In March 2024, the INUKA team had a chance to be part of the delegation at the Accelerating Nature-based Solutions Conference. Dive into this reflection to see what they learned, what they are feeling inspired by, and what they think is next for NbS!
COP28 was a pivotal moment for global climate action, with Youth4Nature sending nine delegates to advocate for nature, justice, and youth involvement. Click to see in our photojournal how we emphasised integrating climate action with nature and justice while spotlighting diverse youth initiatives and advocating for fair and inclusive nature-based solutions.
As we venture into the expansive canvas of our restoration efforts, a question arises—To Plant or Not to Plant? Learn with us as Y4N Global Ambassador, Mary delves into the nuanced world of grassland afforestation, exploring the fine line between ecological restoration and environmental discord.
Wondering what happened at CO28 related to fossil fuel phase-out? Climate finance? Loss and Damage? Check out our high-level recap of some of these big moments in Dubai.
Restoring the Heart of Kikuyu: Ondiri Wetland
Nestled in Kenya's Kikuyu Sub-County, Ondiri Wetland emerges as a geographical marvel, boasting the title of Afrika's second deepest quaking bog. Despite facing modern challenges like pollution and deforestation, the Friends of Ondiri Wetland Kenya (FOWK) tirelessly champion its restoration. Gazetted as a protected area, efforts include reforestation, fencing, and community partnerships. The recent Ondiri Run, commemorating World Wetlands Day, emphasized the urgent need for conservation. As we navigate through the delicate balance between human activity and environmental preservation, Ondiri Wetland stands as a testament to the enduring connection between humanity and nature.
After the recent gathering of world leaders at the 15th UN-CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Conference of Parties (COP); we saw a rising focus on the global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource use. Nature based Solutions (NbS) can help reduce its effects to a large degree, but only if it is implemented properly and covers the voices of all its stakeholders.
NbS have great potential to contribute to ecosystem resilience. However, the term “NbS” is vulnerable to greenwashings, and the many examples of bad-faith actors co-opting “NbS” in order to continue with the unsustainable, unjust status-quo have made it a complex and often fraught term to engage with
Youth4Nature is proud to announce the launch of a for-youth by-youth restoration project-INUKA. The project, which launches on 20 March 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya, seeks to take advantage of experiential learning to deliver training on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) best practices, youth leadership and storytelling and scale-up solutions across five key landscapes in Kenya (Coastal Mangrove ecosystems, Inland wetlands, Semi-Arid, Highland forests and Agro-forestry ecosystems). INUKA is piloting in Kenya for 15 months following the launch, with scale-up plans to other Afrikan and Global South countries underway.
It’s been over a year since we came together with GYBN and YOUNGO to release the Global Youth Statement on Nature-based Solutions (NbS). With COP15 just around the corner, we have put together a short review of what has happened in the NbS discussion since the Statement was released, and share some insights into what we can expect from the discussion moving forward.
Habari Afrika!
A new year, a new moment to continue inspiring th world through the lenses of our diverse and beautiful landscapes. We invite you to join us in celebrating the beauty that Afrika is, and leveraging on the positive stories that will endeavour to contribute to shape the true narrative of our region.
Viva Afrika.
Youth4Nature joined forces with the Global Youth Biodiversity Network and YOUNGO to put together this event, which served as a launching pad for our recently published Nature-based Solutions Information Brief, and for our upcoming Global Youth Consultation and Youth NbS Position statement. The event came in two sessions…
Stepping into our intergenerational and cross-sector discussion on the private sector’s engagement with youth and for climate and nature, it was clear that there are many conflicting opinions and dichotomous understandings. Before we introduced our speakers, we asked the audience to share what words come to mind when they think about private sector and nature, and the two most prevalent words were…
People are part of the nature, and unlikely the common speech says, not all people are responsible for the climate and biodiversity crisis the world is facing! There’s actually people who have always protected and lived in harmony with nature, those people are Indigenous, local, Quilombola communities and other groups who understand the importance of nature…
The lack of a universally agreed upon definition of Nature-based Solutions, and the stemming concerns about human rights and missing biodiversity safeguards, are gaining traction. So the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, Youth4Nature and YOUNGO are joining forces to do something about it - we’re launching a much-needed by-youth and for-youth discussion and consultation on "nature-based solutions”. The work starts today.
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