The energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean is no longer just a discussion about technology or emissions reduction. It has become a strategic contest for economic leadership, energy security, and control of critical value chains. Against this backdrop, the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE) has put a new political actor on the table: youth.
During the regional event titled “Youth and Advocacy in Latin America and the Caribbean,” organized by Youth4Energy and Reacción Climática, Andrés Rebolledo, Executive Secretary of OLACDE, presented a clear diagnosis: Latin America and the Caribbean hold some of the most significant structural advantages for the global energy transition.
Currently, close to 70% of the electricity generated in the region comes from clean sources, positioning its electricity matrix as the most sustainable in the world. Just ten years ago, solar and wind energy accounted for between 2% and 3% of the regional total; today, their share exceeds 20%, with exponential growth rates. In addition, Latin America and the Caribbean hold more than 25% of the world’s critical minerals—such as lithium, copper, and cobalt—which are essential for electrification and energy storage.
However, the regional narrative is not limited to renewable energy. Rebolledo warned that energy security has regained prominence on the international agenda due to geopolitical conflicts and global realignments. The region produces approximately 10% of the world’s oil and 6% of natural gas; accelerated growth is expected in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
In this new energy landscape, young people are emerging as key actors. Research suggests that the energy sector alone could generate up to 15 million new jobs in the region over the next five years, opening up unprecedented employment opportunities for the new generations.
From symbolic participation to tangible influence
Valentina Licanqueo, an OLACDE consultant, emphasized that it is no longer enough to invite young people into deliberative spaces; it is crucial to turn that participation into effective, institutionalized advocacy.
Licanqueo highlighted that OLACDE works with its 27 member countries to strengthen technical capacities, leadership, and public advocacy by incorporating approaches related to gender, diversity, and interculturality as fundamental pillars for a just transition. She also recalled that during the X Energy Week held in Chile in 2025, the First Youth Meeting of Latin America and the Caribbean took place; there, a formal declaration was presented to the region’s energy ministers for the first time.
Next step: institutionalizing youth voices
As an integral part of this strategy, OLACDE is working on the Council of Youth for Energy, whose establishment is planned for the upcoming XI Energy Week scheduled for October 2026 in the Dominican Republic.
This space will establish a direct and constant channel between young people and the ministers responsible for the energy sector, just as Latin America and the Caribbean redefine their role in strategic markets such as green hydrogen, critical minerals, electromobility, and energy storage resilient to climate change.
With an electricity matrix considered among the cleanest in the world, vast strategic reserves, and a young population that is fundamental to its labor market, it is clear that without new governance that actively includes those who will inherit these positive results, a sustainable energy transition in Latin America will not be possible.
