SES 2026 Ambassador
Renz Nathaniel Luyao
Deputy Director of Multimedia and Design at the Young Filipino Advocates of Critical Thinking and Wavefarers Creatives
Hi, my name is Renz Luyao. I’m a 20-year-old environmental youth advocate and climate activist based in Dipolog City, Philippines. I passionately advocate for renewable energy, with a particular focus on just transition. I currently serve on the National Youth Council of WWF Philippines and the EarthEcho Youth Leadership Council, and I hold ambassadorial roles for the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Ambassadors Program and the El Ni-NO Youth Organization. I actively promote sustainability, youth empowerment, and marine conservation efforts.
In my role as Deputy Director of Multimedia and Design at the Young Filipino Advocates of Critical Thinking and Wavefarers Creatives, I lead environmental initiatives through capacity building, training sessions, and online webinars.
I am a visual storyteller, and my work has has garnered international recognition for over seven years. My accolades include the East Asian Seas Futures Award, and collaborations with esteemed institutions such as the U.S. Embassy, UNICEF, and FAO. I enjoy communicating the realities of our world and capturing moments that shape and mold our environment.
Currently, I’m doing research on youth engagement in energy transition across the Asia-Pacific for the Asia-Pacific Energy Youth Engagement Platform project, launched under UN ESCAP with support from the Russian Federation. Working with the BRICS Youth Energy Agency (BRICS YEA) and Youth for Energy in Southeast Asia (Y4E-SEA), as we are conducting surveys and developing recommendations to better understand young people’s role in shaping a sustainable energy future. Inspired by the Regional Youth Forum on SDG7 and the APEF 2023 Ministerial Declaration, our goal is to empower youth in the region by providing platforms for dialogue, collaboration, and capacity-building. It’s going to be exciting because the final research will be presented this September 2025 during the 2nd Asia-Pacific Energy Youth Engagement Platform Meeting in Bangkok.
