Energy Transition: Policy Alert, Partners Launch Youth Voices 2060 Network
By Ekemini Simon
Policy Alert, a Civil Society Organisation working to promote fiscal and ecological justice in the Niger Delta has together with other development partners launched a network of young people and youth focused organisations who will work to contribute their energy, skills, and innovations towards Nigeria’s transition to a cleaner energy future.
The network tagged Youth Voices 2060 was launched virtually yesterday, Wednesday when Policy Alert with support from Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and BudgIT held a webinar with the theme: Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, What Do The Youths Think About It?
Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan is for the country to achieve zero carbon emission in the year 2060. The plan sets out timelines and framework for attaining emissions’ reduction across five key sectors; power, cooking, oil and gas, transport and industry.
In his public presentation of #Youthvoices2060, the Programme Officer of Policy Alert, Edidiong Dickson said that the network is envisaged as an organic marketplace of ideas, for and by young people, on the road to Nigeria’s carbon neutrality in 2060.
He noted that the network will have 2,060 young individuals and youth organisations projected to be the largest on the African continent thus give visibility to young people’s stories and ideas, elevate their voices, and ultimately strengthen their agency to drive meaningful, youth-responsive engagement with the Energy Transition Plan and its implementation.
Dickson explained that the objective of the Youth Voices 2060 is to foster intergenerational dialogue on fossil fuel phase-out and the transition to clean energy, mobilize and engage youths with the review and implementation of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan, and provide a platform for youth to network and share information on the ideas, knowledge, and skills they need to benefit from the energy transition.
Other objectives mentioned included to facilitate the mainstreaming of a youth-responsive, energy transition perspective into Nigeria’s broader policy agenda.
The Programme Officer added to be part of the network demands youths to subscribe to the network and take ownership of its work, spread the message of #YouthVoices2060 to decision makers in all spheres they have influence, including but not limited to using digital tools where young people have a comparative advantage and to talk to other young people and get them involved.
Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tijah Bolton-Akpan had expressed dismay over the exclusion of youths from the Energy Transition Plan among other Policy initiatives despite the huge population of the youths in Nigeria.
Bolton-Akpan noted that it would be an unwise course if young people continue to be disinterested about Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan when they will actually be the ones most hit from loss of jobs that will stem from energy transition and will also be affected from the cost of investing and affording cleaner energy.
The Executive Director called on youths to wake up, create clean energy solutions, and champion their concerns about Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan.
In her goodwill message, the Deputy Director, Communications and Advocacy of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Obiageli Onuorah said since the energy needs of Nigeria will continue to increase devoid of the transitioning, it is time the country immediately reposition itself in investment in technology and human capital development.
She noted that those who drive technology are mostly the youths thus if the country must succeed in its Energy Transition Plan, youths must be carried along.
Onuorah added “That commitment in energy transition should carry along new policies to incorporate young voices, ensuring that jobs are not lost. While we jump on the bandwagon, we need to ask ourselves; what are the implications on our economy? We believe this process of interrogation should be participatory to ensure there is equity and balance. There must be inclusion if we must have a successful transition”.
On his part, Ahmed Abdulsamad of the Natural Resource Governance Institute harped on the need for the youths to own up conversation on the Energy Transition Plan as they are the most vulnerable and also the ones with innovative technology solutions to the transitioning from dirty energy to green energy.