Events facts
Asia/Baku
Venue: 6th Capacity-building Hub within COP29 (Blue zone), Special Event Room – Shirvan
Recognizing the critical role of youth in climate action, CTCN has engaged young people as partners in its technology work, providing platforms for innovation, networking, and skill development. The “Local Innovators, Global Change: Youth Talk” session aims to showcases youth-led climate technology initiatives and provides a platform for young innovators to share their experiences, challenges, and successes as well as highlight CTCN’s ongoing support for youth-led climate initiatives.
The participants will hear from youth advocates on the significance of technology in climate action, as well as from winners of the CTCN’s Youth Climate Innovation Programme, who will share how the programme helped them develop and scale their climate technology solutions. Additionally, a CTCN Network implementer will discuss the integration of youth perspectives into CTCN’s climate technology projects, underlining the importance of addressing youth needs.
Background:
The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is the implementation arm of the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism that responds to requests for technical assistance submitted by developing countries and delivers tailored support to address specific climate technology challenges. Drawing on the expertise of its 835 Network members. With its network, the CTCN has a unique capacity to support catalytic actions for countries seeking to implement and deploy climate technology solutions, positioning itself as a strategic partner.
Recognizing that the intensification of extreme weather events and climate change pose significant threats to the well-being of youth, particularly in developing countries, and that young people are at the forefront of raising awareness, promoting sustainable lifestyles, and implementing environmentally friendly practices, the CTCN has increasingly engaged youth in its technology work over the past decade. The goal has been to provide both technology services to young people and a platform for them to share their insights and experiences with climate change technologies.
In response to requests from developing countries, the CTCN has implemented specific technical assistance projects focused on youth, offering technology services as well as opportunities for networking, collaboration, and skill development training. Additionally, in 2020, the CTCN launched the first edition of its Youth Climate Innovation Labs and Academy, which provided young people with training and tools to develop solutions to various climate change challenges. The second edition of the programme was launched in 2024.
This session aims to showcase these efforts by featuring perspectives from youth advocates on the importance of technology for climate action, we will also hear from winners of the CTCN’s Youth Climate Innovation Programme, who will share how the incubator programme has helped them scale their climate technology ideas. Finally, a CTCN Network implementer will discuss how the CTCN incorporates youth and their needs into its climate technology projects.
Agenda
Welcome and introduction (5 minutes)
- Harry Federspiel, Managing Director - Programs, Seedstars
Opening remarks (5 minutes)
- Dechen Tsering, Director a.i of UNEP's Climate Change Division
Keynote address (10 minutes)
- Lubomila Jordanova, Co-founder and CEO, Plan A, Obama Leader, MIT Under 35 Innovator
Youth Talks, a series of brief presentations (15 minutes)
- Omer Badokhon, Co-founder & CEO at BioTreasure, CTCN Youth Climate Innovation Programme Alumni - Discussing the role of incubator programmes in catalyzing youth climate technology businesses, along with the opportunities he sees for youth in this field.
- Anisa Abibulloeva, The Little Earth - sharing how the organization supports women in mountain communities by helping them break isolation and transition to sustainable energy solutions.
- Keith Wingeard, Strategic Partnerships Manager at Solar Cookers International - Presenting a CTCN technical assistance project piloting sustainable wood resources management through the promotion of solar cookers and solar energy, with a special focus on engaging youth.
Interactive Q&A session (20 minutes)
- Moderator coordinating the session.
Closing remarks and call to action (5 minutes)
- Mr. Christofer Ahlgren, CTCN Advisory Board member, European Commission