The youth of today are not just passive bystanders, they are changemakers. The voices of young generations have never been heard as clearly as they are today. In this episode, Riccardo Toxiri from IRENA joins host Daria Gazzola to discuss how youth bring urgency, innovation and bold ideas to the table, shaping energy policies, spearheading impactful initiatives, and gaining recognition on the international stage. Tune in to explore how empowering youth is key to building a sustainable and inclusive future.

© IRENA 2025
Unless otherwise stated, material in this article may be freely used, shared, copied, reproduced, printed and/or stored, provided that appropriate acknowledgement is given of the author(s) as the source and IRENA as copyright holder.
The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IRENA or all its Members. IRENA does not assume responsibility for the content of this work or guarantee the accuracy of the data included herein. Neither IRENA nor any of its officials, agents, data or other third-party content providers provide a warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, and they accept no responsibility or liability for any consequence of use of the content or material herein. The mention of specific companies, projects or products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended, either by IRENA or the author(s). The designations employed and the presentation of material herein do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of IRENA or the author(s) concerning the legal status of any region, country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries.

In this conversation with Arieta Gonelevu Rakai, IRENA expert on SIDS and Head of Partnerships, we explore the pressing issues facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the wake of climate change and ways in which energy transition will positively benefit the island communities.

With rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, SIDS, which contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, are among the most vulnerable regions on the planet. Small island countries lead by example and show true resilience, but they need international support. What is and can be done to accelerate their energy transition?

Public funds alone cannot fund the energy transition, but they play a critical role in catalyzing private investment. In this episode, host Daria Gazzola speaks with Diala Hawila, Programme Officer, Policy Advice from IRENA about why only a fraction of global energy transition investment reaches developing economies. They discuss how policy frameworks and public financing mechanisms can catalyze private investment, and why that model hasn’t worked equally everywhere.

© IRENA 2025
Unless otherwise stated, material in this article may be freely used, shared, copied, reproduced, printed and/or stored, provided that appropriate acknowledgement is given of the author(s) as the source and IRENA as copyright holder.
The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IRENA or all its Members. IRENA does not assume responsibility for the content of this work or guarantee the accuracy of the data included herein. Neither IRENA nor any of its officials, agents, data or other third-party content providers provide a warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, and they accept no responsibility or liability for any consequence of use of the content or material herein. The mention of specific companies, projects or products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended, either by IRENA or the author(s). The designations employed and the presentation of material herein do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of IRENA or the author(s) concerning the legal status of any region, country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries.

Many developing economies cannot fund their energy transitions without significant international investment. Yet, to obtain funding, projects need to be bankable. In this episode, Erick Ruiz Araya, Deputy Director, Project Facilitation and Support at IRENA, explains why climate finance is critical for powering the energy transition in developing countries and why bankability matters.

© IRENA 2025
Unless otherwise stated, material in this article may be freely used, shared, copied, reproduced, printed and/or stored, provided that appropriate acknowledgement is given of the author(s) as the source and IRENA as copyright holder.
The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IRENA or all its Members. IRENA does not assume responsibility for the content of this work or guarantee the accuracy of the data included herein. Neither IRENA nor any of its officials, agents, data or other third-party content providers provide a warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, and they accept no responsibility or liability for any consequence of use of the content or material herein. The mention of specific companies, projects or products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended, either by IRENA or the author(s). The designations employed and the presentation of material herein do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of IRENA or the author(s) concerning the legal status of any region, country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries.

In this episode, we explore the key challenges and opportunities in Africa's energy transition, with a focus on the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA).  How can partnerships like APRA unlock investment, drive implementation, and deliver local value?Safiatou Alzouma, IRENA’s Special Advisor on Energy Transition, Climate and Green Industrialisation, joins host Daria Gazzola to discuss what is needed to translate ambition into tangible impact on the ground.

© IRENA 2025
Unless otherwise stated, material in this article may be freely used, shared, copied, reproduced, printed and/or stored, provided that appropriate acknowledgement is given of the author(s) as the source and IRENA as copyright holder.
The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IRENA or all its Members. IRENA does not assume responsibility for the content of this work or guarantee the accuracy of the data included herein. Neither IRENA nor any of its officials, agents, data or other third-party content providers provide a warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, and they accept no responsibility or liability for any consequence of use of the content or material herein. The mention of specific companies, projects or products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended, either by IRENA or the author(s). The designations employed and the presentation of material herein do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of IRENA or the author(s) concerning the legal status of any region, country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries.

In this conversation with Arieta Gonelevu Rakai, IRENA expert on SIDS and Head of Partnerships, we delve into the pressing issues facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the wake of climate change and ways in which energy transition will positively benefit the island communities. With rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, SIDS, which contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, are among the most vulnerable regions on the planet. Small island countries lead by example and show true resilience, yet they still need support. What is being done to help them in their energy transition and what more can we do?