Youth Powering Africa’s Energy Future: Students Lead the Charge for Change – Global Citizen

Report on the “Youth Powering South Africa’s Energy Future” Workshop

Event Overview and Strategic Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

A workshop titled “Youth Powering South Africa’s Energy Future” was convened at the University of Johannesburg’s Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus. The event, a collaboration between Global Citizen and the University of Johannesburg, focused on mobilizing youth to develop solutions for a sustainable energy future, directly addressing several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): The workshop’s core theme was to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, as promoted by Global Citizen’s Scaling Up Renewables in Africa (SURA) campaign.
• SDG 4 (Quality Education): The event explored the critical link between reliable energy access and educational outcomes for students.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Discussions highlighted the potential for job creation and enterprise development within the renewable energy sector.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The transition to renewable energy was framed as an essential strategy for climate mitigation.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The event itself exemplified a partnership between civil society, academia, and youth advocates to achieve common goals.

Analysis of Energy Insecurity and its Impact on SDG Attainment

Barriers to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and General Well-being

Participant testimonies provided direct evidence of how inconsistent energy access undermines progress towards SDG 4. Students reported significant challenges, including:

1. Inability to study during power outages, directly impacting academic performance and exam preparation.
2. Loss of access to essential digital learning tools, such as Wi-Fi and device charging stations.
3. Disruptions to daily life, including meal preparation and food safety, which affect overall well-being and the ability to focus on education.
4. Increased stress and mental toll from constantly adapting to unreliable power supplies.

Panel Discussion: The Interconnectedness of Energy with Multiple SDGs

A panel featuring Dr. Jama Mashele Mohale (Centre for Ecological Intelligence), Hope Dlamini (Global Citizen Fellow), and moderator Sinoxolo Cakata (Power Shift Africa) reinforced the systemic nature of energy access.

• Systemic Impact: Dr. Mohale emphasized that energy is a cross-cutting issue, stating that failures in the energy system impact all societal sectors, from agriculture (SDG 2) to education (SDG 4).
• Dignity and Opportunity: Ms. Dlamini linked energy access directly to human dignity and opportunity, asserting that it is a prerequisite for creating an environment where youth can achieve their full potential, contributing to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8.
• Socio-Economic Disparities: The discussion revealed significant inequalities in energy access between different communities, highlighting a challenge for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Youth-Led Innovation and Policy Engagement for Sustainable Energy

Ideation for Community-Centric Energy Solutions

An interactive session invited students to propose energy management strategies. Their ideas demonstrated a strong understanding of sustainability principles aligned with SDG 7 and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Prioritization of Essential Services: Participants suggested directing power to critical infrastructure like schools and clinics first, supporting SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 4.
2. Energy Efficiency Measures: Proposals included reducing consumption from non-essential sources like billboards to conserve energy.
3. Smart Load Management: The concept of time-of-day pricing was raised as a mechanism to promote efficient and equitable energy distribution.

Fostering Innovation and Green Job Creation (SDG 8 & SDG 9)

The dialogue shifted towards actionable steps for policy influence and practical implementation.

• Shared Responsibility: Dr. Mohale stressed that achieving energy goals requires collaboration between citizens, researchers, and policymakers, reflecting the spirit of SDG 17.
• Youth in Policy and Enterprise: Ms. Dlamini advocated for investing in youth skills and enterprise development to build a workforce capable of leading the green transition, directly supporting SDG 8.
• The Energy Zone Challenge: This practical group activity tasked students with designing innovative energy solutions, fostering skills relevant to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). The challenge encouraged critical thinking and problem-solving to address community-specific energy deficits.

Conclusion and Forward Directives

The workshop concluded with a call to action, urging students to become active agents in the energy transition. Key takeaways included:

• Local Innovation: Participants were encouraged to apply their creativity to develop localized, grassroots solutions.
• Knowledge as a Catalyst: The importance of continuous learning was highlighted as a foundation for effective contribution to sustainable change.
• Youth as Leaders: The event affirmed that young people are critical stakeholders and leaders in shaping an energy future that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: This is the central theme of the article. The entire workshop, discussions, and campaigns mentioned, such as the “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa (SURA)” initiative, are focused on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The article explicitly links energy access to education. Students’ testimonies detail how power interruptions directly hinder their ability to study, access online resources, and perform academically, thus affecting the quality of their education.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article connects the transition to a sustainable energy future with economic opportunities. It highlights the importance of job creation and investing in youth skills and enterprise development within the renewable energy sector.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The discussions on managing community electricity supply, prioritizing essential services like schools and clinics, and implementing smart load management directly relate to creating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban and community environments.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: While not explicitly named, the focus on accelerating renewable energy adoption and moving away from traditional power sources is a fundamental strategy for climate change mitigation, which is the core of SDG 13.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article emphasizes the importance of collaboration. The workshop itself is a partnership between Global Citizen and the University of Johannesburg, and panelists explicitly call for “partnerships between communities, academia, and policymakers” to achieve energy goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
   • The students’ stories of losing electricity for eight hours, being unable to study, and experiencing food spoilage directly highlight the lack of reliable energy services, which this target aims to solve.
2. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • The “Scaling Up Renewables in Africa (SURA)” campaign is explicitly aimed at “accelerating renewable energy adoption across the continent,” which directly aligns with this target.
3. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills… for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • Panelist Hope Dlamini’s statement that “We need to prepare young people to lead, build, and manage the energy systems of tomorrow” and the focus on youth skills and enterprise development support this target. The “Energy Zone Challenge” is a practical application of building these skills.
4. Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   • The article’s emphasis on “job creation is central to building a sustainable energy future” directly addresses the need to create employment opportunities for young people, linking the energy transition to solving youth unemployment.
5. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
   • The SURA campaign’s goal to promote “policy reform to drive Africa’s move to affordable and sustainable power” is an example of integrating climate-friendly energy solutions into national strategies.
6. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
   • Dr. Mohale’s closing statement that “Partnerships between communities, academia, and policymakers can unlock the change we all want to see” is a direct call for the multi-stakeholder collaborations described in this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator 7.1.1: Proportion of population with access to electricity.
   • This is implied by the entire discussion. The stories from students in Alexandra township about frequent and long power outages suggest that while they may have a connection, their *reliable* access is low. Measuring the consistency and duration of electricity supply would be a key metric.
2. Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption.
   • The SURA campaign’s mission to accelerate renewable energy adoption implies that progress would be measured by the increase in the percentage of energy generated from renewable sources in Africa.
3. Indicator 4.a.1: Proportion of schools with access to… electricity.
   • The students’ difficulties studying due to power cuts and the suggestion to “power schools… first” imply that the reliability of electricity in educational institutions is a critical issue and a measurable indicator of a supportive learning environment.
4. Indicator 8.6.1: Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in employment, education or training.
   • The article’s focus on job creation in the sustainable energy sector suggests that a key measure of success would be a reduction in youth unemployment as new roles are created and young people are trained to fill them.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: globalcitizen.org