ISETS Youth Column Series: Interview with UN Official Mr. Michael Williamson

Hosted by Tania Callista, Augustus Torrefranca Bas, and Rachel (ISETS Representative), this long-form interview features Michael Williamson, Section Chief at the Energy Division of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, who is also a Steering Committee Member of the ISETS-ESCAP Youth Voice Competition. In this in-depth conversation, Michael Williamson reflects on multiple dimensions of youth engagement and the global energy transition: 🔹 Gender equality in the energy sector He discusses persistent underrepresentation of women in technical and leadership roles and highlights the need for proactive, system-wide interventions-from education to policy - to accelerate progress toward gender equality. 🔹 What makes youth solutions impactful He emphasizes teamwork, interdisciplinary collaboration, systems thinking, and a strong focus on vulnerable communities as key strengths of youth-led energy solutions. 🔹 The role of youth platforms He explains how initiatives like Youth Voice help young people build confidence, refine their ideas, and gradually transition into mainstream decision-making roles in the energy sector. 🔹 Broader reflections on the energy transition He highlights that the energy transition is not only technological but also social and narrative-driven, requiring collaboration across generations and sectors. The discussion also covered many additional perspectives and insights over the full one-hour interview, offering a broader and more comprehensive understanding of youth participation in the global energy transition than can be captured in a short summary alone. #YouthVoice #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #GenderEquality #YouthLeadership #FutureOfEnergy #ISSETS #ESCAP