Millennial Delegates Debate Renewable Energy at G8/G20 Youth Summit

Impact

Editor's Note: The author is the Russian press secretary at the G8/G20 Youth Summit. The following represents her report live from the meetings.

WASHINGTON - The G8/G20 Youth Summit Environmental committee is trying hard to reach consensus on energy supplies on the second day of negotiations. Fingers trembling, the G20 negotiators are presenting the urgent issues via policy papers.

The first part of negotiations has been devoted to the energy portfolio. The American representative leading the discussion has given the floor to anyone who’s willing to talk.

Thus far, things are going well and they are respecting one another's ideas. But the delegates have not reached consensus on the issue of energy portfolio.

But as policymakers move  at a snail’s pace, a global movement in the environmental community is building. Young people are speaking louder and louder. Young politicians have the courage to stand up and speak out for a just and sustainable future in energy issues.

The committee has plunged into analyzing renewable energy problems. The conclusion is that the G20 members are aimed at increasing the proportion of the renewable energy resources to 20% of the G8 members states by 2020. Who will control it? The question remains open.

Nuclear power safety was supposed to be a conflicting issue from the start. Russia put forward the idea of regulating the power, but it was not objected. The negotiating process was unique because of specific ideas, just like India’s putting forward the idea of electric cars.