The African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) hosted a three day Future for Energy Conference at the Labadi Beach Hotel from August 26th to 28th, 2024, under the theme “Harnessing Africa’s Resource Wealth: Fueling Innovation for Equitable Energy Access.” The conference brought together participants from civil society organizations, representatives from state institutions, non-governmental organizations, students, and energy experts specializing in energy transition and the extractive sector.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) organized a side event titled “Bridging the Gap: Integrating Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities into the Net Zero Workforce” at the Omanye Hall.
The panel discussion featured Priscilla Adogo Ahiada, Head of Energy Access at SYND, Marina Agotimevor, Coordinator of the African Coal Network, and Christopher Agbega from the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations.
The discussion focused on ensuring inclusivity in the transition to a sustainable, net-zero carbon economy. It emphasized the importance of creating opportunities and removing barriers for underrepresented groups specifically women, youth, and persons with disabilities within the emerging green workforce. The concepts discussed are applicable to initiatives and policies aimed at achieving equitable participation in the shift toward a more sustainable future.
Priscilla Adogo Ahiada highlighted the need for young people to acquire digital skills to manage technologies such as smart grids, which are crucial for the energy transition. She advocated for systems that foster partnerships through mentorship programs, enabling young people to gain practical skills for their professional development. She also emphasized the importance of amplifying youth-driven innovation, citing her organization’s outreach at the University of Mines and Technology (in collaboration with its Innovation Hub), where young innovators have developed groundbreaking technologies.
She however noted that without proper support systems, these innovations risk failing at the inception stage due to challenges in scaling up.
Marina Agotimevor underscored that mentorship should not be limited to same-sex development; men can also mentor women effectively if they are well-equipped to transfer knowledge. She emphasized that empowering women leads them to empower others, but this can only be achieved by providing them with the necessary technical knowledge. In her closing remarks, Marina stressed the importance of executing partnerships correctly. She also noted that funds to scale up businesses are available and encouraged participants to engage with funders on platforms like LinkedIn.
Christopher Agbega emphasized the need for collaboration across all stages to ensure accessibility. He cited examples such as accessible washrooms in public spaces and highlighted the importance of developing technologies like electric wheelchairs and speech-to-text applications with and for persons with disabilities. He called for greater advocacy to create opportunities for persons with disabilities in the energy sector, stressing the need for deliberate efforts to empower young people with disabilities and create an enabling environment, particularly in the transportation sector.
Ghana aims to achieve its net-zero target by 2070, as outlined in the Ghana Energy Transition Framework, which focuses on clean energy sources through four key decarbonization technologies: Clean Cooking, E-mobility, Hydrogen, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency.
How do you suggest that women, youth, and persons with disabilities can be effectively integrated into the net-zero workforce in your respective regions and countries?
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