Protocol of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum 2024

Protocol of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum 2024Elsinore, 25 -27 August 2024Venue: Konventum Hotel1. IntroductionThe Baltic Sea Parliamentary Youth Forum (BSPYF) 2024 took place in Elsinore, Denmark, fromAugust 25 to 27. The forum gathered 2 5 youth participants – representatives of youthorganisations from across the Baltic Sea Region, alongside experts and policymakers. Theforum was moderated by Karen-Helene Hjorth and featured contributions from variousmembers of parliament from the BSPC.The forum was co -organised by the Danish parliament, the Council of the Baltic Sea StatesSecretariat , and the BSPC. The Youth Forum aimed to refine policy recommendations on energyin combination with the fields of security, sustainability, and youth participation. All youngpeople applied to the event either through an open call or were invited by the n ational andregional youth councils in the Baltic Sea Region.To ensure a well -structured and informed discussion, pre -meetings and online exchanges wereheld throughout the summer before the official Youth Forum in Elsinore. These meetingsincluded:• 17 June 2024: Online introductory session with Henrik Møller and CBSSrepresentatives to provide an overview of the BSPC process and expectations for theYouth Forum.• Online drafting meetings where youth participants collaboratively developed initialrecommendations based on regional priorities. Prior to the BSPYF, the participants, whowere divided into three expert groups, submitted their final draft of recommendations toall participants fo r review ahead of the in -person forum in Elsinore.These pre -meetings provided an opportunity for early engagement, allowing participants to aligntheir proposals with regional policy discussions and expert insights. Further impetus was givenby the Baltic Sea Region Youth Forum and the CBSS Secretariat through online librariesfeaturing important documents to base the recommendations on.2. Sessions OverviewOpening Session: Welcome & Introduction to BSPCDate: August 25, 2024Key speakers:• Henrik Møller , BSPC President 2023 -2024• Johannes Schraps , CBSS Representative• Andris Kulbergs , Chair of the BSPC Energy Security Working GroupThe forum began with an introduction to the BSPC’s role, a review of last year’srecommendations, and updates on energy security in the Baltic region.Session 1: Energy Security in the Baltic RegionDate: August 25, 2024Key speakers:• Karen Marie Sandgren , Founder, Nordic Energy Connection• Jakob Dreyer , Researcher, Centre for Resolution of International Conflicts, University ofCopenhagenDiscussions highlighted the urgency of enhancing energy infrastructure resilience, reducingdependency on fossil fuels, and fostering regional collaboration in energy security.Session 2: Youth Forum Drafting CommitteeDate: August 25, 2024Participants formed working groups, assisted by BSPC representatives Andris Kulbergs, KimAas, and Antoņina Ņenaševa , as well as CBSS experts Grzegorz Poznański, GustavLindström, and Kazimierz Musial , to develop policy recommendations.During this process, the pre -submitted recommendations were finalized and adjusted to reflectrecent inputs and the feedback given by the experts and decision -makers. All three groups hadlively discussions on the topic and concluded with two recommendatio ns, which were laterfinalized in a co-creative process among the three chosen representatives of each group.The three group spokespersons were:• Nagham Jaghoub (Norway)• Justina Jemeljanovaitė (Lithuania)• Sarah Vestergaard (Denmark)Youth Representatives present in Elsinore by Group:Group 1: Energy & SustainabilityAada Aho , FinlandAksel Holmsen , NorwayAndreas Schoop , GermanyJustina Jemeljanovaitė, LithuaniaSara Nyman , FinlandSilva Laure , LatviaStanisław Kostulski , PolandTobias Olling Mørup , DenmarkGroup 2: Energy & SecurityAbel Aioanei , DenmarkDino Juhas , NorwayElias Arndt , GermanyJan Starosta , PolandLena Debanck, SwedenLīga Rudzāne , LatviaNagham Jaghoub , NorwayPola Zabuska , PolandGroup 3: Energy & Youth ParticipationDaniel Polak , GermanyIgnas Janeliūnas , LithuaniaJohanna Scharf , GermanyKaarel Taimla , EstoniaKate Melnalksne , LatviaMarkus Koski , FinlandMarta Kielpinski , Germany / PolandSarah Vestergaard , DenmarkShahin Khosravi, SwedenThe BSPYF concluded with a dialogue featuring CBSS Director General Grzegorz Poznański .The recommendations were presented the next day to the BSPC by the three youthrepresentatives, while all participants were in the audience of the BSPC annual conference andcould follow the event in full length.3. Youth Forum RecommendationsEnergy & Security• The involved actors should enhance the security and resilience of the energyinfrastructure by investing in research and development of outdated systems,together with the private sector as well as the region’s strategic partners, supplementingthe existing NATO initiatives.• Strengthen the resilience of maritime critical infrastructure by identifying the mostvulnerable areas through comprehensive mapping .This includes joint risk assessments, coordinated training, and real -timeinformation sharing between public and private sectors for rapid, effective threatresponse.Energy & Sustainability• In regional energy consumption, accelerate the full phase -out of fossil fuels, startingwith non -EU sources such as, and especially, the Russian Federation. Allocateresources towards sustainable energy. Rethink the regional power grid , prioritising itsmodernisation and smart optimisation in storage and distribution.• Priorities a just transition by working together to lower energy prices , build trust ininstitutions , and support fragile communities . Additionally, it is crucial to providestrong support for those whose jobs may be at risk due to the green transition byreskilling them, ensuring that no one is left behind as we move toward a moresustainable future.Energy & Youth Participation• Integrating youth perspectives into regional energy policy processes: Youthorganisations should be given a permanent and supported place in decision -makingprocesses in the Baltic Sea Region. This can be done by establishing formal structureslike Nationa l Youth Advisory Bodies for energy independence, security, andsustainability under the Ministry of Energy or equivalent governmental agency for each• Advancing green education and empowering youth in the energy sector: Promoteaccess to green education and encourage energy companies to createopportunities for young people . This can be achieved by integrating sustainable energytopics into existing programms, enabling exchange programmes in the region, fosteringlife long learning opportunities on relevant topics, as well as encouraging the energysector to develop internsh ips and mentorships for young people to both educate youngpeople, but also create inerest in the sector.4. Conclusion & Next StepsThe final recommendations were submitted to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference(BSPC) 2024 for further consideration.To ensure continued engagement and implementation of these recommendations, the BalticSea Region Youth Forum will serve as a platform for follow -up discussions, networking, andtracking progress in collaboration with the CBSS and BSPC stakeholders.The BSPYF reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening youth participation in policydiscussions, fostering regional cooperation, and promoting a resilient and sustainable energyfuture for the Baltic Sea Region.Further contact: youth@cbss.org