C20 (Civil cohort of G20) Troika Side-Event on Promoting Partnerships in Energy Transition with the past, present and future G20 Presidencies – G20 Italy, G20 Indonesia & G20 India

As Energy Transition is one of the priority issues of the G20 Indonesia Presidency, it is important to talk about this issue through various perspectives, as a way to promote collaboration and partnership towards the low-carbon future. The Environment, Climate Justice, and Energy Transition Working Group (ECE WG) along with Youth For Green Hydrogen hosted the C20 Troika  Webinar “Promoting Partnership in Energy Transition” to explore issues in energy transition from the lens of current, past, and future G20 Presidency (Indonesia, Italy, and India).

On July 29, young people from various countries came together in engaging a newer perspective on Energy Transition, including the youth leadership of Green Hydrogen. Eminent and renowned speaker Hawa Diallo, Chief of Civil Society Unit from Department of Global Communications of United Nations joined for the keynote address.

Transition to renewable and clean energy is inevitable in the collective efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change. The sources of renewable energy are also abundant, such as the sun, wind, hydropower, biomass, hydrogen, or geothermal. Currently, due to rising demands as part of the effort in accelerating energy transition, the costs of generating renewable energy has started to decrease and many governments in developing countries are also starting to mainstream the use of renewable energy to the public. With the population growth projected to reach around 8.5 billion people in 2050–with developing countries as the center of growth, energy demand will also increase and more advanced technologies are needed to ensure that transition to renewable energy could bring reliable and secure energy access for all.

The G20, as a multilateral group of the world’s 20 largest economies, is undeniably also the world’s largest energy consumer and producer, with the electricity and transportation sector as the sector that consumes the most energy. Within this country-level data of energy consumption, there are minuscules of our daily energy consumption since our daily life is essentially inseparable from energy uses. Energy access is something that is usually taken for granted because we rarely question where the energy used to power our televisions, computers, lamps, or heating come from. However, with the threat of climate change gaining more visibility from time to time, we can no longer be unaware of where our energy comes from, as the global energy sector contributes to 40% of CO2 emissions.

Climate change affects us all, although the experiences diverge depending on the level of vulnerability. Energy transition on the systemic level will also affect us as the consumer. Nevertheless, we can also contribute in making the energy transition more sustainable, fair, just, inclusive, and more decentralized. Reflecting the diverse composition of energy consumers–youth, elders, women, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, etc–energy transition towards clean and renewable energy must accommodate the energy needs of everyone. One of the ways to achieve the objectives is by supporting local initiatives in developing clean and renewable energy technology. Creating strong partnerships that upheld the principle of inclusivity, climate and intergenerational justice is also important to help achieve the Net Zero Emission (NZE) targets through energy transition.

The Objective of the Troika event was:

1. Raising the awareness about the impacts of climate change and the pertinent role of energy transition in achieving the Paris Agreement target. 
2. Synergizing Troika collaboration on energy transition issues and partnership. 

Ms. Hawa shared various innovative practises that are being led by young people from across the world in   promoting a Just and Inclusive Energy Transition through Intergenerational Partnerships. Hawa stressed on the fact that civil societies have a larger role to play in the world in driving the world order. It is only through civil societies that the message of the world leaders move forward. She encouraged the role Youth For Green Hydrogen have played in the past 4 months in mobilising young people from across 70 countries for Energy Transition. Teresa Giuffre, C20 ECEWG Member Italy, Italian Climate Network shared her thoughts on encouraging Youth Participation in the Renewable Energy Sector. As part of C20 Italy, Ms. Teresa talked about the skilling of young people for the renewable energy sector. She remarked, “42 Million Jobs would be created by 2050 through Green Energy and the Youth has to be ready to lead it.”

Mr. Kavin Kumar Kandasamy  on behalf of Youth For Green Hydrogen spoke about the various development of Green Renewables that is being undertaken. Kavin emphasised the role of youth in Green Hydrogen and the various other innovation that is being done by him in advancing Green Hydrogen in India. He remarks that the National Green Hydrogen Policy by the Indian Government will pave a roadmap in the energy transition sector and encourage young green entrepreneurs to look at it as a new opportunity.

Rahmat Maulana Sidik on behalf of the C20 ECEWG Member Indonesia talked about the Just and Sustainable Resource Governance in Renewable Energy for Future Generations as a part of

Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ).

In the closing remarks, Co-Founder of Youth For Green Hydrogen and as a part of C20 ECEWG Member from India , apart from sharing the youth mobilisation that has happened for Green Hydrogen in the past 60 days, Sailesh Singhal applauds the leadership of G20 Indonesia Presidency “The 2022 and 2023 G20 Presidency lies in the hands of youth centric leadership. India will take forward the communiqués of the past in driving the new world order ahead.” The Troika event also saw a massive participation of young people from outside the G20 countries making it very clear that the world is accelerating towards advancing energy transition as its priorities and the youth is ready to welcome the Green Future.