• The Student Energy Summit 2023 and the Bezos Earth Fund are joining forces to connect youth with industry leaders in the energy and climate sectors.
• The partnership will enable the participation of youth from diverse backgrounds, especially young people from marginalized communities and developing countries, who will have the opportunity to amplify their capacities and scale up their clean energy projects.

New York City, USA & Abu Dhabi, UAE, September 21, 2023: Today the Student Energy Summit (SES) announced its plans to ignite a new generation of leaders in the energy transition guided by principles of intergenerational and social justice. At an event hosted during New York’s Climate Week, the Bezos Earth Fund announced its partnership with Student Energy Summit 2023 as the exclusive headline sponsor. The announcement was followed by remarks from Director General of IRENA HE Mr. Francesco La Camera who emphasized the pivotal role of youth in shaping the energy transition.

The Student Energy Summit  2023, the world’s largest youth-led energy summit, will take place in the Middle East for the first time on the margins of the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP28 from November 29 to December 1. Hosted by New York University’s campus in Abu Dhabi, this summit will unite 650 young energy leaders from around the world to delve into the growing importance of a just energy transition under the theme “Reimagining the Future.”

Youth have been instrumental in mobilizing public awareness and spurring changes to accelerate the shift towards energy transition. However, young people face continued challenges, such as limited access to funding and decision-making processes that often hinder their full impact. Thus, highlighting the need for increased support by responsive leadership, including philanthropic engagement, in providing enabling opportunities to youth.

“At this year’s summit, we want to push our delegates to embrace systems thinking and appreciate the emerging opportunities for addressing the energy transition challenge,” said Beniamin Strzelecki, Co-Chair of SES 2023. “With 4,700 delegate applications received for SES 2023, there is clear evidence of demand for the kind of educational and training opportunities that the summit offers. We know that the Bezos Earth Fund will be a valuable partner in driving this message and shaping an impactful event.”

The Bezos Earth Fund is committed to driving increased innovation and fostering systemic change in the energy transition. During SES 2023, the Bezos Earth Fund will engage with a large and diverse global youth audience to inspire greater innovation in developing catalytic solutions and nurturing youth development.

“With the Bezos Earth Fund – SES 2023 partnership, we embark on a transformative journey for a youth-inclusive energy transition. This strategic alliance brings a unique opportunity to collaboratively and directly ignite a new generation of global energy leaders who play a pivotal role in reshaping and advancing the energy system of the future,” said Nicole Iseppi, Bezos Earth Fund Global Energy Innovation Director.

The support from the Bezos Earth Fund will provide a unique opportunity for youth from around the world to attend the summit, be a part of innovation and entrepreneurship sessions and capacity-building programs and scale up their clean energy projects. The partnership will also enable the participants to forge lasting relationships and networks with other young professionals and industry leaders.

SES 2023’s comprehensive program, speaker profiles, and updates can be found at ses2023.org. To learn more about the Bezos Earth Fund’s work on the energy transition, click here.

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. 

Meet Our New Youth Board Members:

       ⚡️ Andrea Balcázar González (Mexico)

       ⚡️ Ashley Pilipiszyn (USA)

       ⚡️ Mrinalini Shinde (Germany)

       ⚡️ Brian Kakembo (Uganda)

       ⚡️ Santiago Espinosa de los Monteros (Mexico)

       ⚡️ Shayan Najib (UAE)

Why recruit youth board members?

Our intention in including new youth board members was to incorporate the youth voice because we’re a youth organization and we want to better represent the community who participate in our programming so we can design the programs more effectively.

We want to improve our regional knowledge (specifically of regional equity and justice issues) recognizing the fact that our board of directors was almost all Canadian. We want to pave the way for regional committees and hiring international staff, and make sure we’re practicing what we preach with respect to our “Space for Youth” programming.

What was the selection process?

Our intention to recruit new youth board members was a 2-year process, which at first was complicated because the Alberta charity incorporation rules did not allow for board members from outside Alberta to consist of more than 50% of the board. However, this rule was changed, which allowed for this process to move forward.

During our selection process, we brought priority groups to the forefront:

• • We prioritized regional expertise and a commitment to equity and justice
  • We created two spots for “developmental” candidates (i.e., under 26 without prior board experience)
  • We adapted our matrices based on The Leap climate justice’s open-sourced step-by-step hiring guidelines. You can find them here.

Meet Our New Youth Board Members:  (headshot, bio)

In November of 2020, Student Energy put out a call for two young people (18-35) from our alumni network to join our Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors serves as Student Energy’s legal governance body and is responsible for the adoption of bylaws and policies, the establishment of any special committees, the stewardship of long-term financial health, and the fulfillment of the organization’s mission. The Board meets on a quarterly basis by phone or video conference. The approximate time commitment is 5-7 hours/month. Terms of appointed Directors are two (2) years in length.

Applicants had to be from Student Energy’s Alumni Network. Alumni of Student Energy includes those who have taken part in any of the following programs:

⚡️Student Energy Chapter
⚡️Student Energy Summit
⚡️SevenGen
⚡️The Leaders Fellowship
⚡️Greenpreneurs
⚡️Space for Youth
⚡️The Global Youth Energy Outlook

You can find the full position description here: Board of Director Position Description.

This past week, from June 20th to 24th, 2022, an inaugural Youth Energy Summit! event was held in conjunction with the Africa Energy Forum, in Brussels, Belgium.

Student Energy’s Director of Communications and Policy, Shakti Ramkumar, represented Student Energy at the Youth Energy Summit and Africa Energy Forum, while Sr. Director of Partnerships, Helen Watts, represented Student Energy at the Africa Energy Forum and European Development Days. Read on to learn more about Shakti’s experience!

About YES! 

EnergyNet’s new initiative, the YES! Youth Energy Summit, launched at the Africa Energy Forum this past week, acting as a springboard event before the first YES! Summit is held in 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. EnergyNet aims to create a platform and network for early career professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and educators, and to invest in the next generation of energy leaders in Africa. An inaugural delegation of young leaders primarily from Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria gathered in Brussels to join the launch of YES! and to provide ideas and feedback for next year’s official Nairobi conference.

What was Student Energy’s role? 

To bring the YES! vision to life, in addition to reaching out to young energy leaders, EnergyNet is connecting with non-profits and other organizations also working in the energy space – like Student Energy – to amplify complementary initiatives. We participated by having a Student Energy ‘pod’ space attached to the YES! theatre, speaking at the Student Workshop, and joining in the YES! programme throughout the week.

Reflections

This week’s YES! program was centered on the theme of “Beyond Privilege”:

• What is necessary for spaces like this, and the energy sector more broadly, to be open and accessible to young people who have not had the privilege of participating in them so far?
• What tangible steps can organizations like EnergyNet take to ensure that opportunities, including the upcoming YES! Summit and its related digital platforms, are made available to youth from diverse backgrounds, from across Africa? 

I appreciated the formal and informal ideation and feedback sessions that the EnergyNet team held throughout the week, to tackle these issues now, and share best practices and co-create solutions with young people, with still a year to go before the YES! Summit.

The theme of “Beyond Privilege” was more relevant than ever this week, as many young people (including members of Student Energy’s own delegation) were unable to make it to Brussels due to widespread difficulties in obtaining a visa, an unfortunately common obstacle for so many youth from Africa, Latin America, and Asia to being able to participate in international negotiations, entrepreneurship conferences, and other convening events. This is on top of the significant financial cost, language barriers, internet and information access barriers, and other hidden challenges of engaging in these spaces. It is a glaring reality that some young people face compounding barriers compared to others, and without intentionally addressing them, we risk opportunities in clean energy going to the same privileged few.

However, by working directly with young people, we can address these challenges with creative solutions, and unlock the full potential of truly global collaborative spaces. We can’t wait to see what’s next!

Event highlights

The YES! Theatre at the Africa Energy Forum venue featured a jam-packed agenda of sessions featuring incredible energy leaders from across Africa. A few highlights:

1. 1. We heard from former EnergyNet program alumni Mary Mindo and Jigisha Mandalia, both now established leaders in the clean energy sector, on the impact the program has had in building their careers. 
   2. Zeddy Bariti, host of the Power Dialogue podcast, hosted a lively interview with Habiba Ali, CEO of Sosai Renewable Energies, digging deep into Habiba’s fascinating journey to becoming an entrepreneur. 

• Raul Alfaro Pelico, Senior Director of the Global South Program, Energy Transition Academy at RMI, hosted a panel exploring how investing in young people in Africa can lift the boat of the whole energy sector, featuring speakers George Drammeh Akelola (Senior Legal Counsel at KenGen), Thuso Kuali (Investment Banking Analyst, JP Morgan), Alice Uwamaliya (Associate, SEforALL), and Maarten van Renssen (Managing Director, ESG, Globaleq).

1. We were also on a panel! Exploring the many considerations and pathways to building a career in energy, the panel was moderated by Mohammed Rali Badissy (Assistant Professor of Law, Penn State), and featured speakers Anita Otubu (Head of PMU, Nigeria Electrification Project, REA Nigeria), Joseph Obbo (Researcher, Strathmore University), Bukelwa Nzimande (PhD Candidate, UCT) and me, Shakti Ramkumar.

Learn more about YES! and the AEF here.

Young people today want to be part of the energy transition, and implement solutions to mitigate climate change. Now we need to ensure that there are training programs available to help them gain the skills they need for a job, and that governments and companies are working with them to design the energy future. To assist in achieving both goals, Student Energy is thrilled to be welcoming the Enel Foundation as a Knowledge partner on the Student Energy Career Training program and our Global Youth Energy Outlook Action Toolkits. 

The Student Energy Career Training Program is a 4-month intensive cohort-based program aimed at young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who are interested in pursuing a career that advances the energy transition. The program is designed to simulate an internship experience, during which members of the cohort work side-by-side with practitioners on real-life projects. In this framework, participants are also provided with a comprehensive introduction to the current energy system, decarbonization pathways, energy economics, and governance, as well as with applied skills training related to project management and finance.  

The Global Youth Energy Outlook is a first of its kind dataset that maps out what over 40,000 young people in nearly 130 countries want from the energy transition. Preliminary analysis found that the majority of young people want the world to achieve net zero before 2050, and believe that government willpower as well as private sector’s commitment are crucial pieces to enable this to happen.

Student Energy and Enel Foundation will work together to strengthen the theoretical know-how and enhance the soft skills of the participants of the Career Training program, as well as to consolidate the results and maximise the outreach the GYEO towards international institutions and private companies. 

About Enel Foundation:

Knowledge platform for a clean energy future. 

We focus on the crucial role of clean energy to ensure a sustainable future for all. 

By envisioning a sustainable future – resilient and equal – boosted by quality education and an enlightened self-interest by the business community. The future we want is powered by affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern electricity, smartly distributed to all. 

We focus on research and education. 

By developing partnerships with pre-eminent experts and institutions across the globe, leveraging on the vast knowledge of our founders. We conduct research to explore the implications of global challenges in the energy domain, develop scenario analysis, define policy and regulation opportunities and promote education programs for qualified stakeholders in the scientific and institutional realms. 

We operate at the intersection of business and society. 

By engaging institutions and governmental bodies, thought leaders and civil society representatives, industry experts and academia. We are a non-profit organization seeking to converge with likeminded actors determined to solve global challenges ensuring a sustainable future for all. 

About Student Energy:

Student Energy is the world’s largest youth-led organization empowering young people to accelerate the sustainable energy transition. Since 2009,  Student Energy has worked with thousands of  youth from over 120 countries, to build the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to take action on energy. Student Energy operates on a unique youth empowerment model, which means that initiatives are co-created with youth, for youth.

Student Energy has built coalitions with over 100 diverse partners, such as the UN, Indigenous Clean Energy, Sustainable Energy for All, HSBC Global, the Stockholm Environment Institute, DNV, WSP, and national governments like Canada, Denmark, and Sweden. Student Energy has stewarded CAD$10 million+ in funding to date, supported the development of over 280 youth energy projects, held 6 international Student Energy Summits, and attracted over 13 million people to its digital energy education platforms.

Media Contact:
Shakti Ramkumar, Director of Communications and Policy, Student Energy
shakti@studentenergy.org
+1 (604) 445 4306

From April 4-8, 2022, the CEM Senior Officials’ Meeting and MI Annual Gathering took place in New Delhi, India. Student Energy’s Director of Communications and Policy, Shakti Ramkumar, represented Student Energy at this global assembly of member countries and energy leaders – read on to learn more about her experience!

Psst!: Unfamiliar with what CEM and MI are? Click here or scroll to the bottom for a quick breakdown of the terms!

The MI Annual Gathering (April 4-6) and CEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (April 6-8) invited senior leaders from the CEM and MI member countries to evaluate progress on the initiatives’ respective workstreams, and lay the groundwork for the upcoming CEM13/MI-7 ministerial in Pittsburgh.

Event highlights:

1. Youth Involvement in CEM and MI: I was happy to see the CEM and MI Secretariat continue to prioritize youth engagement, as young people typically aren’t engaged in the crucial preparatory sessions like this one – I was grateful to be able to represent Student Energy, and to contribute a youth perspective to discussions throughout the Senior Officials’ meeting. I also appreciated the chance to address the full audience as a speaker on a panel focusing on Inclusive Societies. Looking forward from New Delhi, we were excited to see the United States Department of Energy, this year’s host for CEM13/MI-7, propose plans for a comprehensive youth engagement program in Pittsburgh, with a goal of bringing together young people from member countries to participate in the forum.
2. Spotlight on India: I heard from leaders working across all parts of India’s energy sector, from coal to electricity to solar, who shed light on just how challenging the energy transition is set to be in countries with an incredibly complex energy landscape like India. India is primarily reliant on coal for energy, with millions of people still without access to basic energy services – and now the country faces the added challenge of having to decarbonize rapidly and expand renewable energy, in just a few years. With India as host of next year’s CEM/MI Ministerial, this Spotlight series was an important opportunity to learn about the specific energy, technology, deployment, and finance challenges in India.

Whenever Student Energy is invited to participate in spaces where we know there may be few other young people, we believe it is our responsibility to prepare and advocate for the things we know our global youth network cares about, to make sure we make the most of these opportunities. 

Here are some of the things I advocated for in New Delhi:

1. A lot of the discussion throughout the week centered on how member countries could be forward-thinking and bold by investing early in energy solutions that need to be developed now in order to be scaled in the future. Just like we need this type of early investment and supportive policy for technological development, we need the same bold, early investment in young people now. Mobilizing finance and tangible resources for youth-led projects, through initiatives like the Solutions Movement, are critical to accelerating the pace of the energy transition.
2. Young people hold the key to climate and energy policies garnering widespread public support, which is necessary for the long term success of these policies and for them to outlast electoral cycles and other common barriers. However, youth need to see their priorities reflected in clean energy and climate policies, and to be equal partners in decision-making around these policies.
3. The emerging skills gap in clean energy will be a barrier to accelerating the pace of the transition, so skill development and training must be made central priorities by governments and energy companies. However, training for clean energy jobs must also be financially and geographically accessible, so that young people and others who have historically been excluded from the sector can actually access these new opportunities.

Throughout the week, it was clear to me that even in spaces where we share a collective goal of addressing the climate crisis, there is still a need to balance many competing priorities and timelines – and there definitely isn’t always agreement about the path forward, the solutions that should be prioritized, or where resources should flow. But this complexity makes it all the more important that young people are consistently a part of these discussions, and that these discussions are made as transparent and open as possible to allow people to engage during key moments of decision-making. I’m grateful to have participated in this preparatory session, and look forward to seeing youth lead at CEM/MI in Pittsburgh later this year.

Let’s break down some terms!

CEM: The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is a high-level global forum and platform that aims to accelerate the transition to clean energy, share best practices, and form action coalitions between member countries. CEM is made up of 29 member countries, which together represent 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, alongside partner organizations like the International Energy Agency, Sustainable Energy for All, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The work of CEM is largely carried out through 6 ‘Workstreams’:

1. Power
2. Transport
3. Industry
4. Buildings
5. Cross-Sectoral
6. Enabling Environment

MI: Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Commission that was launched alongside the Paris Agreement in 2015, with the aim of increasing investment in Research & Development for clean energy innovation. The member countries represent 90% of global public investments in clean energy innovation, and MI is an intergovernmental platform through which governments and the private sector form alliances and joint initiatives. The work of MI is carried out through 7 ‘Missions’:

1. Green powered future
2. Zero-emission shipping
3. Clean hydrogen
4. Carbon Dioxide Removal
5. Urban Transitions
6. Net Zero Industries
7. Integrated Biorefineries

CEM13/MI-7: Coming up this September in Pittsburgh, USA, CEM13/MI-7 is the joint annual ministerial convening of the Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation. Each year, the energy ministers within CEM’s 29 member countries (alongside other related government ministries responsible for climate, environment, and industry) and MI’s 23 member countries gather for the joint ministerial in a different host country.

MI Annual Gathering and CEM Senior Officials’ Meeting: The event that took place in New Delhi this April 4-8 2022, is the key preparatory session and global assembly for senior leaders in the CEM and MI member governments and leaders of workstreams to evaluate progress on their work, set goals for the future of CEM and MI, and lay the groundwork for the larger ministerial this September in Pittsburgh which will be attended by energy ministers, youth, policymakers, and members of industry. Each year, this preparatory Senior Officials’ Meeting is held in the country where the next CEM/MI will be hosted – this means India is set to host CEM14/MI-8 in 2023.

Greenwashing refers to when companies and other organizations attempt to cultivate a ‘climate friendly’ or environmentally responsible public image, without taking meaningful strides toward climate action.

Greenwashing and Earth Day

Beginning in 1970, Earth Day was conceived in response to a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, to galvanize collective action for environmental protection.

Having one day to mark an important issue is useful – it creates opportunities for advocates to gather support, for media to amplify coverage of the climate crisis, and for people to reflect on issues that they may not usually have the time or space to.

But along with meaningful climate action, Earth Day has also become rife with corporate greenwashing. Let’s take a look at how to spot it.

climate committments without follow-through

Many companies and organizations use high-visibility days like Earth Day to make announcements, like setting net-zero or sustainability targets, new funds for climate action, etc. But sometimes, these announcements come with no clear pathway to how they will achieve these goals.

Questions to ask:

• Is there a publicly visible plan for implementation?
• Are there short-term and long-term checkpoints?
• Are the climate pledges accompanied by sufficient funding to achieve them?
• Do the pledges have plans for direct emissions reductions, or do they rely on offsets to meet their goals?
• Is there a person or department accountable to achieving these goals?

Tokenization of grassroots activists

Earth Day can be a valuable opportunity for activists to have their work amplified across diverse platforms to reach wide audiences. However, it is a reality that companies derive significant social capital from proximity to social movements, and it may not always be a fair exchange.

Questions to ask:

• Are companies compensating activists for their time doing interviews, social media takeovers, or sharing written pieces?
• Are companies doing something more than profiling leaders? Are people being given real funding and resources for their projects?
• Are companies telling the stories of environmental leaders with their consent, and ‘passing the mic‘ whenever possible?

launching new ‘green’ products

Many corporations see Earth Day as a prime opportunity to launch or increase visibility around a new ‘green’ product or initiative, from sustainable fashion lines to new skincare lines to products made from recycled materials.

Unfortunately, sometimes these ‘green’ products make up a tiny percentage of the company’s overall production cycle.

Questions to ask:

• What percentage of the company’s overall product line or output do these ‘green’ products take up?
• Does the sustainable product appropriately replace an unsustainable product, or is it just additional?
• Has the company committed to full supply chain transparency for all their products?

Spotting genuine corporate action

It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to Earth Day committments, but recognizing organizations that are walking the walk can help put pressure on those that need to go further. Here are some signs that suggest meaningful corporate action on climate:

• They have made measurable progress towards emissions reductions, and have a plan to address their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
• They have already or are committed to winding down unsustainable practices or removing unsustainable products off the market
• They are open and transparent about where they need to improve, and make their climate pledges publicly visible
• They are supportive of policies and legislation that aim to address emissions and enforce environmental standards

Further reading

Check out the new Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor: newclimate.org

See how your favourite fashion brands stand up to scrutiny on their climate policies: fashion.stand.earth

Sources

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10946-greenwashing.html

https://atmos.earth/brown-girl-green-eco-influencer-greenwashing

https://www.fastcompany.com/90696664/corporate-climate-commitments-dont-mean-anything-without-accountability

https://npengage.com/companies/dont-just-celebrate-advocate-getting-back-down-to-the-roots-of-earth-day-tips-for-csr-professionals

https://acespace.org/2018/10/15/equity-in-a-time-of-socio-environmental-justice

https://enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-020-0300-3

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It was another rollercoaster of a year for the world, and we are grateful to have experienced it together as an organization and with our global youth community. Throughout the year, we are energized by the many young people who are striving to make an impact and keep climate action at the forefront. This past year, as we continued to grow our staff and Board of Directors teams internationally, we also aligned our various program offerings into one cohesive Programs Ecosystem that provides multiple pathways for young people to engage with Student Energy. Whether young people are considering a future in energy for the very first time, or whether they are ready to launch their own energy project, there is a Student Energy program that is designed to provide youth with the tangible skills, networks, and resources needed to reach the next level. We also put into motion our most ambitious initiative yet, the Student Energy Solutions Movement, which aims to deliver on our goal of empowering young people to take action by raising $150 million by 2030 to launch 10,000 youth-led clean energy projects.

Here are some of the things we accomplished in 2021:

• We launched the Student Energy Solutions Movement, as a youth-led UN Energy Compact, in partnership with the Government of Denmark as our first funder and New Energy Nexus as our project implementation partner. The announcement was made at the UN High Level Dialogue on Energy in June, and we held an in-person launch during New York Climate Week.
• We launched the initial findings from the Global Youth Energy Outlook at COP26, with several of our Regional Coordinators attending in person to present their work.
• Student Energy’s 40 global Chapters engaged 43, 579 people in 2021 through in-person and virtual community engagements.
• Our Energy System Map web and video views have continued to rise, reaching a total of 14 million+ lifetime views, with 2.5 million of those just in 2021.
• For COP 26 in Glasgow, we brought together our largest youth delegation yet, supporting 8 of our team members to attend and speak at over 10 events, and collaborated with many other Student Energy alumni in attendance.
• We continued expanding our core programs, including the second cohort of the Student Energy Fellowship (formerly known as the Leaders Fellowship), and the fourth annual cohort of the Greenpreneurs virtual startup incubator.
• The Intersectional Equity Taskforce completed their term, and put together a set of ambitious recommendations to be implemented in coming years.
• Led by SevenGen and powered by Student Energy and Indigenous Clean Energy, we supported the launch of the ImaGENation Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program in 2021, and continued the planning process for the second SevenGen Indigenous Youth Energy Summit, rescheduled to be held in 2022.
• Student Energy’s team grew from 25 staff members to 29 staff and 7 international Associates.
• We provided $133,000 in funding directly to young people to support them with honorariums and awards to help them take action on energy, and are gearing up to launch our direct-to-youth funding model, Student Energy Ventures, in 2022.

The first pilot project for Ventures, a small-scale solar PV project, is currently underway in Edmonton, Alberta, in partnership with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). This rooftop solar project, set to be commissioned by May 2022, is led by two NAIT Alternative Energy Technology program students, Jack Harding and Ethan Buchanan.

Introducing Student Energy Ventures: Student Energy Ventures aims to remove barriers to clean energy entrepreneurship for young people by providing access to funding, mentorship and project development templates. By giving youth the necessary skills, knowledge, and support system for their initiatives, Student Energy Ventures allows young people to launch tangible community clean energy projects while creating opportunities for youth in underrepresented communities to pursue careers in the sector.

Interested students, from all countries, are encouraged to apply by March 31st, 2022, to learn more about the program.

Through the Ventures program, priority will be given to support and deploy funding to targeted communities with both the highest potential for impact and who have lived through historical inequity in the global energy industry. Specifically, priority will be given to projects led by youth, women, and Indigenous youth or communities. As Ventures expands globally, Student Energy will also prioritize projects from the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Student Energy’s Solutions Movement aims to raise $150 million by 2030 to launch 10,000 youth-led clean energy projects
In June 2021, Student Energy launched the Solutions Movement which aims to bridge the gap between youth motivation and action by directly funding and supporting the deployment of 10,000 youth-led clean energy projects this decade. The Solutions Movement is also Student Energy’s UN Energy Compact, showing specific actions the organization will take to accelerate progress on SDG 7.

Quotes:
“The Government of Canada is working with partners and communities to ensure that our transition to a net-zero economy leverages the talent and expertise of all Canadians, including youth, women and Indigenous innovators. Our investment to launch Student Energy Ventures will help young Canadians bring their ideas to life, prepare for leading-edge jobs in Canada’s clean energy sector, and ultimately drive the growth of promising new technologies that benefit both the environment and the economy.” — The Honourable Daniel Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency

“Here in Alberta, we have the smarts, the ingenuity, the workers, the universities, and the tech institutes to meet the challenge of getting to net zero. The launch of Student Energy Ventures is a great example of how we can tap into the passion and abilities of our diverse innovators to create tangible benefits for Albertans and Canadians. I’m proud of our government’s investment in this initiative, which will help unlock the potential of new ideas for a sustainable energy sector that supports both a healthy environment and a dynamic economy.” — The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

“We are excited to be the pilot location for Student Energy Ventures. We know we need to act quickly to deploy the solutions we already have, and that’s why we’ve decided to say yes first, and support an innovative model where we will buy power for a youth-led project our students are developing.” — Stewart Cook, Dean of Applied Sciences, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)

“In 2021, we launched our global UN Energy Compact, the Solutions Movement, and we set an ambitious goal of deploying 10,000 youth-led projects this decade. Student Energy Ventures is how we’re making that happen. Young people globally are deeply concerned about the climate crisis, and for far too long, the energy sector has had a high barrier for entry for young people – particularly women, Indigenous youth, and young people from low-income backgrounds. Through Ventures, we hope to open up the emerging opportunities in clean energy and community-based solutions to young people from all backgrounds, so that youth have access to a tangible pathway and the necessary resources to turn their motivation into action.” — Meredith Adler, Executive Director, Student Energy

“We’re thrilled to launch Student Energy Ventures today, and to be announcing Prairies Economic Development Canada as our lead supporter of this new program. Ventures will play a key role in equipping young people in Canada and across the world with the knowledge, project designs, and capital needed to execute the clean energy transition.
I’m beyond thrilled we’re announcing our first Ventures pilot project will take place in my hometown of Edmonton with NAIT. It’s exciting to see the first pilot project launch where our organization first began, and we look forward to being able to support global youth-led innovation.” — Sean Collins, Co-Founder and Senior Director of Ventures, Student Energy

About Student Energy:

Student Energy is the world’s largest youth-led organization empowering young people to accelerate the sustainable energy transition. Since 2009, Student Energy has worked with thousands of youth from over 120 countries, to build the knowledge, skills, and networks they need to take action on energy. Student Energy operates on a unique youth empowerment model, which means that initiatives are co-created with youth, for youth.

Student Energy has built coalitions with over 100 diverse partners, such as the UN, Indigenous Clean Energy, Sustainable Energy for All, HSBC Global, the Stockholm Environment Institute, DNV, WSP, and national governments like Canada, Denmark, and Sweden. Student Energy has stewarded CAD$10 million+ in funding to date, supported the development of over 280 youth energy projects, held 6 international Student Energy Summits, and attracted over 13 million people to its digital energy education platforms.

About Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan):

Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is the federal department that supports economic growth in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Its programs and services help businesses, not-for-profits and communities grow stronger. Its mandate is to support economic growth and diversification in the Prairie provinces and advance the interests of the region in national economic policy, programs and projects.

About NAIT:

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a leading Canadian polytechnic, delivering education in science, technology and the environment; business; health and skilled trades. With 35,000 credit and non-credit students and a 98 per cent employer satisfaction rate, NAIT grads are essential to the provincial economy. NAIT also contributes to Alberta’s prosperity by helping business and industry become more competitive with Industry Solutions offered through its Productivity and Innovation Centre, including technology adoption, business and product innovation and industry-driven research. Recognized as one of Alberta’s top employers, NAIT provides outstanding returns on investment for its graduates, partners, the provincial government and the people of Alberta.

Media Contacts:

Shakti Ramkumar, Director of Communications and Policy, Student Energy
shakti@studentenergy.org
+1 (604) 445 4306

Nicole Graham, Media and External Relations Specialist, NAIT
ngraham@nait.ca
+1 780-916-8307

Sean Collins, Co-Founder, Senior Director of Ventures, Student Energy
scollins@studentenergy.org
+1 (780) 232 0339

Meredith Adler, Executive Director, Student Energy
meredith@studentenergy.org
+1 (604) 354 2930

This year’s UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, took place in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31st to November 12th. The main aim of the conference this year was for countries, Parties to the Paris Agreement, to submit more ambitions Nationally Determined Contributions to rapidly reduce emissions, and to increase the ambition of national and international climate action overall. Student Energy aimed to bring a diverse global youth delegation to the conference, with the goal of advocating for young people to be meaningfully included in decision-making, and for mobilizing finance to support youth-led work.

Here’s a recap of our activities:

November 11:  Meredith Adler on the New York Times Climate Hub

Meredith Adler joined Apolitical C.E.O Robyn Scott, HALO Urban Regeneration Founder Marie Macklin, Danone C.E.O Emmanuel Faber, and Project InsideOut Founder Renée Lertzman for a New York Times Climate Hub Panel Green Upskilling: The Next Generation of Climate Skills and Leadership.

In the panel, Meredith discussed what skills are required for advancing climate action, and what are organizations doing to develop them. If deployed properly, how much of a difference can this upskilling actually make?

“We’re hearing governments and others talk about, “oh good news, this policy is going to produce x amount of jobs.” You know, the IEA says the energy transition will result in about 55 million jobs when you look at all of it together, but really very few people are focused on skill building. There’s lots of announcements around the money for deployment, but not around who will be the deployers. 

The thing that [Student Energy] works to do is how do you do training at a scale that’s globally applicable. We work really hard on teaching problem-solving skills, teaching deployment skills, and the things that people need to know in order to be able to learn and culturally adapt to what needs to happen.” — Meredith Adler, Executive Director, Student Energy

November 10: COP Resilience Hub: Latin American findings from GYEO

Student Energy hosted a dynamic session sharing the perspectives of 5000+ Latin American and Caribbean youth from the Global Youth Energy Outlook, which surveyed over 40,000 youth around the world. The panel discussed how the energy transition can be made possible in a diverse and challenging region such as Latin America.

November 5: Women Leading on Climate

Student Energy supported Catherine McKenna, former Minister for Environment and Climate Change in Canada, in launching the Women Leading on Climate initiative. The effort seeks to recognize the leadership of women and girls in advancing progress on climate action in communities around the world, broaden the network of women and girls engaged in discussions around the environment and climate change, and raise awareness of the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and girls globally and discuss innovative solutions and share best practices.

On Friday, November 5th, during COP26’s Youth and Public Empowerment Day, women and girls from around the world flooded COP26 with videos on social media using the hashtag #WomenLeadingOnClimate. This included videos from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Stanford University Managing Director Alicia Steiger, and women, girls, and gender minorities from around the world who are acting on climate.

“Student Energy has a network of over 50,000 youth, half of whom are young women. We know how important it is to provide the funding, coaching and skills training they need to lead on energy and climate solutions. We look forward to continuing to partner with Women Leading on Climate to make sure the next generation of climate leaders is ready to implement the solutions we need and curb the impact of climate change on women globally.” — Meredith Adler, Executive Director, Student Energy

https://womenleadingonclimate.com/

November 5: Breaking Barriers for Youth to lead on SDG7

Breaking Barriers for Youth to Lead on SDG7 was a side event at the SDG 7 Pavilion hosted by Student Energy and featuring UNDP Youth Focal Point for Energy and Community of Practice Facilitator on Energy, Caroline Tresise.

“We’re not only underrepresented, we’re underestimated. If we want to achieve #SDG7 we have to build capacity for youth”

– Eduarda Zoghbi 

November 5: Energy Empowering Employment

Student Energy’s Executive Director Meredith Adler was a speaker on Power for All’s panel at the SDG 7 Pavilion #PoweringJobs and scaling the Distributed Renewable Energy sector. The panel featured industry experts from GOGLA, Student Energy and CEEW. Through a facilitated dialogue, informed by the Powering Jobs study Power for All, aims to change the limited understanding of job opportunities within DRE.

“The sector is changing so fast that the main thing you can learn is how to learn.” –Meredith Adler, Executive Director, Student Energy

November 4: GYEO Launch

Student Energy launched the Global Youth Energy Outlook (GYEO) report on November 04, 2021. Featuring global and regionally specific insights collected from 40,000+ young people globally, the GYEO is a powerful data-backed advocacy tool for both youth advocates and decision-makers.

Youth are calling for leaders in all sectors to move beyond tokenism and engage with youth through equitable and meaningful partnerships. How can decision-makers work with youth to accelerate climate action and the sustainable energy transition? The Global Youth Energy Outlook presents insights on what young people envision for their energy future and how they want to work with decision-makers to get there.

The launch event broke down key insights from Student Energy’s youth-led research, and includes a tangible guide for decision-makers on how to work with young people in an equitable way. 

The GYEO Launch event featured an intergenerational and global lineup of speakers who outlined how the GYEO can be effectively mobilized at the grassroots level, within government institutions, and in the energy sector: Featured speakers included:

• Student Energy’s youth Regional Coordinators who have been leading this research in their regions throughout 2020 and 2021
• Representatives from several national governments, including Canada, Denmark, and Sweden
• Representatives from companies in the energy sector, such as DNV

“Just look at us, young people coming together from every region to engage over 42,000 of our peers to show what young people globally want from a sustainable energy future” – Arsenii Kirgizov-Barskii, Regional Coordinator for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Watch the livestream recording.

Discover the emergent findings from the report.

November 02: A business-Led Climate Resilience Initiative: Turning Aspirations into Action https://www.woodplc.com/cop26/register-for-access

November 02: BBC Scotland Debate Night: COP26 Special 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00118r8

All of COP:SDG 7 Pavilion for the People and for the Planet at COP26