The energy transition towards a sustainable energy future is a generational challenge, requiring a pioneering spirit and decisive action from today’s youth. In Viet Nam, youth accounts for a quarter of the population and plays a vital role not only in addressing technical and economic challenges but also in fulfilling other social responsibilities. In the face of the increasingly serious climate change crisis, youth are a potential force to promote, advocate, and propose policies and actions for an effective and sustainable energy transition.

At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP28), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasised the importance of fairness and equality in the energy transition, underscoring that national energy security, autonomy, and access to clean energy must be achieved through just and reasonable means. His call to action, “If we are united, then we must be more united; if we have made efforts, then we must strive harder; if we have taken action, then we must act more decisively and effectively,” has profoundly inspired the authors of this report, deeply reflecting the vision of youth’s determination to contribute meaningfully to Viet Nam’s energy transition journey.

The Future in the Making: Integrating Youth Perspectives in Viet Nam's Just Energy Transition report, developed by the Youth4Climate Policy Working Group (YPWG) Energy Transition Team, with the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the United Nations Development Programme in Viet Nam, is a significant step toward youth empowerment and highlights the direct involvement of young people in the energy transition process. Driven by their awareness of the negative impacts of climate change, over half of the young people surveyed expressed interest in shaping the just energy transition. Youth can become a powerful force for systemic and comprehensive change when supported by the right policies and platforms. Through dialogues and training on energy, young people have demonstrated that when the quality of education is improved and youth participation is promoted, young people can become leaders and pioneers in the energy transition.

However, youth participation in the energy transition has faced barriers including knowledge gaps, limited representation in the decision-making process, and institutional challenges. Despite their interest, many young people lack deep expertise and access to high-quality information about energy systems and technology. The Future in the Making report has contributed to analyzing the challenges and opportunities for youth participation. The authors have studied typical real-world cases, conducted surveys, applied expert recommendations, and provided a specific roadmap for policymakers, business leaders, and young people to work together to promote a just energy transition, towards bringing benefits to all Vietnamese people. Recommendations include, inter alia, improving education and training, fostering collaboration between sectors, increasing access to information, and creating formal mechanisms for youth participation in policymaking.