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Youth engagement in global conservation governance
Samantha S Sithole1, Gretchen M Walters1, Philile Mbatha2
1Institute of Geography and Sustainability, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Summary
Youth participation in environmental governance is crucial but often blocked by barriers. While the IUCN Youth Strategy aims to help, true engagement requires addressing inequalities and avoiding tokenism.
Area of Science:
- Environmental governance
- Conservation decision-making
- Youth engagement
Background:
- Youth are increasingly vital for conservation efforts but face economic and political barriers in environmental decision-making.
- Marginalization of youth in governance spaces hinders their participation, despite their crucial role.
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Youth Strategy (2022-2030) highlights the growing debate on youth involvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine youth access and participation in high-level decision-making within a prominent global conservation organization.
- To investigate the geopolitical power dynamics and inequalities affecting youth engagement at the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC).
- To analyze the evolution of the IUCN's youth engagement strategies.
Main Methods:
- Event ethnography and participant observation at the WCC Forum in Marseille, France (2021).
- Analysis of youth narratives to understand their experiences and perspectives.
- Review of IUCN resolutions, recommendations, and the development of the Youth Strategy.
Main Results:
- Youth are not a homogenous group; their engagement is stratified and unequal.
- Tokenism in youth participation must be challenged.
- Youth possess agency but require structural support to participate effectively in decision-making.
Conclusions:
- Youth engagement in environmental governance is complex and influenced by power imbalances.
- Effective youth participation requires moving beyond tokenism to address systemic inequalities.
- Supporting youth agency is essential for equitable environmental decision-making and governance.
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