Organiser: Global Youth Biodiversity Network (Europe)
Introduction
Harnessing the potential of young people in global conservation and climate action presents a critical and urgent opportunity. However, achieving this goal requires collaboration across different social groups and generations, rather than working in isolation. Such partnerships enable older generations to share their expertise and lessons learned, while incorporating fresh ideas and innovative approaches from younger generations to tackle today's evolving challenges. By encouraging these intergenerational collaborations, we can nurture a robust leadership capable of delivering impactful solutions to the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
As the world’s largest conservation organisation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognises the importance of meaningful youth engagement and intergenerational partnerships as essential drivers in tackling the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Yet, the critical space for intergenerational collaboration and dialogue remains largely unexplored, especially when it comes to envisioning desirable futures rooted in effective leadership.
In light of the approval of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the increasing global recognition of the need to strengthen the connections between climate and biodiversity initiatives, this workshop seeks to bring different generations together to identify the skills that emerging leaders must develop today to ensure they can meet future climate and biodiversity targets effectively.
Format of the session
This event is designed to be highly interactive, promoting intergenerational dialogue and collaboration to envision the future of climate-biodiversity leadership. Participants will engage in a series of structured activities, including a "speed dating" format where different generations share experiences, followed by group exercises to co-create an ideal future scenario of effective leadership.
Using a backcasting methodology, participants will work together to outline key actions for both younger and older generations, drawing from past successes while anticipating future needs. The session will culminate in a reflection period, underscoring the value of intergenerational collaboration in advancing strong, cohesive leadership for the climate-biodiversity nexus.
Expected participants
Approximately 20 participants, comprising 10 young professionals and 10 senior professionals, will be in attendance. These individuals will be divided into small groups of no more than five participants each to encourage deeper discussions and collaboration.
Agenda
- Introduction: Overview of the event’s objectives, format, and phases
- Sharing experiences via a “speed dating format”
Participants pair off (across generations) for 5-minute discussions, sharing personal experiences on integrating biodiversity and climate change outcomes. Specific guiding questions will be:
1. What barriers have you encountered when trying to integrate biodiversity and climate change outcomes?
2. Can you share any good examples of actions that improved climate change outcomes in a biodiversity project, or vice versa?
3. How can we find synergies between biodiversity and climate change in projects that have already been implemented, but focus only on a single dimension? - Visioning phase
Participants are divided into “intergenerational groups” that are asked to identify an “ideal future scenario”, where the multi-faceted crisis has been tackled through effective leadership. Using the backcasting approach, participants are asked to identify what needs to be done to build that leadership:
- Actions that the young generation should take; and
- Actions that the older generation should take. - The sharing and reflection phase
Groups share their proposed actions, categorized by generation. Discussions focus on areas for intergenerational collaboration in building leadership for biodiversity-climate action.