Heeding The Voice of Youth For A Just Energy Transition

but they also bring their own valuable perspectives and innovation, if only the elders will listen. Equally, young people have a lot to learn from those with more experience if they are to become effective leaders in the imminent technological, economic and societal transformations. In the midst of this dynamic is the emerging Why a “just” transition? The urgency of the fight against climate change is now beyond debate. But it is equally important that the fight be waged equitably. In particular, there is a risk that measures taken might benefit some more than others or, worse, actually increase the burden on the most disadvantaged, and their exposure to climate change impacts.   
 

were among the international youth delegates who participated in this Young Energy Summit alongside their Vietnamese youth fellows who have similar passion. But what was it all about?

The Young Energy Summit marks the pinnacle of a transformative three-year journey of the Green Youth Labs project, funded by the German Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI). The project, subtitled “A Training Programme for Innovation and a Socially Equitable Energy Transition,” aims to harness the creative potential of young people to develop innovative low-carbon model projects and introduce them as future leaders to a low-carbon transformation of society.

Empowering youth communities is a key driver to achieve net zero by 2050, a point reiterated at the summit by both Franziska Schmidtke, director of FES Asia Climate & Energy Project, and Thi Thu Trang, Deputy Director of the Environmental Research Center Institute of Meteorological Sciences & Climate Change, Vietnam.

the younger generation has grown increasingly conscious of the urgency for the transition. However, they often find themselves excluded from critical political decision-making processes, lacking the requisite expertise, institutional support, and experience to translate their innovative ideas into impactful actions. In total 33 pilot models have been supported conceptually and financially in their implementation during the project cycle. 

Nguyen Ngoc Xuyen from Vi Vu initiative group is a young Vietnamese advocate and entrepreneur who is calling out for community participation in using public transportation to support green tourism. She also believes there is a harmony between nature and culture, and that this is a unique selling point to attract tourists and make tourism sustainable. 

managing director and co-founder of Wiibike from Hanoi who has taken on the challenging task of convincing the people of the capital city to opt for less polluting bicycles instead of the usual motorbike. Wiibike is now a pioneer in the field of clean energy transportation in Hanoi city. 

in low-carbon production and climate-friendly energy at local, national and international levels. There are more than 100 young alumni of the project, 30 from the north of Vietnam, 30 from the south and 40 from the centre, including representatives from various public and private sectors. The summit brought these together with international youth delegates from Germany, Bangladesh and the Philippines. As part of the event, they also participated in a field trip to four renewable energy sites:

The first site was Thai Lai Village, 20 km from central Danang. Here, participants explored renewable energy applications in peanut oil production. This visit highlighted the local efforts to integrate sustainable practices into everyday life. To follow their journey, click to watch the video below. 
 

was Control & Automation Solutions Co., Ltd (CAS Energy) where the young climate leaders learned about automation solutions, energy-saving technologies, renewable energy applications, and circular economy initiatives. This visit emphasized the importance of technological innovation in achieving sustainability goals.

and Ba Loc Adhesive & Glue Company were the last two stops, where participants observed the application of renewable energy in industrial production, showcasing how businesses can adopt greener practices and illustrating the potential for diverse industries to transition towards low-carbon operations.

but also seeks to instil a sense of agency among them regarding climate action. By participating in hands-on experiences like field trips and engaging with real-world applications of renewable energy, these young rising climate stars can better understand the practical implications of their training.

Moreover, the Green Youth Labs Summit encourages inclusivity by reaching out to underrepresented groups within the youth population. It fosters a diverse environment where various perspectives can contribute to innovative solutions for Vietnam's energy challenges. We had a fun but fruitful interview with the Central Deaf Services’ teachers who fully agreed that participating in the summit completely changed their perspective on the world’s just energy transition.

and most promising projects developed throughout the programme, culminating in a high-impact event that bridged local action with national policy makers' global perspectives. The summit not only served as a platform for the exchange of ideas, the formulation of policy recommendations, and the fostering of collaborations but it also provided a special side-meeting opportunity for Climate Change Working Group of Vietnam (CCWG), in which FES Asia’s Regional Climate and Energy project is a partner, to gather and focus on reflection, innovation, policy development, and collaboration. The summit week in which the author participated has surely created a ripple effect that extends beyond Vietnam, influencing national and regional energy and climate discourse. Hear them out in the three videos below, which showcase how World Vision Vietnam, Save The Children Vietnam and SNV Vietnam share similar climate and energy goals with FES Asia.

that brings together international and Vietnamese NGOs, development agencies, and professionals focused on climate change issues. With more than 100 member organizations, its mission is to reduce vulnerability to climate impacts through advocacy for sustainable and socially just responses. The CCWG plays a crucial role in promoting inclusive climate action, aligning its efforts with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The side meeting provided an invaluable opportunity for dialogue among climate change professionals and just transition experts, who shared insights on effective strategies for community engagement and advocacy, explored ways to enhance climate initiatives, and identified potential areas for joint projects that can leverage both local knowledge and international expertise.

The Green Youth Labs Energy Summit was designed to strengthen networks among young climate leaders fostering their continued collaboration and support. It also empowered them by enhancing their leadership skills in which the participants left the summit empowered and acquired with a deeper understanding of energy transition dynamics. Finally, a well-crafted position paper outlining youth-driven policy recommendations was presented to government and business leaders. The outcome is set to immensely help gain visibility for all the innovative projects attracting potential partners and funding opportunities to support their implementation down the road.