As the global energy transition accelerates, countries face growing pressure to turn renewable energy targets into bankable project pipelines. In this episode, Juan Jose Garcia Mendez, Programme Officer for Clean Energy Transition Scenarios at IRENA, discusses how energy planning is evolving into a dynamic tool for coordinating investment, managing risk and aligning energy systems with development priorities. The conversation also explores inclusive stakeholder engagement and how initiatives such as the LTES network and the Global Coalition for Energy Planning (GCEP) are helping bridge the gap between national plans and financing.

Despite record renewable energy deployment in 2024, job creation in the sector grew by just 2.3%, the smallest increase in years. In this episode, Michael Renner, Head of Socioeconomics and Policy at IRENA, and Olga Strietska-Ilina, Head of Future Skills Unit at the International Labour Organizatition (ILO), unpack the findings of the latest IRENA-ILO report, Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review 2025. The conversation explores the factors shaping employment trends, from automation and geographic shifts to the growing demand for digital and technical skills. The discussion also highlights what policymakers, industry and educational institutions should do to build an inclusive, skilled workforce ready for the energy transition ahead.

Women make up just 32% of the global renewable energy workforce and hold only 19% of senior leadership positions. In this episode, IRENA's expert explores the barriers behind these figures and what it takes to move beyond token inclusion towards meaningful participation. The discussion highlights the role of indigenous women in advancing socio-economic benefits of decentralised renewables, and outlines the actions needed from all stakeholders to unlock a truly gender-equitable energy transition.