Youth event to launch the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

On 17 May UNEP Brussels Office, FAO Liaison Office Brussels and Youth & Environment Europe jointly organized the virtual webinar “#GenerationRestoration : YOUth reconnecting with Nature” to mark the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration for youth in Europe. The objective of this event was to raise awareness about the UN Decade and inspire youth to join the #GenerationRestoration movement.  

The opening remarks were delivered by the Head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Brussels Office - Veronika Šafránková and Myrto Arvaniti Head of Marketing and Communications at FAO’s Liaison Office in Brussels.  They introduced the aims of the UN Decade of Restoration and stressed the urgent need to restore our ecosystems and planet in order to achieve the Global Sustainable Development Agenda by 2030. Both speakers emphasized that our relationship with nature needs to be transformed and young people are at the centre of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) as they stand to loose the most from the destruction of our ecosystems. 

Following the opening remarks, the first panellists Jaee Nikam, a Research Associate at the Stockholm Environment Institute and Samanta V. Espinosa, a Development Officer at Fundación Jocotoco, authors of the GEO6 for Youth Report interacted with the audience using a mentimeter to collect answers on how youth perceives restoration.  

Consecutively, they presented the main findings of the report and highlighted chapters 3 and 4 which outline key actions youth can take in order to contribute to land conservation.  “In order to restore our relationship with nature we need everyone to get involved” concluded Samanta V. Espinosa, “because, alone you can plant a tree, but with the support of your community you can grow a forest.” 

Following the GEO6 report presentation, Alina Lehikoinen, President of International Forestry Students’ Association (IFSA) and Félix Feider, a Support Liaison Officer on Biodiversity at Youth and Environment Europe discussed youth activism and restoration activities they undertake within their respective organizations. Both speakers, stressed the importance of restoration and urged young people to not only advocate for climate policies, but also get involved in local projects that contribute to restoration. Alina Lehikoinen, added that if young people would like to make a difference it would take a lot of work and ingenuity to find synergies with other organisations. “The key is to work together”, she added, and in her view, interacting with smaller organisations could be just as fruitful as discussing policy proposals at large forums.  

Up next, UNEP’s Young Champion of the Earth - Lefteris Arapakis from Greece, shared his inspiring story, showcasing how local activities can indeed deliver transformative change. He and his family have been training fishermen to collect and recycle plastics, thus not only creating jobs but contributing to reducing marine pollution. “Change starts with each one of us. We need bottom up approach, namely changing our own consumption patterns, but also top down action taken by the governments to ensure that certain kinds of plastics are banned” said Lefteris.  

Last but certainly not least, Tanja Franotović, a Communications professional at DG Environment, European Commission, stressed that only by coupling evidence-based policies with individual action on restoration can we have a real long-lasting impact.  She presented the Pollinators park which aims to bring the conservation crisis to the center of the public debate on climate action by showing what the future would look like if pollinators disappeared and we didn’t change our relationship with nature.  

In the subsequent interactive Q&A the panelists shared with the audience best practices and nature-based solutions that could contribute to restoration.  

The closing remarks were delivered by UNEP’s young restoration specialist Giorgia Cherubini who urged youth to join the global movement #GenerationRestoration in the run up to World Environment Day (5 June) which coincides with the official launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Finally, Hannah Maes who is one of the organizers of the European Youth Event (EYE), situated this webinar within the broader framework of EYE Green Track. She confirmed that best practices and messages shared during this event will feed into preparations for the EYE in October when young people will have the opportunity to directly interact with EU policymakers. 

Link to the recording: https://www.facebook.com/youthandenvironmenteurope/videos/2857466101134…;