The energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean is no longer solely about technology or emissions reduction. It has become a strategic competition for economic leadership, energy security, and control over critical value chains. Within this context, the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) is placing young people at the center of the regional energy agenda as a new and essential political stakeholder.<\/p>\n
During the regional event “Youth and Influence in Latin America and the Caribbean,” organized by Youth4Energy and Reacci\u00f3n Clim\u00e1tica, Andr\u00e9s Rebolledo, Executive Secretary of OLACDE, presented a clear assessment of the region’s competitive advantages in the global energy transition.<\/p>\n
Today, nearly 70% of the electricity generated in Latin America and the Caribbean comes from renewable sources, making it home to one of the cleanest electricity matrices in the world. Just a decade ago, solar and wind energy accounted for only 2% to 3% of regional electricity generation; today, they represent more than 20%, reflecting one of the fastest growth rates globally. In addition, the region holds more than 25% of the world’s critical minerals, including lithium, copper, and cobalt, all of which are essential for electrification, battery storage, and clean energy technologies.<\/p>\n
However, the regional narrative extends beyond renewable energy. Rebolledo noted that energy security has re-emerged as a central priority on the international agenda amid geopolitical tensions and shifting global markets. Latin America and the Caribbean currently produce approximately 10% of the world’s oil and 6% of its natural gas, with significant production growth expected in Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.<\/p>\n
Against this backdrop, young people are emerging as key drivers of the transition. Studies suggest that the regional energy sector alone could generate up to 15 million new jobs over the next five years, creating unprecedented employment opportunities for a new generation of professionals.<\/p>\n
From <\/strong>s<\/strong>ymbolic <\/strong>p<\/strong>articipation to <\/strong>m<\/strong>eaningful <\/strong>i<\/strong>nfluence<\/strong><\/p>\n Valentina Licanqueo, OLACDE consultant, emphasized that inviting young people to dialogue is no longer sufficient. The challenge now is to transform participation into effective, institutionalized influence over energy policymaking.<\/p>\n Licanqueo highlighted that OLACDE works alongside its 27 Member States to strengthen youth leadership, technical capacities, and public engagement while incorporating gender equality, diversity, and interculturality as fundamental pillars of a just energy transition.<\/p>\n She also recalled that during the X Energy Week, held in Chile in 2025, the First Latin America and the Caribbean Youth Energy Meeting culminated in the presentation of the first-ever formal youth declaration before the region’s Ministers of Energy.<\/p>\n The <\/strong>n<\/strong>ext <\/strong>s<\/strong>tep: <\/strong>i<\/strong>nstitutionalizing <\/strong>y<\/strong>outh <\/strong>v<\/strong>oices<\/strong><\/p>\n As part of this long-term strategy, OLACDE is advancing the creation of the Youth Council for Energy, which is expected to be officially launched during the XI Energy Week, to be held in the Dominican Republic in October 2026.<\/p>\n The Council will establish a permanent institutional channel connecting young leaders with the region’s Ministers of Energy at a time when Latin America and the Caribbean are redefining their role in strategic industries such as green hydrogen, critical minerals, electric mobility, and climate-resilient energy storage.<\/p>\n With one of the cleanest electricity systems in the world, abundant strategic natural resources, and a young population poised to shape tomorrow’s workforce, the region is uniquely positioned to lead the global energy transition. Yet that leadership will only be sustainable if a new model of energy governance actively includes the generations that will inherit\u2014and ultimately shape\u2014its future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OLACDE is positioning youth participation as a strategic pillar of the energy transition in LAC, a region that already leads the world in clean electricity generation while holding a significant share of the critical resources needed for the global energy transition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34004,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34008","noticias","type-noticias","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n