5 November 2022
BRICS YEA to attend the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt
Next week BRICS Youth Energy Agency is heading to UN Climate Change Conference COP 27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt (November 6-18, 2022). BRICS YEA Chairperson Alexander Kormishin, Assistant Chair Arsenii Kirgizov-Barskii and Vadim Kuznetsov, Director of Sustainability and Climate Initiatives, as well as BRICS YEA South Africa members Vanessa Ndlovu and Ms Alanda Venter will attend the Conference in-person, organizing and speaking at the official events, networking sessions and initiatives. We have a rich youth engagement program there and would like to invite you all to join us both at the venue and virtually!
The following events are organized by BRICS YEA in the COP27 Blue Zone:
Event description:
Achieving a just transition to net zero – while mitigating, adapting, and addressing the loss and damages of climate change – requires massive (re)allocations of finance. Private sector actors have a key role in capital mobilisation contributing towards sustainable outcomes through proliferation of net zero finance and corporate initiatives and regulatory frameworks (i.e. TCFD, ISSB). This has created an “alphabet soup” that warrants deciphering of how they could materialise in safeguarding the planet’s liveability. Furthermore, intergenerational equity is often found absent in discussions on private sustainable finance, and the ongoing push for higher levels harmonisation, interoperable climate-related financial disclosures should ensure transparency and accountability to communities and the future generation.
When? November 9, 2022, 10.05-10.55 AM,
Where? COP27, Blue Zone, Children and Youth Pavilion
Who? Vadim Kuznetsov with partners from Y20, YOUNGO and Environmental Defence,
Event description:
Accelerating the energy transition worldwide towards clean and low-carbon technologies, such as renewable energy, implies ever-growing demand for resources, including critical minerals. Such a demand is immediate and of high-intensity over the decade to achieve 2030 targets decarbonisation and renewable energy generation targets of countries. By 2040, the world is expected to need 4 times as many critical minerals for clean energy technologies as it does today.
At times of enhanced attention to the security and reliability of supply chains, a massive share of achieving a clean energy future relies on the extraction, utilisation, and consumption of many finite resources, including critical minerals. As most countries have set net-zero commitments, the question remains: how can a circular model help achieve net-zero without putting additional pressure on/depleting the ecosystems on which we depend?
When? TBA
Where? COP27, Blue Zone, SDG Pavilion
Who? Vadim Kuznetsov as Panel Moderator
Event description:
There are existing global mechanisms focused on the global energy transition, including the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Commission on People-Centered Clean Energy Transitions, the Energy Transition Council and the Energy Transition Commission. There are also many youth organizations operating in the SDG7 space. However, there is no entity currently acting as to bring these groups together for the purposes of:
- Ensuring youth have the much-needed seats at the decision-making table and are able to influence global leaders for an urgent and decisive energy transition;
- Allowing youth to map ongoing activities in the space to facilitate additive research, projects, programmes and initiatives in the SDG7 space.
To meet this challenge, SEforALL is seeking to establish a “Youth Energy Transition Commission” (YETC), in close partnership with the Government of Panama, Enel Foundation and the IEA. This commission would be made up of leadership of each of the prominent international youth-led, SDG7 / energy focused organizations operating today. This commission would also hold representation as part of the IEA’s Global Commission on People-Centered Clean Energy Transitions. Through this Youth Energy Transition Commission, youth representatives would have opportunities to interact with members of the aforementioned bodies, as well as others, to share perspectives and lessons learned directly with global energy leaders, thus ensuring a seat at the table and empowering youth to be a driving force in a sustainable energy future.
The opening session of Youth Day at the SDG7 Pavilion will feature the official announcement of the commission and a brief description of what the commission will entail, followed by a series of opening remarks by senior partners (SEforALL, The Government of Panama, Enel Foundation and the International Energy Agency). The session will then progress into an intergenerational discussion that will bring together the senior partners and youth commission members on the importance of a unified approach from youth toward SDG7, and a meaningful seat at the decision making table. This discussion will be followed by brief closing remarks, and a photo opportunity between the youth and senior partner organizations will bring the session to a close.
When? 10 November 2022, 9 AM
Where? COP27, Blue Zone, SDG7 Pavilion
Who? Arsenii Kirgizov-Barskii, Alexander Kormishin
Event description:
Energy Compacts are voluntary commitments to SDG7 and energy transitions from UN Member States and all other stakeholders with specific, trackable actions to advance progress on SDG7 and net-zero emissions.
SEforALL spearheaded the process for and mobilized new Energy Compacts as a key outcome to the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy (HLDE) and COP26. With our support, more than USD 400 billion in finance and investment was articulated in 179 Energy Compact commitments by governments and the private sector during the HLDE, the first leader-level meeting on energy under the auspices of the UN General Assembly in 40 years. To date, three of the leading youth-led, SDG7-focused organizations (BRICS YEA, Student Energy and the SDG7 Youth Constituency) have submitted Energy Compact Commitments.
The Youth Day at the SDG7 Pavilion will feature a showcase of these Energy Compacts that will bring together representatives from each of these organizations for a brief update on their energy compact progress, to demonstrate the impactful work that youth are setting in this key area.
This event will hopefully provide an avenue to future energy compact submissions from established youth entities, as well as provide a platform for potential partnerships to help fulfil existing compacts.
When? 10 November 2022, 11 AM
Where? COP27, Blue Zone, SDG7 Pavilion
Who? Alexander Kormishin
Event description
The event will celebrate the Presentation of the BRICS Youth Energy Outlook 2022 and highlight a critical science-driven vision of younger generation focused on how the world’s emerging economies could manage the energy transition in a changing world.
BRICS Youth Energy Agency engages young professionals and universities from the BRICS community and beyond to work on the research. All together, 550+ young people have contributed to the Outlook. Since 2019, the BRICS Youth Energy Outlook has been introduced annually at the BRICS Energy Ministers’ Meeting.
In 2022, the 4th edition of the BRICS+ Youth Energy Outlook is being prepared. The special part of the outlook is dedicated to the role of Africa for BRICS and the impact of climate change for the region from the BRICS youth perspective.
The report will be presented at the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP27) SDG7 Pavilion, 15:00 PM on 10th November 2022 (Youth and Future Generations Day), Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
When? November 10, 2022 (Youth and Future Generations Day) at 15:00 local time (UTS +2)
Where? COP27, Blue Zone, SDG7 Pavilion, COP27
Who?: Alexander Kormishin, Arsenii Kirgizov-Barskii