On 23 February 2022, GBEP hosted the first YUNGA Lab of the World Food Forum, dedicated to energy.

GBEP has been collaborating alongside the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA) on the education track of the World Food Forum to provide access to knowledge and actionable solutions to drive the agri-food system transformation, while inspiring children and youth to create a better food future for all.

The Energy Lab, held over Zoom with two youth groups from UAE and Pakistan, introduced the basic facts about energy and explored how we can produce and use renewable energy in a better way for people and the planet. The youth, aged 10-13 years, learned about the different types of renewable energy and how their use differs from country to country. The interactive activities during the Lab allowed students to investigate the actions we can take to be more sustainable and tackle climate change through our everyday choices.

 
Screenshot of the Lab held over Zoom

The Energy Lab was inspired by the YUNGA Energy Challenge Badge and the accompanying Bioenergy Supplement, which was developed by GBEP in collaboration with FAO. The Lab also benefited from the capacity building materials developed by GBEP in 2021 (e.g. infographics), to introduce the ideas of sustainability for specific bioenergy pathways. This allowed students to investigate their own local bioenergy potential and discuss its sustainability. 

The recording of the Energy Lab, held in English, is available online, whilst further Labs will be held soon in different languages and topics, with the objective of harnessing the power of school children to create a more sustainable and resilient world.