Youth Voices for a Just Transition: NRGI at the Conference of Youth on the Road to COP30

Climate change is the defining challenge of our time and the shift to a sustainable energy future is a race against the clock. Yet this transformation raises a crucial question: what happens to the communities whose lives and economies have long depended on fossil fuels? Advocating for a just energy transition means recognizing the equity challenges faced by young people in oil-dependent regions and ensuring their meaningful participation in shaping climate and development agendas.

On the road to COP30 in Belém, the Conference of the Youth (COY) provides a vital space where young people from around the world come together to share different visions on how to advance towards climate justice. At this year’s event, NRGI’s Brenda Rodríguez will lead a participatory workshop on just energy transitions in oil-producing regions, featuring testimonies from youth in southeastern Mexico and collaborative discussions on inclusive pathways to a fairer future.

Designed as both a dialogue and an action lab, the session will explore how the oil industry has shaped the lives, decisions, and aspirations of communities in oil-dependent regions. Participants will examine examples from across the Global South, including video stories from young people in Campeche, Veracruz, and Tabasco, before co-creating practical ideas to strengthen youth participation and shape narratives that place justice and inclusion at the heart of the energy transition.

Held under the umbrella of YOUNGO, the official Children and Youth constituency of the UNFCCC, this workshop reflects NRGI’s commitment to connecting local youth perspectives with international climate movements.