VISION OF BIODIVERSITYMATTERS

 

The vision and targets of our work include:

·         Continue to engage youth of all ages to increase their awareness and ability to act on environmental issues

·         Continue to fundraise to maintain and develop our core environmental sites and projects

·         We will continue to promote and support our Accord locally, nationally, and internationally

·         Develop our communication network and blog (biodiversitymatters.org) to share knowledge and successes between youth groups, especially in regions not yet reached

·         Celebrate our environmental heroes on our blog.  

·         Continue to record and share species data with local and national institutions and each other

·         We commit ourselves to applying our knowledge, expertise and resources to sustain and promote biodiversity.

·         We also commit to measuring the success of our joint efforts and we will report back to the CBD on an annual basis.

·         Assist in the planning of the Third International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity planned for Auroville, India in 2012.

YOUTH ACCORD SIGNATURES TO DATE

1. Argentina- 3
2. Australia- 17

3. Austria- 3

4. Bahamas- 2
5. Bangladesh- 1

6. Barbados- 2

7. Belize- 2
8. Belgium- 3

9. Bermuda- 2

10. Bolivia- 1

11. Botswana- 1

12. Brazil- 11
13. Bulgaria- 8
14. Canada- 1146
15. Cameroon- 3

16. Cayman Islands- 1
17. China- 20

18. Columbia- 2

19. Cuba- 1

20. Cyprus- 1

21. Denmark- 1

22. Dominican Republic- 1

23. Egypt- 2
24. England/ UK- 14
25. "Europe"- 4

26. Republic of the Fiji Islands- 1

27. France- 3
28. Germany- 11

29. Greece- 1

30. Guyana- 1

31. Honduras- 2

32. Hungary- 4

33. India- 15
34. Indonesia- 15
35. Ireland- 2

36. Israel- 2

37. Italy- 5

38. Iraq- 1
39. Japan- 30

40. Jamaica- 1

41. Kenya- 4

42. Korea- 2

43. Lebanon- 5

44. Macau-1

45. Malaysia- 2
46. Malawi- 1
47. Mexico- 2667

48. Mongolia- 2
49. Namibia- 1
50. Nepal- 3

51. Netherlands- 1

52. New Zealand- 3
53. Nigeria- 5
54. Panama- 2
55. Pakistan- 1

56. Paraguay- 1

57. Peru- 1

58. Philippians- 2

59. Portugal- 4

60. Rwanda- 1

61. Senegal- 2

62. Serbia- 3

63. Singapore- 1

64. Slovakia- 2
65. South Africa- 4

66. Spain- 88

67. Sudan- 1

68. Sri Lanka-2

69. St. Lucia- 1

70. Sweden- 2

71. Switzerland- 1
72. Taiwan- 4
73. Tanzania- 75

74. Thailand- 1

75. Tunisia- 1
76. Uganda- 54

77. Ukraine- 1
78. United Arab Emirates- 3
79. United States- 103

80. Vietnam- 3

81. Venezuela- 1

82. Zambia- 1

83. Zimbabwe- 1
NAMES WITH NO COUNTRY/ REGION LISTED- 73
(Duplicates not counted here)

GRAND TOTAL: 4664 signatures (includes hard copies from Spain, Canada, Mexico, Tanzania, and Japan)

COP10- Summary of Tuesday, October 26th "The Big Day!"

Waking up on Tuesday, October 26th was a stressful morning. We got to the Conference with plenty of time, around 9:30 am and figured out what time and where our side event was. We then had to make hand outs and little posters to inform people we had a side event about our Youth Accord. After doing all that running around, we went over our presentation with the girls from New Brunswick to figure out who says what. We got all of notes ready and had just enough time for lunch. After lunch we had time to talk to Lemuel Vega and Enrique Benavides group from Mexico to give them of time to present there project too. The presentation went great and we collected some more signatures.

COP10 Presentation Officially Done

What a stressful day! From figuring out what needs to be done, to inviting people to come to our side event. Last minute stress was tough, but all went well. Really enjoyed the experience! Great success. Here are the pictures, I am off to bed, more info tomorrow! :D

Food and Life at COP10 in Japan- by Chafic

My daily Breakfast, usually looks like this, Its pretty good considering it is included with our hotel so yeah :) its pretty good.

So far I've tried 3 different types of Wasps, Raw Jellyfish, Squid, Octopus, Flat fish, Lots of sushi and rice!

The language is one of the hardest things to coop with when in Japan, not a lot of people know english that well, and most of the restaurants don't have english translation, SOO in other words If there are no pictures for the food its a complete surprise. So yes, Its been a great and different experience.

I quiet enjoy it here, Met a lot of great delegates and youth's, plan on seeing more of the city before I leave hopefully as time between conference and sleep has been quite limited but its been a whole new experience for me and I've learned soo much within the last few days.

YOUTH LEADER SERIES

Dayna Noltie

Dayna first became involved in biodiversity work in 2007 when she attended an E-POWER (Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources) Conference on Climate Change with a group of students from Christ the King Catholic Secondary School.  This inspired them to start their school’s environmental group Club Green.  She was vice president during the first two years, and president during its third year.  During this time she also joined the steering committee of POWER’s conference planning board, and helped put on another conference about climate change, and a third about biodiversity.   

The conference about biodiversity qualified her to attend the Second International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity held in Ottawa during 2009.  Here she networked with global youth and helped produce a Youth Accord on Biodiversity, to be presented in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010 as a part of the Convention on Biological Diversity COP-10.  She is currently working to establish consistent international youth participation at the CBD.  In preparation for the meeting, she is learning as much as she can about Access to and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Materials, and has a particular interest in the ties this has with indigenous peoples.  As a part of her learning about this, she attended the Resumed Ninth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing, Freshwater Summit 2010 and the UNESCO international conference on Cultural and Biological Diversity.

She also recently attended the Commission on Sustainable Development, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during May 2010.  Here she joined the CSD Youth Caucus, and she is now working with them to produce their position paper, coordinating the Mining section.

She is currently the Youth representative on the Canadian Environmental Network’s  National Council.

Dayna attends the University of Western Ontario, and is working towards an Honours Specialization in Health Sciences with a Major in Physiology.  She is currently volunteering with Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources.

(Image above: Jessica Walsh-Moreau, Dayna Noltie, Keegan Fitzgibbons)

DAVID SUZUKI EVENT IN OTTAWA, CANADA

We were pleased to present our Youth Accord to environmentalist David Suzuki tonight.  Just before Dr. Suzuki spoke to his audience, two of our team had the opportunity to speak about the history of the Youth Symposium and the Youth Accord to over 1000 people!  We also collected about 60 signatures supporting the Youth Accord.

The Canadian Environmental Network’s (RCEN) 2010 Conference

 

The Canadian Environmental Network’s (RCEN) 2010 Conference took place this past weekend at the Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Montreal.  We were honoured to have been part of today's events with a "Nature Deficit Disorder” workshop with Kathleen Usher from Evergreen.  We spoke of the Macoun Marsh Project and how it evolved into the Second International Youth Symposium for Biodiversity and the International Youth Accord on Biodiversity.  Environmental youth leaders Jessica Walsh-Moreau and Keegan Fitzgibbons shared their own experiences as part of outdoor educational activities and programs. Mike Leveille

YOUTH LEADER SERIES

Jessica Walsh Moreau

My name is Jessica Walsh Moreau, from Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). I am 15 years old, attending grade 11 at St.Francis Xavier Catholic High School. I am interested in environmental and social issues, including biodiversity. I also play competitive soccer. Ever since I was young I was interested in nature and the outdoors. I would have rather been rolling in the grass than to watch TV. In 2003 I was able to pursue my passion by working with nature even during school hours. For 3 years I worked on Macoun Marsh project, which today I remain involved through Biodiversity Matters. Before going to my present high school was active in an environmental group at St.Marks Catholic High School called SAVE. I went to Sweden in 2005, with a Team representing the Macoun Marsh project where we won second place at the Volvo Adventure Environmental competition. I have had the positive experience of presenting to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2006. One of my proudest accomplishments, was for three years, I helped plan the Second International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity, as the Youth Board Leader. I plan to continue my work this year by starting an Environmental Club at my high school to support the Youth Accord. I will be attending COP10 in Japan this October where I will be promoting the Youth Accord. 

YOUTH LEADER SERIES

Chafic Bouchakra is from Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) and is working on his Bachelor of Science, studying Environmental Science at Carleton University. He first started his work with the environment in grade 12 when he helped start and lead a high school group named Students Against Violating Earth (S.A.V.E.) at St. Mark Catholic High School. S.A.V.E helps to turn the school green, by funding and installing 3 slot recycle bins all over the school, and starting the Rideau River Water Project, where they researched native plants and planted these plants in strategic locations upstream of the Ottawa River to monitor changes in toxic levels entering from that specific stream. He also helped plan and attended the Second International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity and plans to attend COP10 with full hope of making a difference! He is part of the Science Student Success Center at Carleton University mentoring 1st years and other students on how to succeed in science and plans on being a frosh facile this coming school year! He loves working with others and making sure that everyone around him has a blast! He can't wait to do what he can for the environment and have fun at the same time! Help SAVE the world and keep it clean while having the time of his life!

MEET OUR YOUTH ACCORD ADMINISTRATOR

Kirsten Falkenburger is originally from Southern Ontario (CANADA) where she developed her love for the outdoors. She started working with a small environmental organization called Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources in 2008. She was one of the youth that organized a local biodiversity conference in Halton for 200 students. She then moved on to a committee to develop the International Youth Accord on Biodiversity, while still doing local work. She is dedicated to the cause and was chosen not only to be the Youth Accord Administrator, but to present the youth work at a large event called Green Week in Belgium held by the European Commission. She was also chosen by the Canadian Environmental Network to be the Canadian Youth Delegate for Biodiversity in 2010. She has spent her time promoting the Convention on Biological Diversity and ways for youth to get involved and protect our natural world. She now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia studying Natural Resource Management so that she can continue her work into the future.  She will be attending COP10 next month.

COP 10 PRESENTATIONS CONNECTED TO THE YOUTH ACCORD ON BIODIVERSITY

Nagoya, Japan- October 26, 2010

CEPA Fair from 14.15 to 15:00 located on the First Floor of Building 2.
BIODIVERSITYMATTERS.ORG- SECOND INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SYMPOSIUM FOR BIODIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ACCORD ON BIODIVERSITY

The youth will present the Youth Accord on Biodiversity in over 20 languages/ The youth will also collect signatures from visitors and participants and will display images from the first and second symposiums on biodiversity.



Nagoya, Japan- October 26, 2010

243. 2128 16:30 - 18:00
Room 210 - Bldg 2, 1st Floor PROTECT OUR WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL YOUTH WORK FOR BIODIVERSITY

Youth from fourteen countries have drafted an International Youth Accord on Biodiversity. This side event will showcase the Accord, and highlight youth biodiversity projects from around the world with various speakers and multimedia presentations. It will also include a framework for youth reporting their progress and next steps.

Remembering Last Year's Biodiversity Youth Symposium

The Second International Youth Symposium for Biodiversity, saw 100 students (Grade 6 to 12) and their chaperones gathered in Ottawa, Canada, to celebrate Youth Initiatives in Biodiversity. The Symposium was organized by BiodiversityMatters, with partners St-Laurent Academy, Convention on Biological Diversity, HabitatNet, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. The Macoun Marsh Project, an award-winning youth biodiversity project of St-Laurent Academy, hosted the event, July 5-9, 2009.