Vice Chair, IEEE Young Professionals
IEEE
Adam Leno
Sajith is a Research Scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States of America. His research involves grid-level decarbonization, increasing resilience of human settlements against extreme climates, advanced building energy modeling and advanced thermal energy storage systems analysis. In addition to that he is a Visiting Scientist at the Colorado School of Mines where he contributes to research on the same topics above. He works for and assist co-manage three Clean Energy Ministerial work streams. (i) Solutions Center (SC), which provides assistance to developing countries to design and implement clean energy policies, and resolve deployment-related challenges, (ii) NICE Future Initiative on Nuclear Energy policy assistance (iii) 21st Century Power Partnership which serves as a platform for public-private collaboration to advance policy for the large-scale deployment of renewable energy in combination with deep energy efficiency and smart grid solutions.
He is a Global Expert on SDG7 to the UNDESA UN-Energy process and a IRENA Youth Council Member. He is also a Climate Negotiator for Sri Lanka on Global Stocktake. Most recently, IEEE MGA appointed him as a representative to the Sustainable Climate Matrix Organization (TSCMO) to lead its external outreach subcommittee.
Session: Future Landscapes of Resilience, Impact and Climate: Context of Region 9 Young Professionals and the UN Climate Summit in the Amazonia
The 30th UN Climate Change Conference, COP30, will be held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10-21, 2025. The conference will be hosted in the Amazon region, with a focus on “Uniting for our Forests,” and it provides a platform to emphasize the crucial role of the Amazon rainforest in regulating global climate and to demonstrate Brazil’s commitment to combating deforestation and protecting indigenous rights. Specifically, region 9 countries can showcase innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and bioeconomy, demonstrating that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand. However, there needs to be a communication between IEEE in the region and what has been decided at COP30 and the conversation leading up to it. The first Climate Week convened in Panama in May included the development of new finance platforms, the AI for Climate Action Award, and strengthened support for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and adaptation strategies. This conference will therefore cover training on critical aspects of the current climate negotiations towards region 9 and propose a way forward on continuous engagement of region 9 IEEE youth in the climate process.