Renewable energy for youth: For sustainable economic development, thriving life, decent work, and a greener future

Youth have the greatest interest in the transition to renewable energy, as the world faces an urgent race to avert climate devastation in the coming decades. Youth populations are growing rapidly, particularly across Asia, Africa and Latin America. Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Young people are expected to exceed 800 million in the continent by 2050. The Asia-Paci)c region contains 60% of the world’s youth population, and in Latin America the largest segment of the population is aged 19 to 30 years. If done well, the transition to renewable energy offers new opportunities for young people to engage in a new green industrial economy, and energy security which ensures clean, affordable and accessible energy and decent work in green sectors and beyond.