9th UNESCO Youth Forum

Following up to the 9th UNESCO Youth Forum, we are contacting youth to find out who would like to get involved in presenting the recommended actions compiled at the Forum relative to climate change, in the run-up to, and during, COP21!

As announced, the discussion on climate change during the Youth Forum will feed directly into the UN and civil-society space at the forthcoming COP 21 which will be held in Paris from 30 November to 11 December 2015. UNESCO has ensured several slots where the Forum’s global recommended actions and commitments in the area of climate change can be presented, followed by discussions and exchanges with the audiences.  These are:

• Participation at the “Intergenerational inquiry” session during the “Young and Future Generations Day of the COP 21, organized by UNFCCC (3 December)
• Presentation and exchanges at the UNESCO Pavillion (3 December)
• Participation in the side event round table “Climate Innovators: Empowering a Global Generation of Young People", organized by UNFPA and ILO (8 December)

This event will feature the work of young innovators and the investments needed to ensure the entire generation is empowered to contribute to a sustainable, healthy and resilient future. The objective is to demonstrate that youth have the full potential to bring innovations, solutions and possess entrepreneurial skills for adaptation and resilience to climate change. By sharing their ideas and accomplishments (often against all odds), the presenters will project the wisdom of building on enthusiasm, ingenuity and resourcefulness of youth in order to address the climate change and improve the quality of life for all generations. The presenters should be from the realms of both engineering/technological applications and behavioral change/social policy.

• Presentation and exchanges at the UN Youth booth, coordinated by UNFCCC (date to be determined)

In addition, UNESCO has secured a booth space on 28 November, during COY 11<http://coy11.org/en/>, the conference of youth that will precede COP 21.

For all these opportunities, we are looking for two young Forum participants who:

-          Participated in the Forum’s working sessions on climate change,
-          Are available to come to Paris in the period from 27 November to 9 December.
-          Can tangibly demonstrate that they have taken innovative local action and provided solutions to address climate change.

In addition to COP21 in Paris, two young participants will be invited to present all the Forum’s recommended actions and commitments on climate change during the Commonwealth Youth Forum<https://chogm2015.mt/fora/youthforum> (21-25 November 2015, Malta), as well as to build synergies for their implementation. For this occasion, we are looking for two young Forum participants who:

-          Come from a Commonwealth Member State
-          Are available to travel to Malta on the indicated dates.

All costs related to travel and accommodation in Paris and in Malta respectively for these occasions will be covered by UNESCO.

If you are interested in one of these opportunities, please send us your CV and motivation letter (including  a short description of your
involvement in climate change issues) by Thursday 5 November 2015 at the latest. Please send us a message with the following event you are applying for in the subject line:

-          COP 21 and COY 11
-          Commonwealth Youth Forum

Tothis email address:  9thunescoYouthForum@unesco.org

Best regards,

The Youth Forum Team

FIRST NATURAL SCIENCE MUSEUM- TIBET

There first natural science museum and the biggest museum in the southwestern autonomous region of Tibet, China has been opened. The 30,000 square-meter museum was financed by investment of more than USD 63 million. Interactive devices have been installed so visitors can experience Tibet's natural wonders. This is expected to facilitate innovative spirit among local youth and increase interest in science and technology in the wider community.
October 02
http://eng.tibet.cn/2012sy/xw/201510/t20151002_3950744.html

Biodiversity meeting to examine effectiveness of measures to implement global biodiversity plan

Montreal, 30 October 2015 – Some 600 delegates from around the world will gather together in Montreal, Canada, next week to examine the effectiveness of measures taken by Governments to implement the global biodiversity agenda and mainstream biodiversity into sustainable development through implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Discussions will focus on policy coherence and the monitoring of progress in achieving the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

The nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 19) will be held from 2 to 5 November 2015 at the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal.

SBSTTA, the open-ended intergovernmental scientific body that advises the Conference of the Parties (COP), will review the main implications of the findings of the fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-4), which was published in 2014. Using information contained in the fifth national reports, and seeking to identify best practices and lessons learned, SBSTTA will review options for overcoming obstacles to the implementation of the Strategic Plan and the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Delegates will discuss how to make the best use of available data and information, including work of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), to prepare future editions of the Global Biodiversity Outlook.

SBSTTA will also look at the report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators for the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The Group has recommended a set of potential indicators that could be used to monitor progress at the global level towards the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Many of these indicators would also be relevant to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the goals for sustainable development recently agreed by the United Nations General Assembly.

In addition, delegates will discuss climate-related geoengineering, based on information submitted by Parties and the Update on Climate Geoengineering in Relation to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The report provides an update on the potential impacts of geoengineering techniques on biodiversity together with an account of regulatory developments since the 2012 studies on geoengineering and biodiversity presented in CBD Technical Series No. 66.

The relationship between biodiversity and human health will also be approached through a review of Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health, a State of Knowledge Review, a joint report of the Secretariat of CBD and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Synergies in achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of relevance to forests and other internationally agreed forest-related targets and objectives will be examined. This will include exploring how the Convention on Biological Diversity can better integrate its work with that of the United Nations Forum on Forests and other international organizations, in addition to looking at land use change, consumption patterns, and behaviour and institutional change.

Recommendations emanating from SBSTTA 19 will be considered by the Conference of the Parties at its thirteenth meeting, which will be held from 4 to 17 December 2016 in Cancun, Mexico.

The first internationally recognized certificate of compliance is issued under the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing

Montreal, October 2015 – The first internationally recognized certificate of compliance was issued on 1 October 2015, following a permit made available to the Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Clearing-House by India.

Under the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, Parties are to issue a permit or its equivalent at the time of access as evidence that access to genetic resources was based on prior informed consent and that mutually agreed terms were established. Parties are required by the Nagoya Protocol to make information on the permit or its equivalent, available to the ABS Clearing-House for the constitution of the internationally recognized certificate of compliance.

The permit was issued by India’s National Biodiversity Authority, the competent national authority under the Nagoya Protocol. The certificate then constituted through the ABS Clearing-House serves as evidence of the decision by India to grant access to ethno-medicinal knowledge of the Siddi community from Gujarat to a researcher affiliated with the University of Kent in the United Kingdom. The researcher can now demonstrate that s/he has respected the ABS requirements of India when using this knowledge.

“Last week was an important week for the Nagoya Protocol,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “In addition to having the first internationally recognized certificate of compliance published in the ABS Clearing-House, two additional countries joined the Protocol: the Philippines and Djibouti, which brings the total number of ratifications to 68.”

“The internationally recognized certificate of compliance is one of the major innovations of the Nagoya Protocol and one of the cornerstones of the access and benefit-sharing system,” added Mr. Dias. “The constitution of the first certificate represents a major step towards making the Nagoya Protocol operational. I congratulate the Government of India, and invite others to follow this example and to publish information on their national permits in the ABS Clearing-House. The Secretariat is here to assist you and provide the necessary technical support.”

The ABS-Clearing-House is accessible at: https://absch.cbd.int/

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

Our friends at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) are going to organize the first-ever Youth Forum People and Wildlife in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2016 and if you're between 18 and 25 you can be part of it!

It will take place just before CITES COP17 and will provide a very unique platform for youth to get involved in the fight against illegal trade of wildlife, to discuss solutions and to network with youth delegates from all over the world!

GYBN is supporting the organization of this event and we can only warmly recommend you to apply!
To learn more and to submit your application, go to: www.ifaw.org/youthforum

United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015

25 Sep 2015 - 27 Sep 2015
New York

The United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda will be held from 25 to 27 September 2015, in New York and convened as a high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly.

Visit Summit website: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/summit/

STATEMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY BRAULIO FERREIRA DE SOUZA DIAS on the occasion of the UNITED NATIONS DAY FOR SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION 12 SEPTEMBER 2015

Over the years, South-South cooperation has emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing international cooperation for achieving sustainable development. In fact, since 2008, developing countries have exported more to one another than to developed countries, with their total trade in 2015 estimated at over US$ 4 trillion. And, according to the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, trade between Africa and the BRIC1 group of Parties has grown more than 7 per cent annually over the last 10 years. Furthermore, the MINT-BRICS2 group of emerging economies provide more than a third of global investment, and a recent BRICS Summit established a US$ 100 billion development bank to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries to complement existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.

International cooperation has changed significantly over the last decade due to the growing experience, capacity and know-how of developing Parties and their centres of expertise. This has led to a rise in innovative scientific and technical solutions, and to new forms of cooperation, where efforts at increased cooperation between countries of the South are complemented by more innovative approaches. This includes triangular cooperation, which also involves developing countries, yet brings resources from the North to facilitate the exchange of cost-effective and culturally and socially appealing solutions. For example, the Japan International Cooperation Agency has a diversified portfolio of assistance programmes in all regions of the South, ranging from support for the ASEAN University Network, to the development of earthquake-resistant housing in El Salvador and Mexico, to the strengthening of mathematics and science education in West, Central, East and Southern Africa.

South-South and triangular cooperation are especially important as the overwhelming majority of the Earth’s biodiversity is found in developing countries. Biodiversity – and the many ecosystem services associated with it – form the foundation of the Earth’s life support systems and underpin human lives and well-being. Anchored in the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals is a clear objective to mainstream biodiversity and ecosystem services in key national priorities and help countries achieve the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Within the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), South-South cooperation has been identified as a key mechanism for scientific and technical cooperation in support of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Scientists and agencies based in the South are playing a major role in the implementation of the Convention. Working with the Secretariat of the CBD, for instance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has scaled up its support to South-South Cooperation and launched a South-South Cooperation Exchange Mechanism, linked to the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity, and supporting the implementation of the Multi-Year Plan of Action for South-South Cooperation on Biodiversity for Development, adopted in parallel to the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention and recognized by the Parties. An innovative agreement of collaboration signed in 2013 between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and the Brazilian Technical Cooperation Agency has enabled experts from Embrapa to provide technical expertise to developing countries. Among the 22 members of the Convention’s Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity are several global players from the South, such as the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the Mexican National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO), the Costa Rican National Biodiversity Institute (InBio) and the Colombian Humboldt Institute. The Secretariat also works with UNEP to support its network of universities, mostly from the South, through the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability.

An important recent development of relevance for developing countries is the Convention’s 2015- 2020 Bio-Bridge Initiative (BBI). Launched by the Republic of Korea in 2014 at the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, BBI supports developing countries in their efforts to achieve the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. In order to enable more systematic and sustainable technical and scientific cooperation, with a focus on using Southern hubs and partners, the initiative will facilitate the communication of the technical and scientific needs and priorities of countries, enhance the availability and accessibility of information with respect to best practices and expertise, and match the needs of countries with offers of support by relevant global, regional and national organizations and initiatives. South-South cooperation for biodiversity is an example of effective international cooperation that can point the way to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Integrated Conservation Strategies for Threatened Biodiversity and Geodiversity for Global Sustenance

The conservation of biodiversity represents a crucial challenge for the future. Protecting our Natural Capital ie Biodiversity is a contribution to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to halt the dramatic loss of ecosystems, species and genetic diversity. The steady growth in importance of WBC has made it our mission to maintain or even increase the excellence of this congress. To achieve this goal the Committee will prepare a series of Keynote lectures, symposia, Workshops and meet-the-expert sessions on parallel tracks covering the entire field of Biodiversity. The scheduled congress is organized by Global Scientific Research Foundation, Bangalore, India in association with the Institute for Nature Conservation Of Serbia.

The III World Biodiversity Congress, October 26-29, 2015, is taking place in Mecavnik- Mokra Gora, Serbia. The theme for the Congress is “Integrated Conservation Strategies for Threatened Biodiversity and Geodiversity for Global Sustenance”, as encapsulated by the vision and mission of GSRF. It will provide a scientific platform for scientists, natural resource managers, and environmental consultants to planners, environmental advocates, and corporate and public policy makers  across the globe at a gathering that offers us the opportunity to step beyond our regular networks and meet colleagues from around the world  to exchange knowledge, discuss issues, share innovations, and network and  tackle urgent and emerging international conservation needs through science and collaboration.

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

News from the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
An e-conference (to be held from 7 to 25 September 2015) for the review and further development of the initial scoping for:

(a) the thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control and

(b) the thematic assessment of sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity and strengthening capacities and tools (Deliverables 3bii and 3biii of the 2014-2018 work programme of the IPBES).

The text of this notification is also available on the CBD website at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2015/ntf-2015-097-ipbes-en.pdf

84th annual Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs’ Summer Conference “

84th annual Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs’ Summer Conference ““Are we Failing Our Future? Time for a new deal between generations”,  that will be held on  August 7-9, 2015, in Orillia, Ontario, Canada.

In Canada, the allocation of scarce resources - both monetary and natural - is increasingly a source of tension. From pensions to health care, more dollars are spent on Canadians in later life than in any other age bracket. Yet the idea of generational accounting includes much more than dollars. Environmentally, socially, politically, morally, we are the products of our parents’ choices, and we are making decisions today that will affect our children and grandchildren. Who really owes what to whom? Are today’s youth being set up to fail? And what -if any - ar e our responsibilities and obligations to future generations? The 84th annual Couchiching Conference will challenge the usual conclusions and expand the future possibilities, question assumptions and inspire conversations that will resonate for decades to come.

Youth Engagement at the World Forestry Congress!

Do you care about forests? Do you care about climate change? Do you care about animals and plants? Do you care about yourself and your friends’ future? This is your opportunity. Get engaged!

The good news is that the presence and involvement of the global youth community has been prioritized at the XIV World Forestry Congress, which offers a great opportunity to engage in scientific and policy deliberations like never before.

Young people will be engaged throughout the Congress process, providing vital contributions that stem from debates among peers as well as inter-generational discussion on the most pressing issues facing forests and forestry. Get involved as we liaise with professionals to design pathways for sustainable development and to maintain and enhance the many benefits, products, goods and services that forests provide.

Join us in Durban to express your concerns and ideas, and help build a sustainable future for forests! If you’re coming to the XIV World Forestry Congress, join us at the following events:

 

For more about the Congress, look here: http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/world-forestry-congress/en/

For more information on youth at WFC, look here: http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/world-forestry-congress/get-involved/youth/en/

 

Enjoy it, share it, get involved!

The  YUNGA Team

Guidebook on Youth Participation in the CBD

We have some super exciting news to share: In partnership with the CBD Secretariat, GYBN is going to publish a Guidebook on Youth Participation in the CBD - and you can all be part of it!!

We know that many of you are already involved in amazing projects on Biodiversity and are helping to create real change. We would love to feature some of these stories in the guidebook so that other youth can get inspired by your work! So please help us by submitting your stories through this form:http://bit.ly/gybn-guide

Also if you have any original photographs (owned by you) that you would like to send us that contribute to the experiences you are sharing (such as your organization working on a conservation project, you at a CBD meeting, etc.) please send them to: gybnsteeringcommittee@gmail.com

THE WANGARI MAATHAI SCHOLARSHIP FUND

• CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
• CfA No: WMSF/R3/2015

INFORMATION NOTE & GUIDE TO APPLICANTS

All interested applicants are encouraged to carefully read and fully understand these guidelines before attempting to complete the application forms.
Failure to strictly follow the guidelines may result in incomplete or rejection of submitted proposals.

Background of the fund

The Wangari Maathai Scholarship Fund is an environmental innovations fund set up in memory of Professor Wangari Maathai that is aimed at developing 
action-oriented young people with strong values and commitment to the conservation of the physical and social environment in Kenya.

http://www.kcdf.or.ke/index.php/work-with-us/call-for-proposal

Monitoring and Impact Evaluation of Youth Employment Programmes: 23-27 March 2015

The International Training Centre (ITC) of the ILO will undertake a course on “Monitoring and impact evaluation of youth employment programmes” from the 23rd to the 27th  of March 2015.  

 

The course aims to improve the capacity to build rigorous monitoring and impact evaluation plans for youth employment programmes.

 

At the end of the course, participants will :

·         Improve their comprehension of concepts and methods of quantitative impact evaluation of youth employment projects

·         Know how to identify the most pertinent type of impact evaluation with regards to specific project constraints, institutional and national contexts, and within specific budgetary, time and data constraints

·         Have the capacity to design a monitoring and evaluation plan for youth employment.

 

Please find additional information here  and in the attached flyers (in English and French). The flyers are also available online in English: http://www.itcilo.org/calendar/25466/at_download/FlyerEn and in French: http://www.itcilo.org/calendar/25466/at_download/FlyerFr

 

The deadline for application is 9th of February 2015.

 

The online registration form is available here: http://intranetp.itcilo.org/STF/A908135/en

7 Cities That Are Starting To Go Car-Free

Are you tired of careening hunks of deadly metal in our city streets?  Check out these 7 cities!

Check out: http://www.fastcoexist.com/3040634/7-cities-that-are-starting-to-go-car-free#7

2015 is International Year of Soils!

Expanding cities, deforestation, unsustainable land use and management practices, pollution, overgrazing and climate change endangers our soils. And as long as soils are at risk, sustainable agriculture, food security and the provision of ecosystem services are compromised.