5 June 2026 — Marking World Environment Day, youth members of the International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS) joined NowForClimate, an interactive online seminar dedicated to accelerating climate solutions and building a cooler, greener, and more resilient future. The event brought together youth leaders, civil society organizations, and climate practitioners to discuss green energy, climate action, community resilience, and youth engagement.

The seminar was supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ChildFund Asia, and other partner organizations. A key objective of the event was to empower young people to develop practical, community-driven solutions that contribute to both climate action and the global energy transition.

One of the highlights of the opening session was a keynote address delivered by ISETS Youth Ambassador Karmenova Dilnaza, who spoke on the critical role of women in energy transition and environmental governance. While acknowledging that women are among the groups most affected by climate change, she emphasized that they must also be recognized as key drivers of change, actively participating in community action, environmental decision-making, and policy dialogue.

Her remarks underscored the strong connection between gender equality, social inclusion, and sustainable energy development, bringing a youth-centered and equity-focused perspective to the discussion. Dilnaza is one of the distinguished winners of the inaugural ISETS–ESCAP Global Youth Voice Competition. Since her participation in the competition, she has remained actively involved in ISETS youth initiatives and volunteer activities supporting energy transition platform development, eventually earning her appointment as an ISETS Youth Ambassador.

Youth representatives also played leading roles throughout the event’s thematic discussions. During the Green Energy breakout session, Yumeng Qu, Jihao Yang, and Xinrui Li from the Youth Voice organizing and volunteer teams served as facilitators and rapporteurs, helping guide discussions while contributing their own perspectives on renewable energy and sustainable development.

Another featured speaker was Tania Callista from PRISTINZ, a member of the first-prize team at the 2025 Global Youth Voice Competition Finals. She presented the innovative solution that secured her team the global championship, highlighting how technological barriers continue to limit access to renewable energy in many communities. To address this challenge, Callista introduced an award-winning glass technology designed for building applications that can help improve energy efficiency and sustainability. Her vision for increasing women’s participation in science, technology, and energy-related fields also drew significant attention and recognition from participants.

The World Environment Day event showcased ISETS’s growing role as a bridge between global sustainability challenges, youth-led innovation, and real-world action. As an international professional platform dedicated to advancing energy transition, ISETS has consistently promoted knowledge sharing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and multi-stakeholder dialogue to support a just, equitable, and inclusive transition to sustainable energy systems. The event also highlighted the long-term impact of the ISETS youth development model—identifying promising young talent, nurturing leadership capacity, and providing opportunities for young people to engage on international platforms.

Looking ahead, ISETS plans to further strengthen its partnerships with United Nations agencies, international organizations, universities, research institutions, and youth networks worldwide. Through initiatives such as the Global Youth Voice Competition on Energy Transition, the Youth Ambassador Programme, international exchange activities, and capacity-building projects, ISETS aims to empower even more young people to contribute innovative ideas, practical solutions, and meaningful action to the global energy transition agenda.

 

About ISETS:

The International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS) is a non-profit association incorporated in New South Wales, Australia, under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009. The organization is a global platform committed to promoting a just, fair and inclusive transition of the energy and related sectors towards a sustainable low-carbon future through international partnerships, while taking into account economic development, social equity and environmental stewardship. ISETS currently has more than 2,700 members from over 100 countries and regions