Preparation for COP
When countries gather in October for the next United Nations Biodiversity COP17, youth should be part of the conversation.
The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) is the highest decision body of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - the place where all the countries that ratified the Convention (the "parties") come together to decide the next steps.
Youth needs to be part of this. We are increasingly at the forefront of biodiversity efforts, yet often lack access to learning spaces that integrate holistic understanding, intergenerational knowledge, nature-grounded experience, and strategic planning. We remain one of the most underfunded and underrepresented groups in global biodiversity governance. It needs our efforts to be there and change this - and we need to know what is going on.
Capacity-building
What?
Through the organisation of several webinars and online meetings until COP17 related to biodiversity, policy and youth action.
Objective
Empower youth and increase their knowledge. Exchange and learn together.
Why?
Not all youth will have the opportunity to participate in COP17 in person. However, a lot of youth in our network and beyond are interested in deepening their knowledge of the different key topics around COP17 and how to locally take action on the different targets of the GBF.
Ideal impacts
-
Peer-to-peer learning across European youth related to biodiversity topics
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Increased knowledge about the CBD and its processes and how to engage with them
Past and future webinars
Webinars:
-
Synthetic Biology & Conservation
(July 2026) -
EU policies in the European Union
(June 2026) -
Convention on Biological Diversity in Practice (May 2026)
(in collaboration with YEE) -
Area-based conservation (April 2026)
-
What did COP30 deliver for biodiversity? (March 2026)
(in collaboration with BAE)
Ideas for upcoming webinars:
-
SBSTTA/SBI Nairobi (~September)
-
Biodiversity & environmental policy in Armenia (~September)
-
present your project! - community sharing webinar
Any idea? Anything you want to learn or share about?
Reach out to gybn.europe@gmail.com
Webinars (continued):
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SBI6: Introduction to CBD and subsidiary bodies with an introduction to the agenda of SBI6 (February 2026)
-
SBSTTA28: Preparation for SBSTTA 28 - Main topics for discussion (Oct 2025)
In-person training
What?
We organized an international training workshop for nearly 30 young biodiversity advocates from across Europe for a 3-day capacity-building program in Czechia from 25th-27th April.
Why youth?
Many young Europeans care deeply about nature protection and are feeling anxiety in light of unprecedented biodiversity loss. Many of them take action - but we want it to be even more. Self-efficacy is one of the best answers to this anxiety. However, youth can’t solve this crisis alone. We therefore want to give youth tools to engage with local, national and international decision-makers to increase ambition for biodiversity, to be part of national biodiversity discussions, but also how they can themselves increase the impact of their own projects and activities.
Objective
Training young people already involved in biodiversity activity to make them aware of how their work is already linked to the international negotiations and providing them with the tools necessary to amplify the work. Participants should go out of this workshop as multipliers, motivated to engage more youth for biodiversity action and prepared to work with their governments to reach harmony with nature.
Impacts
-
Increased policy literacy: Understanding CBD processes, national processes (e.g. NBSAPs and their implementation), youth involvement opportunities
-
Snowball effect: Participants will function as multipliers and spread biodiversity action by organizing local events
Training in Prague
Over 30 participants and trainers came together for the capacity building training in Prague during the last weekend of April.
During these 3 days, we shared our expertise and experience regarding the UN environmental processes, the CBD negotiations, nature sensitization, and the national implementation of biodiversity policies on the ground.
We also prepared our actions for 2026 during an afternoon workshop, thinking of what truly matters to us and how to translate this into concrete actions - from reviewing our national restoration plans, creating neww GYBN chapters, monitoring wildlife, joining COP, or communicating about our love and need for biodiversity all across Europe!
"Thank you all for such a meaningful, fun and memorable weekend in Prague. I really enjoyed getting to know you, learning from your experiences and sharing so many good conversations throughout the training. It was genuinely inspiring to be in a space with so many passionate and thoughtful people who care deeply about biodiversity, youth engagement and making a real difference.
A special thank you as well to the organisers for all the time, care and effort you put into making this weekend happen. It was clear how much work went into it and it really created a warm, welcoming and inspiring atmosphere for all of us."
We visited the wonderful Prague, discovered the nature of the Prokop and Dalej Valley Nature Park, as well as the breeding programme of Przewalski’s horses on the Děvín hill.
You have ideas, you can provide in kind-support, connections or you can fundraise money? Every support is helpful. Share the word about our activities, join GYBN Europe or its subchapters (if you are youth up to 35 years).
For COP17, we need our motivation and dedication - and yes, we also need money to support more youth to join in-person and make sure that our voices are heard. Therefore: Please chip in and share our fundraising campaign!
Donate and share:
Or donate directly:
Questions or other ways to help? Email us: gybn.europe@gmail.com.
Bank account owner: Future Ancestors Rising
IBAN: DE16 3705 0198 1958 6603 08
BIC: COLSDE33XXX
Bank: Sparkasse Koeln Bonn
Please add “GYBN Europe” in the purpose /intended use part of the donation.
Participation should never depend on financial means.