The YouthEnergy project aims to empower young Argentinians to drive forward the just energy transition. The project consists of three main components designed to activate the potential of young people in three areas:
- Knowledge: as knowledge carriers to tackle climate change, the energy transition and the associated gender, class and ethnic inequalities
- Innovation: as innovators and designers of future energy systems
- Participation: as active participants in political debates on energy at local and international level
For the first two components, research-based didactic materials are developed and applied. Teaching staff from technical schools in three provinces of the country, Chubut, Mendoza, and Neuquén, are trained in the use of the materials. The didactic materials cover three major areas of knowledge: climate change, just energy transition and clean energy technologies. For clean energy technologies, experimentation kits are employed, covering the topics of renewable energy basics and energy efficiency, wind turbines, and green hydrogen. With these kits, students can learn and apply important principles of STEM subjects with a focus on clean energy technologies.
For the third component, the project will organise dialogue spaces to promote the participation of youth organisations in debates on a just energy transition in Argentina. For this purpose, three forums will be organised at provincial level, where representatives of youth organisations will have the opportunity to present their concerns and visions for the energy transition and discuss them with the relevant provincial authorities. Another forum will be organised to transfer the results of the provincial forums to the national level. The project will also support the participation of representatives of youth organisations in international debates at COP30.
