On Saturday, 23 January 2021, ACCEPT’s research analyst, Mr. Muhammad Rizki Kresnawan, was invited as a guest lecturer in Grand Launching of Society of Renewable Energy (SRE) in Institut Teknologi Sains Bandung (ITSB). SRE is a student organization engaged in renewable energy, which aims to increase student interest and awareness of new and renewable energy. This is based on the fact that many students are still unfamiliar with new and renewable energy.

Through his experiences on the working in the development of bridging the energy-climate nexus in ASEAN region, Mr Rizki has shared the importance of energy-climate knowledge for youth generation.

During the webinar, Mr. Rizki delivered 4 main issues that youth should understand is why the transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable energy is crucially important nowadays. At first, he started to explain how global warming happening and what is its main causal. Then he continues to bring the ASEAN energy landscape context in order to give the participants perspective how is the current situation of energy landscape in ASEAN which is still rely on the fossil fuel and its impact of the produced emissions to the environment.

After laying down the perspective, he elaborated more on how the youth should put their interest more on the climate action. Quoting from several studies, youth statistics is seemingly will hold a prominent role for the region’s future. As a backbone of the nation, youth most likely, will be a game-changer. This is reinforced by the fact that the younger generation will experience the direct impact of worsening climate change in the future.

• Youth have to retain their hunger of energy-climate nexus knowledge, because future energy pathway is in “their hands”.
• A cohesive combination between “hard science” and “soft science” can drive the transition into a low-carbon society.
• Energy transition requires “energy-climate minded engineers” who can offer climate change mitigation options, more than just an energy technology solution that offered by the “ground engineers”.
• To cope with the needs of “energy-climate minded engineers”, universities should be able to provide the youth with the “supportive environment” for its student.