In a pivotal move to amplify youth voices in environmental policy and action, the Ramsar Youth Working Group Community (RYWGC) has launched an innovative online platform to connect, empower, and equip young people working to protect wetlands around the globe.
Aligned with the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands—an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands—this initiative brings new momentum to youth engagement following the adoption of the COP14 Youth Resolution and the Youth Workplan’s Theme 1: “Develop a Global Community of Practice.”
A Virtual Hub for Global Wetlands Advocacy
The new digital platform is more than a social network; it’s a strategic tool for conservation. By fostering collaboration among young scientists, activists, conservationists, and students aged 18 to 35, the RYWGC is working to build a strong community of practice focused on wetlands. This comes at a time when the urgency to restore and protect wetlands is being echoed across the global environmental community—including the Living Lakes Network, which recently called for wetlands to be prioritized in climate action plans at the upcoming UNFCCC COP29 in Baku.
With features enabling knowledge-sharing, live discussions, event updates, training opportunities, and even job offers, the platform aims to achieve four core objectives:
Youth Engagement: Encouraging active participation of young people in wetland conservation efforts through hands-on initiatives and storytelling.
Advocacy: Elevating youth perspectives within national and international policy frameworks on wetlands and biodiversity.
Capacity Building: Offering resources, toolkits, and training to help young leaders grow into influential conservation advocates.
Networking: Connecting individuals and organizations across continents to collaborate on projects, research, and campaigns.
Bridging Local Action with Global Impact
This platform represents a growing recognition of the critical role of youth in environmental governance. It reflects the calls from key players like the Living Lakes Network, which emphasizes that wetland restoration is not only a Nature-Based Solution (NbS) to climate change but a pathway to resilient, equitable, and sustainable communities.
The Ramsar platform also seeks to foster intergenerational equity and inclusion—principles highlighted in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Ensuring young people have access to knowledge and decision-making spaces is crucial in meeting global targets such as restoring 30% of degraded inland waters by 2030.
The momentum generated by the Ramsar Youth Working Group’s global community launch is especially timely with the upcoming Ramsar COP15, scheduled from 23 to 31 July 2025 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This conference will convene representatives from over 170 countries to discuss the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. As nations gather to set the future course for wetland conservation, the voices of young people must be front and center. The newly launched youth community provides a powerful platform to share ideas, mobilize action, and ensure that youth perspectives are integrated into global policies—aligning with the Ramsar Convention’s goals of wise use, restoration, and safeguarding wetland ecosystems for future generations.
Join the Movement
Youth from all over the world are invited to request membership to this dynamic online space. Whether you’re a researcher studying wetland biodiversity, a climate activist promoting ecosystem resilience, or a community leader restoring local wetlands, this platform provides the tools and networks to magnify your impact.
To request to join the Ramsar Youth Working Group Community, visit the official RYWGC platform here.
This initiative was developed in collaboration with the Global Nature Fund, the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, and youth partners of the Ramsar Convention.
