Session
Organizer 1: James Amattey, Norenson IT
Organizer 2: Denise Leal, UnB & SEBRAE Goiás
Organizer 3: Man Hei Connie Siu, 🔒International Telecommunication Union
Organizer 4: Nicolas Fiumarelli, 🔒Youth IGF Uruguay
Organizer 5: Shradha Pandey, 🔒
Organizer 6: Osei Manu Kagyah, 🔒Afro-Grids
Speaker 1: James Amattey, Technical Community, African Group
Speaker 2: Denise Leal, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 3: Man Hei Connie Siu, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 4: Shradha Pandey, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Nicolas Fiumarelli, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Osei Manu Kagyah, Civil Society, African Group
Elisa Haxhillazi, Intergovernmental Organization, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Round Table - 60 Min
How can policies and regulations be improved to empower the next generation of innovators, with a focus on platform accountability and fostering innovative solutions? What concrete recommendations can be made to enhance the accessibility of sustainable tech solutions for all, particularly in developing countries? How can sustainability principles be effectively incorporated into data centers, blockchain, and other key elements that shape the future of the internet, and what innovative approaches can be explored to promote their integration?
What will participants gain from attending this session? The session is expected to raise awareness about the Youth-Driven Sustainable Tech, highlighting the challenges and best practices in this context. Make concrete recommendations to improve policies and regulations related to empowering the Next Generation of Innovators, with emphasis on platform accountability, and exploring innovative solutions are also objectives. Participants will gain understanding of the work done by youth-led initiatives, and access to a report that summarizes the discussions, case analyses, and recommendations presented during the session; which will serve as a reference for researchers and policy makers. At the end we will invite participants to review our work and discuss our proposals, while the output of this session will be shared with governments, international and non-governmental organizations.
Description:
In a world grappling with escalating environmental challenges, the importance of sustainable technology solutions has become undeniable. Youth-led initiatives are emerging as a powerful force propelling this innovative journey towards sustainability. This session aims to shed light on these initiatives and their potential for creating a more sustainable future. To set the context, the discussion will begin with the exploration of Addis Ababa Messages from IGF 2022 pertinent to environment and sustainability. Our young panelists, leading the charge in their respective domains, will discuss the current state of sustainable tech innovation and the instrumental role youth are playing in this progression. They will delve into the repercussions of environmental challenges on IG, touching upon pressing issues like internet shutdowns and the influence of climate change on digital infrastructure. Following this, the panel will dive deeper into examples of sustainable tech innovations. Spanning clean energy solutions, circular economy models, and sustainable agriculture practices, the discussion will offer insights into how youth-led initiatives are fostering innovation and how such initiatives can be scaled for a wider impact. An interactive conversation will offer the youth audience the opportunity to discuss the hurdles of implementing sustainable tech solutions, between policy and practice, ensuring sustainable tech solutions are accessible to all and promote collaboration between various sectors and stakeholders. The discussion will culminate around the greening of the internet and the panelists will dissect how sustainability principles can be integrated into data centers, blockchain, and other pivotal elements that shape the future of the internet; addressing the historical hurdles in greening the environment in the context of IG principles. This session seeks to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across different sectors and stakeholders, crafting a blueprint for a sustainable and resilient digital future, through inspiration and empowerment of the next generation of innovators.
By the end of this session, participants should have a greater understanding of the importance of sustainable tech innovation and the role of youth in driving this agenda. They should also have insights into how sustainable tech can address environmental challenges in digital infrastructure and how digital commons can support these initiatives. Participants will understand the work done by youth-led initiatives such as the UN's SDG7, ITU-generation connect projects, and grassroots organizations. This session will inspire more youth to get involved in sustainable tech solutions, foster collaboration between different sectors, and contribute to achieving the United Nations SDGs (SDG 7, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 17). The panel brings diverse perspectives because it includes experts from different regions and sectors, ensuring a range of views and experiences; diverse backgrounds will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic, addressing various challenges and opportunities.
Hybrid Format: The session aims to facilitate a roundtable where participants will be part of the session itself. Tentative agenda: Introduction and background. The moderator explains how the session will take place and points out that attendees can ask questions by using the hand-raising option or in the chat (online), or by requesting the floor (onsite). The moderator introduces the policy issues and addresses the speakers with questions in a roundtable fashion.Open floor. The moderator invites all participants to take the floor either online or onsite. Key takeaways (rapporteur) and conclusions. The session is going to ensure interactions through a Q&A and comment section in the online application where the session will be taking place (e.g. Zoom). Both online and onsite moderators will make sure that the questions and comments are not overlooked through effective communication, but play an important role throughout the session.