The Global Nature Fund (GNF) and Youth Engaged in Wetlands (YEW) have formed a strategic partnership to increase global youth engagement in lake and wetland conservation. This landmark collaboration, developed as part of the Living Lakes Biodiversity and Climate Project (LLBCP), reinforces their shared commitment towards the protection and sustainable use of wetlands. The agreement marks a significant step forward in empowering the next generation of conservation leaders.

YEW, an international youth team of volunteers formed in 2018 during the COP13 of the Convention on Wetlands, has swiftly emerged as a leading youth network dedicated to the conservation, protection, and sustainable use of wetlands. Recognized as a key stakeholder for the Convention on Wetlands, YEW provides a vital platform for young people worldwide, empowering them through awareness raising activities, capacity building, partnerships, campaigns, and information exchange.

Empowering and strengthening youth is a key focus for GNF and Living Lakes, and one of pillars of the Living Lakes Biodiversity & Climate Project (LLBCP). The project seeks to cultivate a shared vision among the future generation of lake managers, ensuring effective protection and sustainable use of lake and wetland ecosystems.

The partnership between GNF and YEW outlines key collaborative efforts, including strategic cooperation, collaboration and knowledge exchange to increase youth involvement in lake and wetland conservation, and supporting the Convention on Wetlands Youth Working Group Work plan under the resolution XIV: 12.

Furthermore, Youth Engaged in Wetlands will also take part in the Living Lakes Network and the Living Lakes Biodiversity & Climate Project’s activities and events related to youth, such as the Sustainable Leadership Journeys.

In endorsing YEW as a key youth network, Living Lakes and GNF commit to support YEW’s role as a driving voice in intergenerational environmental justice. This collaboration stands as a testament to the collective resolve to safeguard the world’s lakes and wetlands, ensuring a thriving future for these vital ecosystems.