs.
• Networking: Spoke at 34 panels and events in the climate and energy space worldwide, including the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) UAE, Climate Week NYC, and Africa Energy Forum, among others.
• Recognition: Received 3 individual awards and one organizational accolade, “Best Nonprofit Employer: Youth Advancement for an organization with 20+ staff”, awarded by CharityVillage.

5 accomplishments we’re celebrating:

1. Successfully hosting SES 2023 in Abu Dhabi, bringing together 407 young people from around the world.

Making history as the first International Student Energy Summit held in the MENA region – a global hub for energy, SES 2023 featured 407 youth delegates from all over the world to meaningfully collaborate with sector and community leaders on energy solutions. We are proud to work with several partners for the first time, including Bezos Earth Fund, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), and coordinated with NYU Abu Dhabi and the COP 28 UAE team as the Summit took place as an official side event of the UN Climate Change Conference for the very first time.

2. Activating a first cohort of youth-led clean energy projects in solar PV through the Guided Projects program and expanding the program’s offerings and reach.

With 32 graduates from 6 teams representing Kenya, Canada, and Peru, the Guided Projects program provided teams with the firsthand experience of developing solar PV projects to solve local energy problems in their communities. After a successful first cohort, Student Energy focused on retooling and securing additional resources for the program’s continuation in February 2024.

3. Releasing and disseminating our first round of the three research projects with active stakeholder engagement throughout.

Under Student Energy’s newly launched Research and Youth Engagement program, we launched the Global Youth Energy Outlook (GYEO), the Youth Impact Framework, and the Energy Transition Skills Project.

VIEW THE REPORTS

4. Integrating mentorship as a core aspect of our Programs Ecosystem, offering our youth network platforms to build connections through mentorship offerings.

Mentorship is the foundation of the Student Energy Career Training (SECT) program, and regional and language-specific mentorship is necessary and achieved through individual recruitment from program coordinators who are globally dispersed.

5. Amplifying youth-led action on energy on global stages and decision-making spaces

Student Energy attended 23 global energy and climate events, including the New York Climate Week, Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, and the Africa Energy Forum among others. We participated as speakers and moderators at 34 events, and hosted 11 events at COP 28 and the Student Energy Summit. We acted in an advisory capacity for several youth councils, and hosted the very first Youth Energy Narratives Council under the Research and Youth Engagement portfolio.

We’ve got so much more in store for you! Explore our 2023 Annual Report:

STUDENT ENERGY'S 2023 ANNUAL REPORT 

Thank you for standing by us as we empower the next generation of leaders in driving a just and equitable energy future! Your continued support fuels our mission and inspires us every step of the way.

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Meet the former president of the Student Energy Chapter at Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tec de Monterrey) – Benjamin Betancourt Tovar! He was president of the Chapter from August 2022 to July 2023. Currently, he is studying Nanotechnology Engineering at his University in Monterrey, Mexico.

“In January of 2023, I had the opportunity to be selected and attend the 13th IRENA Assembly as an IRENA Youth Delegate in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In the same event, I was able to participate in the IRENA Youth Forum: The Next Generation of Decision Makers, where I was part of a panel discussion, expressing how we, the youth, face challenges in the development of science, innovation and technology for energetic affairs. Apart from the assembly, the Youth Delegation had the opportunity to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and visit Noor Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest stand-alone operational solar plant. During my trip, I was thrilled to meet new people from all over the world with different perspectives, meet high level representatives from different organizations and also to learn about the energetic sector developments and challenges from IRENA representatives from all over the world. After this exciting experience, I came back to Mexico with fresh ideas and motivation to design and implement solutions in my community towards the youth-led energetic transition, working within my chapter and also in the development of “ANSE: México Joven por la Energía” [Mexican Youth for Energy], a youth-led energy network within Mexico!” – Benjamin Betancourt Tovar

Interested to start a Student Energy Chapter at your university? Head over to Starting a Chapter on our website and fill out an Expression of Interest form!

The ASES Solar conference held space for presentations, discussions, and speakers for both working professionals and youth to co-learn about social justice aspects of the energy sector– such as women in solar, intergenerational discussions on mentorship, and youth entering the labour market to name a few. The event ran from August 8-11th but I arrived in Boulder on the 10th, leaving me with little time to enjoy the rest of the conference. I was, however, lucky enough to listen in on a “Young Professionals” panel discussion on youth sharing their strategic ways on networking, and navigating their early career challenges in the renewable energy sector. The latter half of the session allotted for a rotating speed networking session with the youth panelists, where I participated and learned some common, yet relevant challenges that young people face in entering the green jobs market. Youth with backgrounds in engineering, public policy, and STEM research find it challenging to find meaningful work, and shared various ways such as pitching project ideas or research topics as a way to show their initiative and proactiveness in their work-learn opportunities and internships. Connecting with these young professionals informed me the same stories of all other young people globally who are passionate change makers, and have grit to make meaningful difference in the energy transition movement, but are struggling to enter the industry. Feeling even more inspired by this experience, I channeled the same level of positivity into delivering Student Energy’s workshop that speaks to the very nature of this conversation– how young people can enter the energy transition labour market. 

The workshop drew key insights from Student Energy’s recently published report “Energy Transitions Skills Project” and its own 14 years of youth engagement to provide some actionable recommendations on how youth can take hold of their own energy careers. I walk through the importance of reflecting values, desires, and skills before job searching as a way to remind young people what is important to them when selecting a career; and relating their values to the labour market demand will make it easier for them to target their job search. Later, I facilitated a storytelling session where participants pitch their stories amongst themselves as a practice run for future networking opportunities with industry professionals. While there was low attendance in the workshop, the youth who participated were very engaged and happy to share their stories and connect with one another. 

Sharing recommendations to young people to be part of the energy movement gives me joy as I was in the same position a couple of years ago–I did not know how to apply my own unique skills and lived experiences in the energy transition industry, and felt severe imposter syndrome as a result. I still am continuously navigating through this rhythm of learning collectively as I engage with other youth on how we can intercept high-level decision-making spaces, and make our voices heard through our work. From learning about energy education through the Leaders Fellowship Program, to now working as Research and Youth Engagement Special Projects Coordinator, Student Energy has expanded my potential in the way I see myself, and how to creatively apply my own unique skills in the energy space. This experience has given me the opportunity to connect with other brilliant minds that give me the optimistic feeling of a positive transformation of the energy industry, and preparing for the next generation of leaders to confidently reclaim and re-write their futures. 

We are thrilled to introduce Mariel Davalos, a young leader and alum from the Student Energy Chapter at José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA) in El Salvador! Mariel was determined to be a part of the energy transition movement. She is interested to gain further technical knowledge in this field, given the challenges faced by the sector in her country. She quickly joined the Student Energy Chapter at UCA and was also selected for the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) Student Leaders Programme in the same year.

Her fellow member at the Student Energy Chapter at UCA spoke highly of Mariel’s passion and commitment:

“Mariel’s personality is amazing, hardworking, and committed, and soon after she officially joined the SE Chapter, where she quickly started contributing, and became a core member from day one.

Her enthusiasm and determination to spread energy and climate awareness led her to represent the Student Energy UCA Chapter this year at the National Youth Conference on Climate Change (LCOY 2022), and it was she who wrote the suggestions section for better regulation in laws/projects to improve the energy transition in El Salvador.”

 

Connect with Mariel and the Student Energy Chapter at UCA to learn more about their work:

Instagram – @studentenergy.uca.sv

Meet Meet Mochamad Arya El Rumy, a recent graduate of the University of Padjadjaran in Indonesia, and now a Student Energy Chapters alum!

From joining the SE University of Padjadjaran Chapter in 2019, to becoming the Chapter President in early 2022, Rumy has made a significant impact in the Student Energy community and beyond.

“Hello, Enernerds from all over the world! My name is Rumy and I’m the Chairman of Student Energy at Universitas Padjadjaran, located in a tropical country on the equator in Southeast Asia, Indonesia. Through Student Energy, I didn’t only learn about energy issues but also how to manage people, create events and campaigns, and communicate regularly without using my first language. I was pretty surprised myself when this summer we succeeded in collaborating with a chapter from Simon Fraser University in Canada to hold an event called The Professor of The Semester! You can find me on Instagram at @arya.elrumy”

Follow the social accounts of Rumy and the Student Energy Chapter at University of Padjadjaran:

Instagram – @studentenergy.unpad

Instagram – @arya.elrumy

LinkedIn – Mochamad Arya El Rumy

Connect with the Student Energy Chapter at the University of Padjadjaran at unpad@studentenergy.org

Starting out at one time as the sole full-time employee of the organization, Meredith has spent the past 8 years focused on building Student Energy – slowly at first and then very rapidly – to a 40+ person global organization as of the end of 2022.

Student Energy was initially founded by three young energy leaders in Calgary, Alberta (Kali Taylor, Janice Tran, and Sean Collins) and after two successful International Student Energy Summits and a burgeoning Energy Literacy Program, it soon became clear that there was an urgent need for Student Energy to develop into an organization that could serve youth around the world on a sustainable, ongoing basis. Initially tasked with developing Student Energy’s still-continuing Chapters program, Meredith soon became the Executive Director of Student Energy after the 2015 Student Energy Summit.

Meredith’s leadership has put youth at the forefront and gave youth perspectives a space and a platform. Her passion for young people in the energy transition sparked innovative ideas that turned into tangible formulas and solutions that Student Energy adopts to this day.

Student Energy now has 43 staff working from all across the world, spanning different continents and regions. Meredith led the creation of Student Energy’s Theory of Change, a document defining the organization’s end goals that uses backwards mapping to illustrate how the organization can create the conditions for the end goals to be realized. 

Student Energy embraced growth by expanding the organization’s Programs Ecosystem. Beginning with SE Chapters, the organization now has the SE Fellowship, SE Career Training, SE Guided Projects, the International Student Energy Summit, and SevenGen. Through these programs, we have built a large network of alums who continue to stay connected with Student Energy and their fellow alums while working towards advancing the energy transition.

Student Energy also developed extensive Policy and Advocacy research projects, including the Global Youth Energy Outlook, the Energy Transition Skills Project, and the Youth Impact Framework, all of which are focusing on youth voices in the climate and energy space.

Meredith continues to encourage young people to fulfill their potential toward the energy transition. Her belief in young people is what inspires Student Energy to continue doing the real work for youth in the climate and energy world. 

We interviewed Meredith to find out what she learned in the 8 years leading Student Energy from the ground up. 

How has Student Energy evolved over the past eight years?

Student Energy has evolved so much in the last eight years, and in so many different ways. We’ve gone from me being the only staff person working in my living room to having 40 staff in eight different countries around the world. We have developed, implemented, and stuck to an incredible Theory of Change that focuses on both training and people for the future that we need and need them to deliver on. We have worked with the other actors in the energy system to make sure that young people are taken more seriously and engaged well.

In your time as the Executive Director [of Student Energy], what has changed in the energy and climate landscape?

So much has changed with the youth, energy, and climate landscape since. When I started in 2015, young people were not taken seriously. I was often told that ‘Well, they don’t vote and so they’re not going to be part of this.’ There is no critical thinking about where young people are coming from.

I think now young people are seen as such a force in the world, but it’s still something that people are often hesitant to engage with. That is one huge piece of landscape – people actually are starting to value young people and starting to recognize that young people are, in fact, the global majority. The global average age is under 30.

If we’re not engaging, working with, and designing for young people, we’re not going to make any climate progress. People are really starting to get that. And that’s so much thanks to the work that young climate activists have done, and also groups like Student Energy, who have followed up that activism with concrete, tangible formulas and solutions for how to really work with, train, and engage young people.

So it takes a village [to create this], and the whole ecosystem has been really important. But the world is fundamentally shifted in that way. The world is also fundamentally shifted on climate action. Everyone, no matter where you are in the world, now admits that climate change is real and needs to be acted upon. That wasn’t the case when I started.

There are still a lot more debates, so sometimes it can feel like there’s not enough progress. But it is vastly different and moving so much more in the right direction. I think that’s one thing I feel lucky about, is eight years has actually given me a lot to look back on, to actually see where young people have made insane amounts of progress in this world, whereas, in a day-in, day-out, six-month timeline, it doesn’t always feel that way.

What is one unexpected thing you learned while you were Executive Director [of Student Energy]?

One of the biggest and best surprises was that champions for your work and for you will come in such unexpected places and that the biggest thing that you can do as a leader is just to continually talk about your vision to as many people as you can to see who wants to be on the support team. 

If you would have told me who my biggest mentors and supporters would be when I started out, I don’t think I ever would have believed you. Sometimes the people you feel should be on your team are nowhere to be found. But then you’ll find other people who really have no responsibility but are just passionate about young people and doing the right thing in the world. And they will be there for you and it will make all the difference. So the biggest, most lovely surprise has just been the amount of people who’ve come out of the woodwork to say that they believe in young people too, and that they want to make this happen.

What are you most proud of?

I’m really most proud of how our staff have developed in Student Energy. So many people started with Student Energy as their very first job, maybe as an assistant working 10 hours a week, and have grown into directing portfolios, having mentorship networks of their own, and running so many programs. In addition to our staff, the young people who work for us are incredibly inspiring and really are some of the biggest impact that we have.

The other thing I’m really proud of is how I think we really stood up for young people and what’s right to do in this space. To this day, all of our programs are designed and led by young people. That’s something that we haven’t changed. Despite becoming a multi-million dollar organization, we are still really true to what young people need to be successful in this space and aren’t directed necessarily by our funders or anything like that.

We set the agenda for what young people need, then we go out and find the supporters that make that happen. I think Student Energy has really proven how you can effectively work with young people in a way that other people didn’t see as possible because they weren’t really willing to listen to the young people that they were working to serve.

I’m so proud that we’ve maintained that throughout the years.

How many Student Energy Summits have you attended?

I’ve attended three in-person summits and one virtual summit.

What’s your favorite memory from SES (International Student Energy Summit)?

My favorite memory is at SES 2017 in Merida, Mexico. David Hochschild, the Chair of the California Energy Commission was on the dance floor at the gala, jumping up and down with all the delegates and exclaiming, “Man, this is like a climate hope wedding. It’s fun like a wedding, but it’s like a climate hope summit where everyone believes we could do this!”

And that’s the experience that I want everyone to have. It’s the rallying cry that we can do this.

What are you excited about for SES 2023?

I’m honestly so excited for the team. It is such an incredible experience to go through. So many of them will go from not really knowing how to do this to feeling confident with fundraising, communications, delegate recruitment, and so many core business skills. I can’t wait to see them evolve as every SES team has and really see what that will do for them in their careers.

What’s one piece of advice you have for the Student Energy youth network?

My biggest piece of advice for the youth network is don’t be paralyzed by choice. There are so many things that can happen in the world. There are so many opportunities, or sometimes, it can be so hard to find an opportunity. But what’s really crucial is that you keep moving forward, step by step, to make it happen. And so sometimes maybe the ideal job won’t appear. But it’s important to take what you can get in front of you and keep your values strong. Keep learning, growing, and building. Nothing is perfect and you won’t find perfect, but do what you can with what’s in front of you.

What’s one piece of advice you have for the Student Energy staff?

For the Student Energy staff, I just want to see everyone stick to it and dream really big. There’s so much you can do in each of your roles and so much that you can take hold of. It is such an incredible opportunity to have the platform of Student Energy, to have the internal support that we have, and to have the network and the opportunities that we have. So take a hold of all of that and be really clear about what you see as the need for yourself and for others. You are the target audience. 

All the best things we have [at Student Energy] have come from SE staff who are willing to take a risk. And I would love to see people continue to do that.

What’s one thing you’re excited to do now that you’re no longer Executive Director [of Student Energy]?

I honestly am still very much looking forward to being the organization’s biggest cheerleader. But beyond that, definitely looking forward to a few more dog walks, ideally a little bit less travel. But I think also, my next mission is to really explore how we continue to develop and make effective teams in all other types of sectors.

I’m really excited to actually go in and do that and take some of the skills I’ve learned in Student Energy about how to build and scale organizations and transfer that to other places that need it as well. Finally, I will not be taking on pottery as suspected (laughs).

Click to watch the full interview video here.

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Website/Blog: https://studentenergy.org/

With only 2 days to go before #COP27 begins, Student Energy is preparing to share youth perspectives toward climate action and empower the road to Net-zero together.

Student Energy Team at COP 27

Student Energy will be speaking, facilitating, or hosting events during COP 27. 

Meredith Adler – Executive Director

Helen Watts – Senior Director of Partnerships

Shakti Ramkumar – Director of Communications & Policy

Abdullah Khair – Partnerships Manager

Grace Young – Alumni & Community Manager

Eduarda Zhogbi – Student Energy Senior Advisor

Vaughn-Xavier Jameer – Chapters Associate

Oluwadabira Abiola-Awe – Partnerships Associate

Danielle Kehler – SevenGen Manager

If you are heading to COP 27, Student Energy would love to connect with you. Send Helen, Shakti, or Grace an email at helen@studentenergy.org, shakti@studentenergy.org, or grace@studentenergy.org and we would be happy to meet!

Student Energy Delegation in Sharm El Sheikh

Student Energy is working with key partners, including Sustainable Energy for All, the Government of Canada, and NYU Abu Dhabi, to make sure that youth can participate in person at COP 27 Sharm El Sheikh. Student Energy will be having a delegation of 16 Student Energy young leaders who will be working with us on side events and bringing key messages to world leaders while participating in programming throughout the blue zone. Countries represented will include Canada, India, Jordan, Brazil, Paraguay, Nigeria, Trinidad, Uganda, Spain, UAE, Poland, and the UK.

Currently, SEforALL is supporting a delegation of ten young women from developing economies to attend dedicated programs at the SDG 7 Pavilion and throughout the blue zone.

Energy Transition Skills Report Initial Findings Launch

Student Energy, in partnership with Ørsted, will launch initial findings from the Energy Transition Skills Report at COP 27. The report contains survey results and recommendations from 5,000 young people around the world on how to create more accessible and inclusive entry points for youth to enter and stay in careers that accelerate the global energy transition. The findings will be delivered by Shakti Ramkumar, Student Energy’s Director of Communications & Policy, at the Danish Pavilion on November 16 from 8:00 – 9:00.

The Energy Transition Skills Project was launched in 2022 to identify the needs of ready young people for energy transition jobs. 

Youth Impact Framework Initial Findings Launch

With the recent developments of the Youth Impact Framework in place, Student Energy, with the Global Covenant of Mayors, will be sharing the initial findings at COP 27. The findings will be discussed by Shakti at the UNFCCC Innovation Zone on November 10 from 14:00 – 16:00.

The Youth Impact Framework is a set of impact measurement tools and indicators to help youth climate advocates, project leaders, and founders measure and communicate the impact of their initiatives to incorporate youth-inclusive project design principles, by recognizing the impact of youth contributions to SDG 7 and across the Sustainable Development Goals.

International Student Energy Summit 2023 Abu Dhabi Announcement

More than 1,000 young people have already pre-registered for the International Student Energy Summit 2023 (SES 2023) during the first week beginning the summit’s launch last October 27. The Student Energy Summit team will be announcing the International Student Energy Summit 2023 at the Youth Pavilion on November 15. This will be followed by The Student Energy Summit 2023 Abu Dhabi: Uniting the Energy Transition happening at the UEA Pavilion from 14:00 – 14:45. 

Global Youth Energy Outlook Final Report Launch

In 2020, Student Energy launched the Global Youth Energy Outlook, the first youth-led research project of its kind to collect youth perspectives on energy. An online survey and a series of Regional Dialogues have engaged 41,652 young people, aged 18-30, from 181 countries and territories around the world. Now, the final report will be launched at COP 27. 

Find out what else we’re doing at COP 27!

November 8 

How can clean energy mitigate climate change, accelerate development, and support food security? 

• Shakti will be speaking at the Danish Pavilion from 12:00 to 12:45 with the event hosted by the Danish Chamber of Commerce

November 9

Youth Financing Done Right: How to best structure youth-financing program in developing countries

• Abdullah Khair, Student Energy’s Partnerships Manager, will be speaking at the Side Event Room 3 – HATSHEPSUTI from 11:30 – 12:30. The event hosted by YOUNGO

Just Sustainability, Circular Economy and Social Justice: employment and social policies to support a just green transition across the globe

• Shakti is speaking at the EU Pavilion from 19:00 – 20:00

November 10

Youth in the Energy Transition – Panel Discussion 

• Abdullah will be speaking at the Atoms4Climate Pavilion on November 10 from 9:00 – 10:00. This event is hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency

Launch of the Energy Transition Commission

• Vaughn-Xavier Jameer, Student Energy’s Chapters Associate, will be speaking at the SDG 7 Pavilion from 10:30 – 11:30. The event is hosted by SEforALL 

Empowering Youth in Climate and Sustainable Energy

• Abdullah will be speaking at the Green Zone on November 10 from 13:00 – 14:00. The event is hosted by Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

Investing in Youth for a Just Energy Transition

• Eduarda Zoghbi, Student Energy’s Senior Advisor, will be speaking on this event, with Grace Young, Student Energy’s Alumni and Community Manager, moderating at the SDG 7 Pavilion on November 10 at 13:30 – 14:30

Fireside Chat with Simon, CEO of GEAPP and Dabira

• Oluwadabira Abiola-Awe, Student Energy’s Partnership Associate, will be speaking on this event happening at the GEAPP Office from 14:00 – 14:30

November 11

UNDP COP 27 Hour

• Dabira will be speaking at the UN Broadcast Center from 11:30 – 11:55. The event is hosted by UNDP

Global Alliance for Sustainable Energy Event

• Meredith Adler, Student Energy’s Executive Director, will be moderating this event happening at the Wind and Solar Pavilion Zone D from 14:00 – 15:30. The event is hosted by the Enel Foundation

Panel Discussion – Energy Transition, Green Jobs and Skills

• Dabira will be speaking on this event at the WMB Pavilion, hosted by the National Grid

High Level Panel Discussion with Matchmaking Session and Dinner

• Helen Watts, Student Energy’s Senior Director of Partnerships, will be speaking at the event from 17:20 – 20:00

November 12

There is No Food Security Without Clean Cooking

• Shakti will be speaking in this event, hosted by the Clean Cooking Alliance, happening at the SDG 7 Pavilion from 9:00 – 10:00

Achieving NDC Targets through Clean Cooking Action

• The event will take place at the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub from 13:00 – 14:00, hosted by the Clean Cooking Alliance

Capacity Building: Energy Literacy to Power a Greener Future (The Commonwealth Secretariat)

• Helen will be speaking at the SDG 7 Pavilion from 16:30 – 17:30, hosted by The Commonwealth Secretariat

November 14

Where is the Money for a Gender Just Transition?

• Dabira will be speaking at the SDG 7 Pavilion from 10:30 – 11:30, hosted by UNIDO

November 15

Game Changers Accelerating the Global Energy Transition

• Eduarda will be speaking at the Climate Action Rooms from 10:00 – 12:00

Unlocking Potential: Working with Young People for a Just Transition

• Happening at the We Mean Business Pavilion from 10:30 – 11:30, Student Energy will be co-hosting this event with We Mean Business

Africa’s Just Energy Transition: Scaling Up Renewable Energy Minigrids for People and Planet

• Dabira will be speaking at the UNDP Pavilion from 11:45 – 12:35

Green Jobs in the Energy Transition

• Dabira will be speaking at the We Mean Business Pavilion from 11:30 – 12:30

COP27 Energy Day Implementation Lab “A cleaner power sector by 2030: Scaling renewable and storage-based systems.”

• Eduarda will be speaking at the Lotus Room (Action Room 2) from 14:00 to 15:30

Indigenous & Youth Leadership in Canada’s Road to Net-zero

• Student Energy and SevenGen will be co-hosting this event at the Canada Pavilion from 15:15 – 16:00

November 17

Meeting with Global Affairs Canada

• Student Energy will be co-hosting and pitching this event at the SDG 7 Pavilion

Global Clean Energy Action Forum:

• Meredith Adler, and SevenGen Council members Mihskakwan James Harper and Serena Mendizabal met with The Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister for Natural Resources Canada, to discuss youth-led action on clean energy in Canada, and to recognize the announcement of the Government of Canada’s $5.3M contribution to promote youth participation in the clean energy sector.
• Student Energy hosted an official side event at the GCEAF, “Mobilizing Youth for a Just Transition”, moderated by Shakti Ramkumar and featuring speakers Serena Mendizabal (SevenGen), Isabella Pfoser (Austrian Youth Climate Council), Yasemin Yavari (Danish Youth Climate Council), and Efrem Bycer (LinkedIn).

• Shakti moderated the final panel at the Creating the Energy Futures Forum Closing Plenary, featuring youth clean energy researchers and advocates who outlined technologies they are eager to see scale in the near future.
• Student Energy participated in a special side event, “From blindspot to hotspot”, with Shakti moderating audience engagement for a session on sustainable cooling organized by the Government of India, UNEP, Mission Innovation, the Cool Coalition, and Clean Cooling Collaborative, and featuring special guest Secretary John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, USA.

In addition to these events, we were thrilled to meet youth delegates from around the world who participated in the GCEAF.

New York Climate Week:

• We participated in a Youth Movement Building & Climate Justice Re-Granters meeting alongside climate justice activists and re-granting/funding organizations to explore the critical resourcing needs of youth climate justice activists
• Helen spoke at the UN Global Compact Private Sector Forum, alongside Ester Baiget, CEO of Novozymes, H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, President of IUCN, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Rebecca Miano, CEO of Kenya Electricity Generating Company

• Shakti attended the inaugural Youth Climate Leaders Luncheon, co-hosted by Ahmed Badr and Louise Mabulo, in partnership with We Are Family Foundation, SAP, Narratio, The Cacao Project, and Connect4Climate

In addition to these events, Helen and Shakti also participated in the Hub Live event, the Nest Summit, the Climate Forward Summit by the New York Times, and met with Student Energy’s alums and partners throughout the week during New York Climate Week.