Young people and children sign pact for biodiversity in Colombia

© Interface Project / GIZ Colombia

In a key event for environmental conservation in Colombia, more than 80 young people, children, and adolescents convened in Bogotá on September 21 2024, for the Convergence of Children, Adolescents, and Youth for Biodiversity. This meeting, organized by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in collaboration with the German Cooperation through the IKI Interface project implemented by Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Equality, ICBF, UNICEF, the Global Youth Biodiversity Network - GYBN Colombia, the Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change Colombia - LCOY, and Save the Children, marked a significant step towards the active participation of new generations in nature and biodiversity protection.

The event's main objective was to strengthen environmental governance from an intergenerational approach, promoting youth leadership in biodiversity conservation. Participants not only discussed strategies but also made contributions and inputs for the implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan and their participation in the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP16).

Mauricio Cabrera, Vice Minister of Environmental Policies and Standardization, highlighted the importance of this meeting: "We want to encourage and highlight the participation of new generations in caring for biodiversity and a sustainable future. The voices of children, youth, and adolescents are fundamental in this conversation."

© Interface Project / GIZ Colombia

During the discussions, barriers to biodiversity conservation were identified, and the need to implement public policies that include youth participation in territorial planning was emphasized. Young people called for prioritizing intergenerational equity, transformative education, human rights, and Peace with Nature.

This meeting is part of a series of preparatory events for COP16, which Colombia will host this year in Cali. The summit will bring together countries that are part of the Convention on Biological Diversity and will seek to generate global commitments to halt biodiversity loss and address the triple environmental crisis.

The update of the Biodiversity Action Plan, to be presented at COP16, has been an unprecedented participatory process, including voices from various sectors and communities. This inclusive approach seeks to ensure concrete and measurable actions to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by 2030.

© Interface Project / GIZ Colombia