Recap of the IRENA Youth Forum 2024

Background of the “IEEE Computer Society Students and Young Professionals Climate and Sustainability Space”

IEEE Computer Society Students & Young Professionals Climate and Sustainability Space (IEEE CS SYP CSS) is a newly formed working group within the IEEE Computer Society Member and Geographic Activities Board’s Students and Young Professionals committee, established in 2024, dedicated to advancing sustainability within the computing community.

Our goals include promoting awareness and education through seminars and workshops, along with active participation in IEEE Computer Society conferences and events. Our aim also includes collaboration with industry partners and Climate Change/Sustainability entities and bringing a computing aspect into the energy space. We aim to implement initiatives and projects on the ground, especially in developing countries, to effect meaningful change. By forging connections with external partners and providing valuable opportunities for IEEE Computer Society members, IEEE CS SYP CSS is dedicated to fostering a more sustainable future in computing.

“Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation: An Opportunity or a Challenge for Young Practitioners in Energy Transition?”

IRENA Youth Forum 2024, Abu Dhabi - UAE, April 2024

The IEEE Computer Society Students & Young Professionals Climate and Sustainability Space (IEEE CS SYP CSS) partnered with the IEEE Young Professionals Climate and Sustainability Task Force (IEEE YP CSTF) to organize a Workshop on AI and Digital Innovation during the second day of the IRENA Youth Forum on 15 April 2024, in Abu Dhabi.

This workshop was part of the Parallel Workshop sessions “Building Capacity for a Youth at the Core of Just Energy Transition”. It gathered the largest attendance among all other parallel workshops. It included several students and professionals within the clean energy space, to discuss Artificial Intelligence and its impact in the energy field.

The workshop started with an IEEE introduction and was followed by an introduction to Artificial Intelligence, highlighting the Steps for artificial Intelligence System Implementation.

The second part of the workshop introduced IEEE’s work on AI for energy transition and important resources for the audience. It also included an interactive Slido session with the audience, engaging them in a series of questions designed to understand the attendees’ experience with AI, their background in the energy transition, and how both can be linked together in their opinion. Some questions tackled the challenges and potential risks of integrating AI into the energy transition and how it would affect young practitioners.

Overall, it was an insightful event that taught the audience important lessons and broadened their knowledge of Artificial Intelligence.